Inspired by the Circuit Climate Action initiative that led up to COP-26, we now have a Lent Study, Rising to the Call: 7 Big Questions, for use at your local church. The study looks at the gospel scripture passages that are set for Lent as we ask seven big questions that can be applied to our discipleship in general and to issues of justice and especially climate justice.
Download the free Lent Study Guide below in one of two formats (use the red buttons):
This version of the Study Guide is for printing on A4 paper for those who need large print or for reading on-screen.
This version of the Study Guide is for printing double-sided on A4 paper to produce an A5-booklet.
If you plan to use the course, then we would love to know! Or if you have any questions or trouble downloading the guide, then contact us here.
Find some additional information for each week and the optional sermons by clicking on the boxes or keep on scrolling!
About Rising to the Call
The study is called Rising to the Call: 7 Big Questions. We will ponder Jesus’ journey to the cross and his resurrection alongside our personal Lenten journey as we think about the world and climate action and our need to rise and find new ways to move forward with Easter hope. All the information that you need to lead a group is in the study guide. The climate action section of our website provides supplemental material for those who wish to explore further.
When Jesus was baptised by John, God assured him of his blessing, and the Spirit drove him into the wilderness, prayerfully to seek out how to fulfil his calling. Jesus wrestled with choices of how to bring God’s loving justice to life in the world for all time.
After two years of our wilderness experience of Covid we have the opportunity this Lent to refocus our discipleship: bringing renewal and fresh purpose to the church and communities we serve. We too must wrestle prayerfully with today’s big questions of justice to find God’s chosen way for us. How can we bring sustainable justice for the climate and a justice of harmony and cohesion to society?
Each week, the study group is invited to explore a big question whose foundation is in that week’s gospel reading from the Year C lectionary. The guide suggests a number of ways to reflect more widely and leads the group to find practical responses that individuals and the whole group may wish to adopt.
Although these scripture passages were not written about climate justice, the Big Questions can be applied to our discipleship in general and to issues of justice. Most weeks there will be an additional scripture that we will also reflect upon.
There are seven sessions beginning with an Introductory Session in the week of Ash Wednesday, followed by six sessions to answer the first six questions concluding in Holy Week, with an optional session after Easter to look at the seventh question. The circuit online worship services during Lent and on Easter Sunday will also be based on this theme. The sermons from those services will be available separately as a video on this page under the resrources below for any group who wants to use it as a part of each week’s study.
The study covers these challenging and refreshing questions:
- How do you resist the easy option? – some times we are called to overlook the simple and easy answer and take a much more difficult and demanding course of action – but the cry for justice will always push us to go further;
- Who do you listen to? – we are constantly bombarded with messages – both truths and hoaxes, and we have to balance the value of experience, with the need for fresh ideas – sometimes we need courage to relinquish our tight grip and hand over the reins;
- How many chances do you get? – “we are running out of time” is a constant refrain across all forms of injustice, but too often the response appears to be “wait and see” – we need both forgiveness and persistence;
- Can you come back from the bottom? – repentance requires us to confront the wrong in our lives – like all addictions, the hardest choice is owning whatever we need to change – without that ownership our downward spiral will continue, so how can we take ownership and begin our recovery and repentance?
- How do you find balance? – very few of our options to bring an end to injustice involve clear cut decisions between right and wrong – sometimes we can choose which brings the greater good, at others our choice is between several injustices and we have to choose the path of least harm and live with the consequence of that choice;
- How far are you prepared to go? – the battle for justice will take each one of us to the edge of our comfort zone and stretch us well beyond that– how and where do we find the courage and support to bear the pain;
- What are you looking for? – Easter is a story of transformational new beginnings, with new rules, new experiences, and new opportunities – are you ready to reset and rewrite your vision, or are you still trying to recreate the pre-Covid world?
This study has been written collaboratively by circuit minister Rev. Joan Pell and local preacher David Welbourn from Museum Street Methodist Church. You can contact us here.
Resources for Introductory Session
The Lent prayer calendar on page 5 of the study guide can be downloaded separately and printed on A4 paper. Instructions for use are on page 4 of the guide.
The honeycomb is a reminder of our wonderfully created world. While we celebrate the gift of bees and the honey they produce, we also lament the threat of climate change on the bee population. Find out more about that threat from WWF.
