Lent & Easter Resources
The season of Lent is a time for reflection, spiritual growth, and eventually grief. It can be a time of both sorrow and renewal in our own lives as well as in the life of the church.Easter Sunday brings us joy; a light in the darkness. Just as winter ends and spring begins we celebrate life again as Jesus is resurrected and eternal life is given to us.
Such is the emotional season of Lent & Easter , and The Genesis Center is here to help guide congregations and people with quality resources that include curriculum, devotions, worship services and more. Below are some online resources from around the web; they are categorized by age group and type of resource. If you can't find what you are looking for or need personal assistance, please contact us today! |
Online Resources
Adults
A Lenten Fast
From the PCUSA website, this five week study on the Gospel of John focuses on meditation and fasting for the five Sundays in Lent.*
Fasting: A Spiritually and Socially Transforming Practice
Author: By the Rev. Noelle Damico
Fasting is a spiritual practice embraced by many faith traditions. People of faith may be familiar with fasting at Ramadan within the Muslim community or fasting undertaken during Lent in the Christian community. Fasting has an ancient history and is part of scriptural texts that inspire faith. - From the PCUSA Website*
Fasting in the Bible and Reformed Tradition
An overview from the PCUSA website about the practice of fasting.*
The Thoughtful Christian
Lent & Easter resources available for low-cost purchase from thethoughtfulchristian.com. Resources include various studies and devotions a well as curriculum. $
From the PCUSA website, this five week study on the Gospel of John focuses on meditation and fasting for the five Sundays in Lent.*
Fasting: A Spiritually and Socially Transforming Practice
Author: By the Rev. Noelle Damico
Fasting is a spiritual practice embraced by many faith traditions. People of faith may be familiar with fasting at Ramadan within the Muslim community or fasting undertaken during Lent in the Christian community. Fasting has an ancient history and is part of scriptural texts that inspire faith. - From the PCUSA Website*
Fasting in the Bible and Reformed Tradition
An overview from the PCUSA website about the practice of fasting.*
The Thoughtful Christian
Lent & Easter resources available for low-cost purchase from thethoughtfulchristian.com. Resources include various studies and devotions a well as curriculum. $
Children & Youth
Thinker's Theater Puppet Show - Got Easter?
By: Anne Haines
Click here to download a free puppet show written by Anne Haines and published by The Genesis Center. With memorable characters and a wonderful Easter message, this puppet show is easy to set up and fun to perform!
View a picture of the puppet Choklat-E here!
Download the patterns and instructions to make the puppet Choklat-E here in a .zip file.
ABC Teacher - Easter Resources
Includes various secular printable resources for download and print. Most resources are free, a few require a membership. $
Backwards Easter Egg Hunt
A creative idea from Ministry-to-Children where children find empty eggs and fill them with symbols of the Easter story.*
Crafts for Easter
From Ministry-to-Children a collection of Easter crafts for children.*
Children & Easter Worship
A collection of creative ideas from Ministry-to-Children about including children in worship on Easter Sunday.*
Creative Easter Snacks
A collection of snacks with Easter meanings from Ministry-to-Children.*
Easter Coloring Pages
Various religious Easter coloring pages from Ministry-to-Children.*
Easter Play
A free Easter play from Ministry-to-Children.*
Education.com Easter Activities
A collection of non-secular activities for children and teens from Education.com.*
DLTK-kids.com Easter Resources
Includes games, coloring pages, crafts and more from the website DLTK.com. Resources are both secular and non-secular in nature. *
Good Friday & Easter Worksheets
Worksheets from Ministry-to-Children for Sunday School or Bulletin inserts.*
History.com - Easter Traditions
Visit history.com and learn about the origins of popular Easter traditions including Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, and more.*
Kidspot.com Easter Crafts & Activities
Non-secular activities and crafts from the website kidspot.com. Most crafts focus on eggs and Easter baskets.*
Primary Games- Easter Games
Online, computer games for children from primarygames.com. All games are free to play and reviewed for safety and age appropriate content. They also have a teen website.*
Religious Worksheets
A collection of worksheets - word searches, jumbles, coloring pages, and more - available from the website apples4theteacher.com. Please note: The website has many ads and popups and the resources are not denomination specific. Non-religious* coloring pages and activities are also available. *
Walk His Ways
A Lenten theme for children's Sunday School:
Through the exploration of parable Bible stories, the “Walk His Ways” Lent lessons help children discover how we can attempt to live and serve as Jesus did in the kind of kingdom he envisioned. Each of the five lessons addresses “walking his ways” with a different parable and theme. -From Ministry-to-Children*
Washed Clean
An object lesson for teens and pre-teens from Ministry-to-Children about how Jesus came and "washed away" our sins.*
By: Anne Haines
Click here to download a free puppet show written by Anne Haines and published by The Genesis Center. With memorable characters and a wonderful Easter message, this puppet show is easy to set up and fun to perform!
