For most denominations, Lent is a season marked by quiet confession, sacrifice, and reflection.
Maybe you’ll give something up this season (like caffeine or cookies or social media) or maybe you’ll take something on (exercise, prayer, or solitude).
Maybe you’ll walk a labyrinth or participate in a Taizé service or do some fasting.
For those of you who are involved in worship-planning, Lent can be a wonderful time to add in a new element and take away something that’s familiar, either visually, liturgically, or musically.
Perhaps you’ll add a corporate Confession and Words of Assurance each week. Maybe you’ll simplify the worship space by removing extra banners and using simpler flower arrangements.
Maybe you’ll use different kinds of music or include more a cappella singing.
Today, I want to share four unique traditions you might consider using in your Lenten services this year.
Four Creative Ideas for Lent
*Disclosure: I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
No. 1 - Veil the cross.
In many sanctuaries, there’s a cross that sits front and center on the altar. Most likely, this sits unchanged throughout the year. The parament, flowers, and other elements on the altar change from week to week or season to season, but the cross probably stays the same, right?
If this is true for you, you might consider veiling the cross during the season of Lent with different shades of purple fabric (something light, like organza).
Start with dark purple and move to lighter and lighter shades of purple fabric as you approach Easter (or start with the lightest shade and move darker and darker each week).
Drape the fabric over the top of the cross, bring it down over the arms, and tie it partway up the base with a simple string.
You could also do this for the processional cross (if your church has a crucifer that processes in with a cross each week).
No. 2 - Start and/or end your services with quiet meditation.
For most worship services during the year, you probably start the service with anywhere from 2-10 minutes of prelude music and you conclude the service with a 3-5 minute postlude.
Why not mix it up during the season of Lent?
Try not playing a prelude during these few weeks and instead, guiding the congregation in a few minutes of silent meditation before the service begins. Alternatively, you could try not playing a postlude and encouraging the congregation to leave the sanctuary quietly, reflecting on the theme of the day.
If you don’t think you can commit to an entire season without a prelude and/or postlude, try doing some of this during Holy Week.
For instance, on Palm/Passion Sunday, skip the postlude and ask the congregation to leave in silence, meditating on the week to come. For Maundy Thursday or Good Friday, start and end the service in silence and encourage quiet prayers and a time of personal reflection.
To facilitate this, consider including a poem, prayer, or a few sentences of reflection in the bulletin to guide the congregation during this time.
Related post: Prayer for Renewal
Another option is to mix up the type of music you use for your preludes and postludes each week. Consider leading the congregation in some simple Taizé choruses as they arrive. Start the service with a simple handbell processional or have the handbells play across the sanctuary from the side aisles.
Related post: 10 Creative Ways to Use Handbells in Worship
Create a meaningful, unique Holy Week service.
Use this 2-page service template as a starting place for planning a unique Holy Week service that incorporates art, music, and readings.
The PDF download also includes a Lenten Resource Guide, with a few handbell and choral music suggestions and related worship-planning links. For more details and resource links, see this post.
No. 3 - Bury the alleluia.
This is a long-standing tradition for certain denominations. Basically, it calls for removing “alleluias” from worship during Lent, then resurrecting them on Easter Sunday. It’s a way of providing contrast in our weekly worship services and anticipating the hope and promise of the resurrection.
"Taking a rest from something gives shape and rhythm to life, to worship, to relationships – even to our relationship with God.” (source)
Here are a few ways to “bury the alleluia” in your services this season:
* If you sing the doxology to the tune LASST UNS ERFREUEN (the one with the “Alleluias” in the chorus), change to OLD HUNDREDTH or TALLIS' CANON for the season of Lent.
* Select or write liturgy (calls to worship, creeds, affirmations of faith, prayers, and communion liturgy) without the word “alleluia.”
* Save hymns like “All Creatures of Our God and King,” “Come, Christians, Join to Sing,” and “When In Our Music God is Glorified” (all of which include “alleluia” in the text) for the season of Easter.
If you’re curious about the tradition of “burying the alleluia" and how it came to be, you can read more about the history here.
No. 4 - Add service music.
If your choir is accustomed to singing service music each week (introit, prayer response, benediction response), consider using more reflective music during the season of Lent (you could also sub handbells in this spot for a week or two during Lent).
If your choir doesn’t normally sing service music on a weekly basis, consider adding something small into the service each week during Lent. Start with a call to prayer or prayer response or a simple Amen after the benediction at the end of the service.
Pull snippets from Lenten anthems, use verses from spirituals or Lenten hymns, or introduce something new like “We Come Believing” from Songs for the Sanctuary I.
Related post: How to Use Choral Service Music in Worship: A Few FAQs
Looking for more?
Interested in reading about a few more innovative ideas to enhance your Lenten worship? Here are 5 ideas for creating meaningful Lenten worship services.
How will you celebrate the season of Lent this year? I’d love to hear!
