Ideas to help you observe Lent

Lent is the period of seven weeks before Easter when Christians prepare to remember the death and the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. It's a time to remember our faults, a time of penitence and reconciliation. For some it is also a time to get ready to affirm their individual Christian faith through baptism or confirmation.

Ways to observe Lent

Attend special services on Ash Wednesday or during Holy Week; details of your parish church are available at http://www.acny.org.uk.

Find out more about Lent and Easter at http://www.rejesus.co.uk/

As well as the more traditional ways of marking Lent, you can:

• Be Good Neighbours

Love Life Live Lent provides 50 simple things to do during Lent: one action each day. Helping us to love our neighbours, locally, nationally and globally. Find out more about Love Life Live Lent by visiting the website http://www.livelent.net. You can also join our Facebook group or add our Love Life Live Lent Facebook application to your profile page http://apps.facebook.com/lovelife/.

Share your experiences of Love Life Live Lent using social networking sites Facebook, MySpace and Flick, further details are available here http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr1108.html.

• Count your blessings

Christian Aid's Lent resource provides you with the opportunity to appreciate what you have in life, but also give something back. Find out more about 'Count your blessings' by visiting the Christian Aid website http://www.christianaid.org.uk.

• Support Tearfund's Carbon Fast

Receive daily text messages during Lent, helping you to reduce your carbon footprint. Tearfund have also developed a range of resources that may be used in your church. More information is available at http://www.tearfund.org/Churches/Carbon+fast+new/.

• Explore the dynamics of discovering a special calling

Church House Publishing's Life Calling, suggests using extracts from the film, Billy Elliot, to explore the dynamics of discovering a special calling. The five-part course, designed to be run by local churches as a Lent course, will use clips from the film alongside Bible readings, prayer and group activities to help churchgoers reflect on the meaning of 'vocations'.

Find out more about Life Calling at http://www.cofe.anglican.org/news/pr10307.html.

• Bring new life to your parish this Easter with Leaves of Life

The Eastertide initiative from The Children's Society gives you the opportunity to actively engage children in worship and the life of your church through preparation of prayer leaves in children's groups and schools. These leaves provide a powerful insight into how children at the heart of your community see their lives.

For further information visit www.childrenssociety.org.uk/leaves