View a picture of the puppet Choklat-E here!
Download the patterns and instructions to make the puppet Choklat-E here in a .zip file.
ABC Teacher - Easter Resources
Includes various secular printable resources for download and print. Most resources are free, a few require a membership. $
Backwards Easter Egg Hunt
A creative idea from Ministry-to-Children where children find empty eggs and fill them with symbols of the Easter story.*
Crafts for Easter
From Ministry-to-Children a collection of Easter crafts for children.*
Children & Easter Worship
A collection of creative ideas from Ministry-to-Children about including children in worship on Easter Sunday.*
Creative Easter Snacks
A collection of snacks with Easter meanings from Ministry-to-Children.*
Easter Coloring Pages
Various religious Easter coloring pages from Ministry-to-Children.*
Easter Play
A free Easter play from Ministry-to-Children.*
Education.com Easter Activities
A collection of non-secular activities for children and teens from Education.com.*
DLTK-kids.com Easter Resources
Includes games, coloring pages, crafts and more from the website DLTK.com. Resources are both secular and non-secular in nature. *
Good Friday & Easter Worksheets
Worksheets from Ministry-to-Children for Sunday School or Bulletin inserts.*
History.com - Easter Traditions
Visit history.com and learn about the origins of popular Easter traditions including Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, and more.*
Kidspot.com Easter Crafts & Activities
Non-secular activities and crafts from the website kidspot.com. Most crafts focus on eggs and Easter baskets.*
Primary Games- Easter Games
Online, computer games for children from primarygames.com. All games are free to play and reviewed for safety and age appropriate content. They also have a teen website.*
Religious Worksheets
A collection of worksheets - word searches, jumbles, coloring pages, and more - available from the website apples4theteacher.com. Please note: The website has many ads and popups and the resources are not denomination specific. Non-religious* coloring pages and activities are also available. *
Walk His Ways
A Lenten theme for children's Sunday School:
Through the exploration of parable Bible stories, the “Walk His Ways” Lent lessons help children discover how we can attempt to live and serve as Jesus did in the kind of kingdom he envisioned. Each of the five lessons addresses “walking his ways” with a different parable and theme. -From Ministry-to-Children*
Washed Clean
An object lesson for teens and pre-teens from Ministry-to-Children about how Jesus came and "washed away" our sins.*
Families
Desserts for Easter
A list of desserts and baking activities from apples4theteacher.com. Please note: there are a lot of ads on this website. *
Creative Easter Snacks
A collection of snacks with Easter meanings from Ministry-to-Children.*
Family Worship - Easter Sunday
Ministry-to-Children has an easy worship guide for Easter Sunday for families looking to have a family worship service.*
History.com - Easter Traditions
Visit history.com with your family and learn about the origins of popular Easter traditions including Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, and more.*
Talking with Children About Lent & Easter
From the PCUSA website, this article provides suggestions on how to begin conversations with your Children about Lent & Easter.*
Resurrection Sunday Bible Journey for Families
Resurrection Sunday Bible Journey is an event with four stations families “journey” through to learn what Resurrection Sunday is all about. -From Ministry-to-Children*
A list of desserts and baking activities from apples4theteacher.com. Please note: there are a lot of ads on this website. *
Creative Easter Snacks
A collection of snacks with Easter meanings from Ministry-to-Children.*
Family Worship - Easter Sunday
Ministry-to-Children has an easy worship guide for Easter Sunday for families looking to have a family worship service.*
History.com - Easter Traditions
