What is Lent?

For United Methodists, Lent is not just about "giving something up" (like chocolate or social media), though fasting is a common practice. It is primarily a season to focus on:

  • Discipline: Developing intentional habits like prayer, fasting, and almsgiving.
  • Repentance: Acknowledging our shortcomings and turning back toward God.
  • Education: Many UMC congregations use this time for "Disciple" classes or special small-group studies to prepare candidates for baptism or confirmation.

The Beginning: Ash Wednesday

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Wednesday, February 18, 2026 

This year, we are honored to begin our journey with our neighbors at Zion Lutheran Church. They have invited us to a special, two-part experience that combines fellowship and traditional worship.

  • 6:15 PM | Dinner Church: Join us in the Lower-Level Fellowship Hall for a soup supper and the opening portions of worship.
  • 7:15 PM | Ash Wednesday Service: We will move to the Sanctuary for confession, the imposition of ashes, and communion.
  • Address: 330 Griswold Street, Elgin, 60123

You are welcome to attend the dinner, the service, or both!

Our Lenten Journey: Weekly Themes

Follow along with our 2026 Lent Study Guide as we explore how God meets us in our honesty, our weariness, and our ordinary moments to bring about renewal.

Click Here to Download the Weekly Study Guide

How to Practice Together

  • The Weekly Email: Every week, you will receive an email containing a summary of the focus and the Word of the Day for each day of the upcoming week.
  • The Daily Practice: Use the Word of the Day to engage in small, manageable anchors—like taking one honest breath or noticing one steady thing.
  • Reflection & Review: At the end of each week, take a few quiet minutes to look back and notice where you saw a "small light" or a moment of hope.

Why Forty Days?

The number 40 is deeply symbolic in the Christian tradition, representing a period of testing and preparation. The UMC points to several biblical foundations for this timeframe:

  • Jesus in the Wilderness: The primary inspiration is the 40 days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, where he was tempted by Satan before beginning his public ministry.
  • The Great Flood: The rain fell for 40 days and 40 nights during Noah’s time.
  • The Exodus: The Israelites wandered in the wilderness for 40 years before entering the Promised Land.
  • Moses and Elijah: Both figures spent 40 days on Mount Sinai.
     
    • The "Sunday Loophole": If you look at a calendar, you’ll notice there are actually 46 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter. The UMC (and most Western churches) does not count Sundays as part of the 40 days of Lent. Because every Sunday is considered a "little Easter"—a celebration of the Resurrection—they are feast days rather than fast days.

How it Begins and Ends

  • Ash Wednesday: The season begins with the imposition of ashes, reminding us of our mortality and the need for repentance.
  • Holy Week: Lent technically concludes on Holy Saturday, the day before Easter Sunday, though the final days (Maundy Thursday and Good Friday) shift the focus toward the Passion of Christ.