The study guide on page 4 talks about materials you can find on the Climate Action section on this website:
LEARNING – Learn about 9 important climate topics
LEARNING – Read one of our recommended books about the climate
ACTING – Pick some easy or hard actions from our 150 ideas
ACTING – Pick some easy or hard actions from our ways to be green
ACTING – Pick some easy or hard actions from the Eco Church survey
SPEAKING OUT – Choose some ways to speak out to politicians or by joining the campaigns of concerned groups
INSPIRING HOPE – Become inspired or inspire hope in others
Links referenced in the Study Guide Intro Session (pages 6 – 9):
Lent Video (Busted Halo, Catholic Resource)
Learning about Carbon Footprints and Net Zero
Carbon Footprint Measure
Rev. James Bhagwan Video
Resources for Question 1 – How do you resist the easy option?
Here is the video sermon for Question 1:
The full service is available here.
Climate Action Links suggested for page 12
Learn about Food Sustainability
Actions about Food
Learn about Eliminating Waste
Actions about Waste
Resources for Question 2 – Who do you listen to?
Here is the video sermon for Question 2:
The full service is available here.
Climate Action Links suggested for page 17
Greenwashing and Carbon Offsetting – Link coming soon – check back here later!
Resources for Question 3 – How many chances do you get?
Here is the video sermon for Question 3:
The full service is available here.
If you downloaded the guide before Ash Wednesday, then here are four corrections that have been made to the guide for this session:
- Page 18 – Reflection, second bullet, first sentence, should read:
Jesus challenged the belief that the victims of disasters were to blame. - Page 18 – Reflection, third bullet, third sentence should read:
The most severe climate damage is falling on those who did not create the problem. - Page 19 – top of page, first bullet should read:
As racial injustice has hit the headlines in recent years, there has been much talk of decolonisation and cancel culture. Some favour decolonisation – the owning up to historical actions which would not be acceptable today and continue to hurt affected groups. Others object to a cancel culture, claiming that we should remain proud of our past. The case … - Page 20 – third paragraph under Climate Action should read:
The later we wait before taking meaningful action, the harder the task.
An act of communal repentance is suggested on page 21. Listed below are some resources that might help you.
An article in Christianity Today
In a different context, here is an example from the United Methodist Church
and one about A Biblical Path for Removing the Racism of Our Forefathers
And one from Scotland
Resources for Question 4 – Can you come back from the bottom?
Here is the video sermon for Question 4:
The full service is available here.
Resources for Question 5 – How do you find balance?
Here is the video sermon for Question 5:
Committing to speaking out is mentioned on page 29. You will find some ways to speak out here.
The full service is available here.
Resources for Question 6 – How far are you prepared to go?
Here is the video sermon for Question 6:
The full service is available here.
Resources for Question 7 (Easter) – What are you looking for?
Here is the video sermon for Question 7:
The full service is available here.
In this section you are asked to identify places of hope. You will find some examples of hope here.
For Group Leaders
The Study Guide has additional information for group leaders on pages 34-35. Those notes include the materials that you will need for each week. Some additional comments are posted below and in the weekly resource sections above. We may add some more pointers to useful articles in the upcoming weeks.
Here is a table listing the dates of classes:
| Online Service & Video Sermon Available (Optional) | Session Title | Suggested Study Date |
|---|---|---|
| — | Introduction | 28th Feb to 5th Mar |
| Sunday 6th March | How do you resist the easy option? | 7th Mar to 12th Mar |
| Sunday 13th March | Who do you listen to? | 14th Mar to 19th Mar |
| Sunday 20th March | How many chances do you get? | 21st Mar to 26th Mar |
| Sunday 27th March | Can you come back from the bottom? | 28th Mar to 2nd Apr |
| Sunday 3rd April | How do you find balance? | 4th Apr to 9th Apr |
| Sunday 10th April | How far are you prepared to go? | 11th Apr to 16th Apr |
| Sunday 17th April | What are you looking for? | Optional: After Easter |
The hymn lyrics we chose all come from Singing the Faith. Most of these are not readily available in other hymnals, but there are video recordings available, which you should be able to find with a quick search. Examples are linked below.
Breathe on me Spirit of Jesus (Tina Pownall)
Called by Christ to be disciples (Martin Leckebusch)
Show me how to stand for justice (Martin Leckebusch) – or find the lyrics here
Almighty God, we come to make confession (Christopher Ellis)
God in his love for us lent us this planet (Fred Pratt Green) – or find the lyrics here
Holy Spirit, gift bestower (Church Hymnary, 4th Edition)
Have you heard God’s voice? (Jacqueline G. Jones)
Christ has risen while earth slumbers (John L. Bell & Graham)
If you use the course, then we would love to know! Or if you have any questions. Contact us here.