Visit history.com with your family and learn about the origins of popular Easter traditions including Easter eggs, the Easter Bunny, and more.*
Talking with Children About Lent & Easter
From the PCUSA website, this article provides suggestions on how to begin conversations with your Children about Lent & Easter.*
Resurrection Sunday Bible Journey for Families
Resurrection Sunday Bible Journey is an event with four stations families “journey” through to learn what Resurrection Sunday is all about. -From Ministry-to-Children*
Music
Give Thanks to the Lord
A hymn for Passion/Palm Sunday from the PCUSA website.*
God's Love Goes On Forever
By: Kyle Noltemeyer and Chandi Plummer
From the website Sojourn Kids, a new Easter song with chord sheet and words available for download.*
Lent Sanctus Redhead 76
This musical setting of the Sanctus in the Great Thanksgiving is especially appropriate for the Season of Lent. -From the PCUSA website*
Musical setting of Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, and Great Amen
This is a musical setting of the Sanctus (Holy, holy, holy), Memorial Acclamation, and Great Amen to the tune “Easter Hymn” (Jesus Christ Is Risen Today), especially for use at the Lord’s Supper in the Season of Easter. -From the PCUSA website*
The Cross Was Not the End
By: Bill & Courtney Bell
From the website Sojourn Kids, a new Easter song with audio, words and chord sheet available for download.*
You Give Us Hope This Easter Day
Author: Carolyn Winfrey Gillett
You Give Us Hope This Easter Day was written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette as a prayer of dedication for One Great Hour of Sharing. -From the PCUSA website*
A hymn for Passion/Palm Sunday from the PCUSA website.*
God's Love Goes On Forever
By: Kyle Noltemeyer and Chandi Plummer
From the website Sojourn Kids, a new Easter song with chord sheet and words available for download.*
Lent Sanctus Redhead 76
This musical setting of the Sanctus in the Great Thanksgiving is especially appropriate for the Season of Lent. -From the PCUSA website*
Musical setting of Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation, and Great Amen
This is a musical setting of the Sanctus (Holy, holy, holy), Memorial Acclamation, and Great Amen to the tune “Easter Hymn” (Jesus Christ Is Risen Today), especially for use at the Lord’s Supper in the Season of Easter. -From the PCUSA website*
The Cross Was Not the End
By: Bill & Courtney Bell
From the website Sojourn Kids, a new Easter song with audio, words and chord sheet available for download.*
You Give Us Hope This Easter Day
Author: Carolyn Winfrey Gillett
You Give Us Hope This Easter Day was written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette as a prayer of dedication for One Great Hour of Sharing. -From the PCUSA website*
Prayer & Devotion
Prayers
Ash Wednesday - Prayers
A collection of prayers from the PCUSA website to be used in a variety of settings.*
Daily Prayer App
Information on the PCUSA's daily prayer app is available at this resource.*
Easter Season Prayers
Prayers from the PCUSA website for use during the Easter Season.*
Easter Sunday Prayers
Prayers from the PCUSA website for use on Easter Sunday.*
Eucharistic Prayers for Lent - Year A
Prayers from the Revised Common Lectionary texts for the first five Sundays in Lent. *
Eucharistic Prayers for Easter - Year A
Prayers from the Revised Common Lectionary texts for the first five Sundays in Lent.*
Prayers for Lent
A collection of prayers from the PCUSA website to be used in a variety of Lenten settings.*
Passion/Palm Sunday Prayers
A collection of prayers from the PCUSA website to be used in a variety of settings.*
Devotions
Devotions & Readings
This resources takes you to the PCUSA website's Devotions and Readings page with links to their online lectionary, Hear the Word podcast and more.*
Hear the Word Podcast - Year A
