• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
Building Faith

Building Faith

  • HOME
  • ABOUT
    • Who We Are
    • Our Writers
    • Author Guidelines
    • FAQs
    • Subscribe
    • Contact Us
  • ARTICLES
    • Articles by Topic
    • Most Recent Articles
  • EN ESPAÑOL
  • INTERGENERATIONAL WORSHIP
    • Intergenerational Worship & Ministry Resources
    • Hallmarks of Intergenerational Worship Toolkit
  • RESOURCES
    • Curriculum Center
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Webinars
    • Episcopal Teacher
  • SUPPORT US
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Lent

LENT

LENT

In the western church the forty days of Lent extend from Ash Wednesday through Holy Saturday, omitting Sundays. The last three days of Lent are the sacred Triduum of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. Christians are invited to the observance of a holy Lent through spiritual practices such as prayer, fasting, scripture study, and alms giving.

EQUIP. TEACH. FORM.

RESOURCES FOR
DISCIPLES OF ALL AGES


Popular Ash Wednesday Articles


Two stacks of pancakes with raspberries and blueberries on plates

Pancake Supper Survival Guide

BuildFaith Editors

Continue Reading Pancake Supper Survival Guide

Three young children and a priest in front of an "Ashes To Go" sign.

Ashes to Go Is Our Family Tradition

Erin Puckett McClure (she/her/hers)

Continue Reading Ashes to Go Is Our Family Tradition

Ash Wednesday for Families

Wendy Claire Barrie (she/her/hers)

Continue Reading Ash Wednesday for Families

Box of pancake mix, red plastic cups, a blue plastic spatula, a bottle of maple syrup, a gift bag with a purple feather boa, and a white paper plate with uninflated balloons in various colors

Shrove Tuesday Party Packs

Shawn Howell

Continue Reading Shrove Tuesday Party Packs


Ash Wednesday Formation & Activities


Outline of a cross in dark gray ashes against a white background

What Does This Day Mean? Handout for Ash Wednesday at Home

Jennifer McNally & Anna V. Ostenso Moore

Continue Reading What Does This Day Mean? Handout for Ash Wednesday at Home

Close-up of ashes in the shape of a cross on the forehead of a person with light skin tone

Three Teaching Points for Ash Wednesday

Sarah Bentley Allred (she/her/hers)

Continue Reading Three Teaching Points for Ash Wednesday

Dried palm branches burning against a light gray background

Burning Palms to Ashes with the Confirmation Class

Beth Richardson

Continue Reading Burning Palms to Ashes with the Confirmation Class

Shrove Tuesday: Pancake Relay Race!

Sharon Ely Pearson

Continue Reading Shrove Tuesday: Pancake Relay Race!


Popular Lent Articles


Close-up of several green seedlings emerging from brown soil in front of a blurred brown and green background

Prayers for Lent

BuildFaith Editors

Continue Reading Prayers for Lent

A view from below of a dark brown wooden cross with a red cloth draped over the horizontal beams against a cloudy background

A Shame-freeing Lent: Stories & Practices for Liberating Lenten Formation

Jodi Belcher (she/her/hers)

Continue Reading A Shame-freeing Lent: Stories & Practices for Liberating Lenten Formation

Photo by Annika Gordon on Unsplash

Cuaresma en casa

Luis Hernandez Rivas (he/him/his)

Continue Reading Cuaresma en casa

Lent in a Bag: An Activity for Church or Home

Shawn Schreiner and Vicki Garvey

Continue Reading Lent in a Bag: An Activity for Church or Home


Lent Formation & Activities


Close-up of a branch of a serviceberry tree bearing white flowers and green leaves in front of a blurred white, blue, and green background

“The Serviceberry”: A Five-Week Bible and Book Study

Patrick Neitzey (he/him/his)

Continue Reading “The Serviceberry”: A Five-Week Bible and Book Study

Close-up of disheveled stack of mail with envelopes in various colors, like light purple, white, brown, and yellow

Canceling Debts for Lent: A Way to Do Lent in Community

Paul Castelli (he/him/his)

Continue Reading Canceling Debts for Lent: A Way to Do Lent in Community

An end view of four thick hardback books stacked on top of one another with (in order from top to bottom) ivory, teal, red and beige, and yellow covers in front of a blurred background in dark and light gray

Building Faith’s Top Picks for Devotionals

BuildFaith Editors

Continue Reading Building Faith’s Top Picks for Devotionals

4 Things I Tell Children The Sunday Before Lent

Christine Hides

Continue Reading 4 Things I Tell Children The Sunday Before Lent


Editors’ Picks


Close-up of several green seedlings emerging from brown soil in front of a blurred brown and green background

Prayers for Lent

Close-up of sunlit Celtic cross headstone in a cemetery with a blurred background and blue sky

The Hard and Holy Work of Talking to Young Children about Death

Close-up of a branch of a serviceberry tree bearing white flowers and green leaves in front of a blurred white, blue, and green background

“The Serviceberry”: A Five-Week Bible and Book Study

Close-up of a glass jar with a view from its mouth lying sideways on a tan-colored floor with numerous coins inside the jar and in front of it

Building Faith’s Favorite Free Christian Formation Resources

Wooden dark brown cross on a light brown surface in a spotlight

Stations of the Cross and Seven Last Words Resources for All Ages

Close-up of disheveled stack of mail with envelopes in various colors, like light purple, white, brown, and yellow

Canceling Debts for Lent: A Way to Do Lent in Community

An end view of four thick hardback books stacked on top of one another with (in order from top to bottom) ivory, teal, red and beige, and yellow covers in front of a blurred background in dark and light gray

Building Faith’s Top Picks for Devotionals

A view from below of a dark brown wooden cross with a red cloth draped over the horizontal beams against a cloudy background

A Shame-freeing Lent: Stories & Practices for Liberating Lenten Formation

Discover More

Footer

Keep in Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook

Building Faith

Lifelong Learning
Virginia Theological Seminary
3737 Seminary Rd.
Alexandria, VA 22304

Copyright © 2026 · Building Faith · A Ministry of Lifelong Learning at Virginia Theological Seminary

Design by Blue+Pine Creative, Inc.

Subscribe to Building Faith

Get articles and resources by email

Privacy Policy

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website.
If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it.