Each podcast includes four lectionary readings for one of the Sundays or festivals of the church year: an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, an Epistle and a Gospel reading. Following each set of readings is a prayer for the day from the Book of Common Worship. - From the PCUSA website*
The Thoughtful Christian - Lenten Devotions
This resources takes you to thethoughtfulchristian.com 's list of various Lenten devotions available for purchase at a low cost. $
Words Matter - Lenten Devotions
Words Matter focuses on deep thinking about what is really at stake in the words we use, acknowledging that words can be used to tear down — but hopeful that more of us will embrace the potential of words to build up. (Lenten Devotions)- From the PCUSA website.*
Ash Wednesday - Prayers
A collection of prayers from the PCUSA website to be used in a variety of settings.*
Daily Prayer App
Information on the PCUSA's daily prayer app is available at this resource.*
Easter Season Prayers
Prayers from the PCUSA website for use during the Easter Season.*
Easter Sunday Prayers
Prayers from the PCUSA website for use on Easter Sunday.*
Eucharistic Prayers for Lent - Year A
Prayers from the Revised Common Lectionary texts for the first five Sundays in Lent. *
Eucharistic Prayers for Easter - Year A
Prayers from the Revised Common Lectionary texts for the first five Sundays in Lent.*
Prayers for Lent
A collection of prayers from the PCUSA website to be used in a variety of Lenten settings.*
Passion/Palm Sunday Prayers
A collection of prayers from the PCUSA website to be used in a variety of settings.*
Devotions
Devotions & Readings
This resources takes you to the PCUSA website's Devotions and Readings page with links to their online lectionary, Hear the Word podcast and more.*
Hear the Word Podcast - Year A
Each podcast includes four lectionary readings for one of the Sundays or festivals of the church year: an Old Testament reading, a Psalm, an Epistle and a Gospel reading. Following each set of readings is a prayer for the day from the Book of Common Worship. - From the PCUSA website*
The Thoughtful Christian - Lenten Devotions
This resources takes you to thethoughtfulchristian.com 's list of various Lenten devotions available for purchase at a low cost. $
Words Matter - Lenten Devotions
Words Matter focuses on deep thinking about what is really at stake in the words we use, acknowledging that words can be used to tear down — but hopeful that more of us will embrace the potential of words to build up. (Lenten Devotions)- From the PCUSA website.*
Worship
Lent
Ash Wednesday Service
A complete Ash Wednesday Service from the PCUSA website.*
A Lenten Meditation
Author: Thomas John
A mediation by Thomas John from the PCUSA website.*
Biblical Confessions for the Season of Lent
Available to download at this link into a Microsoft Word document are some helpful confessions appropriate for Lent.*
Confessions of Pardon for Lent -Year A
From the PCUSA website. Version Two is also available.*
Gospel of Luke Service
A service where the Gospel of Luke is read with accompanying hymns from the PCUSA website.*
Good Friday Service
From the PCUSA website, a Good Friday Service of the Three Nails.*
Great Three Days
Ideas from the PCUSA website on how to observe Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.*
Holy Week Services
These daily services for Morning, Midday and Evening Prayer are designed particularly for Holy Week but are appropriate for use throughout the Season of Lent. -From the PCUSA website.*
Lectionary Readings- Year A
The following link takes you directly to the PCUSA's lectionary resources - Year A - for Lent.*
Lenten Worship Ideas
From the PCUSA website, an article with various unique ideas for worship during Lent.*
Passion/Palm Sunday
Ideas for Passion/Palm Sunday from the PCUSA website.*
Sacramental Practices for Lent
An article from the PCUSA website detailing five shared practices for congregations to take during the season of Lent. *
Service of Preparation for Holy Communion
Based on the Beatitudes this service is appropriate during the season of Lent. From the PCUSA website.*
Stations of the Cross Service
A complete service with appropriate Reformed scriptures in the tradition of the stations of the cross. From the PCUSA website.*
Easter
Children & Easter Worship
A collection of creative ideas from Ministry-to-Children about including children in worship on Easter Sunday.*
Easter Play
A free Easter play from Ministry-to-Children.*
Easter is a Season
An article with ideas about how to continue the Easter celebration the 50 days until Pentecost with your congregation. From the PCUSA website.*
Easter Sunday Liturgical Texts
A collection of ideas and liturgical texts from the PCUSA website.*
Intergenerational Easter Vigil
From the PCUSA website the following is a guide to help you plan an intergenerational Easter Vigil Service.*
Lectionary Readings for Easter Sunday - Year A
The lectionary readings prepared by the PCUSA website for Easter Sunday - Year A.*
Lectionary Readings for Easter Vigil -Year A
The lectionary readings for Easter Vigil prepared by the PCUSA website - Year A.*
Resurrection Handout
From the PCUSA website the handout "provides a comparison of the parallel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in each of the four Gospels as well as other biblical references related to resurrection".*
Ash Wednesday Service
A complete Ash Wednesday Service from the PCUSA website.*
A Lenten Meditation
Author: Thomas John
A mediation by Thomas John from the PCUSA website.*
Biblical Confessions for the Season of Lent
Available to download at this link into a Microsoft Word document are some helpful confessions appropriate for Lent.*
Confessions of Pardon for Lent -Year A
From the PCUSA website. Version Two is also available.*
Gospel of Luke Service
A service where the Gospel of Luke is read with accompanying hymns from the PCUSA website.*
Good Friday Service
From the PCUSA website, a Good Friday Service of the Three Nails.*
Great Three Days
Ideas from the PCUSA website on how to observe Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.*
Holy Week Services
These daily services for Morning, Midday and Evening Prayer are designed particularly for Holy Week but are appropriate for use throughout the Season of Lent. -From the PCUSA website.*
Lectionary Readings- Year A
The following link takes you directly to the PCUSA's lectionary resources - Year A - for Lent.*
Lenten Worship Ideas
From the PCUSA website, an article with various unique ideas for worship during Lent.*
Passion/Palm Sunday
Ideas for Passion/Palm Sunday from the PCUSA website.*
Sacramental Practices for Lent
An article from the PCUSA website detailing five shared practices for congregations to take during the season of Lent. *
Service of Preparation for Holy Communion
Based on the Beatitudes this service is appropriate during the season of Lent. From the PCUSA website.*
Stations of the Cross Service
A complete service with appropriate Reformed scriptures in the tradition of the stations of the cross. From the PCUSA website.*
Easter
Children & Easter Worship
A collection of creative ideas from Ministry-to-Children about including children in worship on Easter Sunday.*
Easter Play
A free Easter play from Ministry-to-Children.*
Easter is a Season
An article with ideas about how to continue the Easter celebration the 50 days until Pentecost with your congregation. From the PCUSA website.*
Easter Sunday Liturgical Texts
A collection of ideas and liturgical texts from the PCUSA website.*
Intergenerational Easter Vigil
From the PCUSA website the following is a guide to help you plan an intergenerational Easter Vigil Service.*
Lectionary Readings for Easter Sunday - Year A
The lectionary readings prepared by the PCUSA website for Easter Sunday - Year A.*
Lectionary Readings for Easter Vigil -Year A
The lectionary readings for Easter Vigil prepared by the PCUSA website - Year A.*
Resurrection Handout
From the PCUSA website the handout "provides a comparison of the parallel accounts of Jesus’ resurrection in each of the four Gospels as well as other biblical references related to resurrection".*