Lent

Draw Close

Thu, 24 Oct 2024 20:02:42 GMT

Available December 2024; Preorder Now!

Experience scripture, God, and your faith in a fresh new way this Lenten season! In the interactive devotional Draw Close, Rev. Stephanie Dunn invites people of all faith levels and artistic skills into a creative daily practice that will deepen your faith and help you engage scripture in imaginative new ways.

On each of the 40 days of Lent, Dunn introduces you to a biblical text, prayer, and word prompt to ponder, followed by a blank page for you to respond in whatever way you choose—sketching, doodling, poetry, journaling, or however your heart desires! As you engage with the Lenten texts in this immersive way, you'll discover new depths of insight, connection, and spiritual renewal. Through the act of creation, you'll find a sacred space where prayer, meditation, and creativity converge, nurturing your soul and fostering a closer relationship with God.

This unique Lenten companion for all ages can be used alone or with a group of others looking for new ways to practice their faith. Pick up a pencil, pen, or paintbrush and prepare to draw closer to God this Lent!

READ A SAMPLE.

My Body Is Good

Wed, 18 May 2022 20:38:48 GMT

Author Anne Cumings recalls growing up in a culture that scrutinized her body as a source of weakness and sin. Her church warned of "slippery slides into debauchery," and modern culture taught her that she must look a certain way to be attractive, acceptable, even lovable—something to which most women will relate. Now, equipped with a body-positive mindset, she has created an engaging and uplifting study, My Body Is Good, to guide readers through a Lenten season of celebrating their bodies.

Written specifically for women, each daily meditation offers a scripture passage, a reflection, and a prayer. Readers are encouraged to capture their questions, ideas, and thoughts through journaling and other spiritual practices, all with the intention of healing from diet culture. Join her on this Lenten journey and never again forget that your God-given body, made from dust, is good.

Listening Through Lent

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:04:02 GMT

Do you love hymns? Songs of faith shape our understanding of spiritual truths; they remind us who God is. When we listen to hymns, the music awakens our auditory imagination and embeds the words into our memories. Lingering in our hearts and minds, hymns offer a regular reminder of God's loving and compassionate presence with us. This artful combination of music and lyric is a great gift.

Our Lenten eCourse, featuring James C. Howell's Unrevealed Until Its Season: A Lenten Journey with Hymns, centers on key phrases of well-loved hymns. "Take My Moments," "One Little Word Shall Fell Him," "Mystic Sweet Communion," and "Wonderful Words"?phrases like these become the rich subject matter for daily readings from Ash Wednesday through Easter Sunday. Join us for this Lenten reflection of hymns as we explore these themes:

Merciful and Mighty: Hymns Praising God
Beautiful Savior: Hymns About Jesus
Prone to Wander: Hymns of Forgiveness
Thy Presence My Light: Hymns of Vision
With Joy Surround You: Hymns of Beauty
Stony the Road: Hymns of Holy Week
Love's Redeeming Work: Hymns of Easter

Our eCourse includes:

A daily meditation (reading) for each of the 40 days of Lent
Weekly recorded videos with author James C. Howell
A live webinar with author Rev. Dr. James C. Howell on Tuesday, February 15 from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. (CST)*
Weekly live sessions with Upper Room staff each Wednesday from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. (CST)

The Upper Room's live sessions will be offered on Zoom and include teaching as well as group discussion. They will begin March 9 and will conclude April 13.

*To prepare for the upcoming Lenten season, join author Rev. Dr. James C. Howell and The Upper Room Publisher Rev. Kimberly Orr as they talk about music, life, and Lent. Register for the free webinar here.

Unrevealed Until Its Season

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 22:38:11 GMT

Unrevealed Until Its Season

Fri, 20 May 2022 15:28:31 GMT

Author James Howell believes in the power of song to teach spiritual truths. "Hymns embed faith into the marrow of the soul," he writes. In Unrevealed Until Its Season, Howell takes us on a 40-day journey through well-loved hymns.

A meaningful Lenten devotional guide for individuals and small groups, Unrevealed Until Its Season is also a valuable resource and perfect gift for musicians as they prepare for worship, and for ministers as they lead worship.

Weekly themes include Praising God, Hymns About Jesus, Hymns of Forgiveness, Hymns of Vision, Hymns of Beauty, Hymns of Holy Week, and Hymns of Easter. Howell ponders phrases from old and new hymns, such as "Be Thou My Vision," "Hymn of Promise," "All Creatures of Our God and King," "For Everyone Born," "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing," "Lift High the Cross," and "When I Survey the Wondrous Cross."

Unrevealed Until Its Season

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:50:11 GMT

Walking in the Wilderness

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:07:09 GMT

People of faith are struggling these days as they watch unbelievable events unfold. The United States, once a refuge for immigrants, has closed its borders to many of the world's most vulnerable citizens. Fear of people different from us has created an atmosphere of hatred, incivility, and violence. We are living in a time of wilderness and exile.

Yet the wilderness is a familiar place for those who follow Jesus. Like Jesus, we spend 40 days in the wilderness. During Lent God calls us to examine ourselves, repent, and make room in our lives for the Holy One.

Walking in the Wilderness is meant to be a companion for readers' journey through Lent. It may be studied by individuals or groups. The book includes daily reflections for Ash Wednesday through Easter. Sunday of each week introduces a spiritual practice for the wilderness. The practices for the six Sundays of Lent are Being Present, Lament, Lectio Divina, Trust, Compassion, and Hospitality.

Each reading contains a quotation from an Upper Room resource, a short scripture passage, an insightful reflection and prayer written by Richardson, and a single word for readers to carry with them throughout the day.

"We come hungry to this season of Lent," Richardson writes, "hungry for words of life, for rituals of preparation, for disciplines to help us on our way." Walking in the Wilderness provides a spiritual feast for readers during what is often the most challenging season of the Christian year.

Walking in the Wilderness

Tue, 24 May 2022 18:19:39 GMT

Walking in the Wilderness

Walking In The Wilderness

Fri, 03 Jun 2022 15:04:28 GMT

Living through social and political upheaval can sometimes feel a lot like wandering in exile through a spiritual desert.

The Upper Room invites you to join us this Lent for an online retreat in which we will hold sacred space for one another and connect with God throughout each day. You may feel like you are walking in the wilderness, but you are not alone. The Holy Spirit travels with us.

The book of Joel reminds us:

"Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God, for [God] is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing" (Joel 2:12-13, NRSV).

Together, we will embrace the challenge of remembering God?not just during formal worship or daily meditation but throughout the day, a skill to be developed over time, a practice learned over a lifetime. We will also gather weekly for online worship and engage in times of prayer and reflection on scripture. We come hungry to this season of Lent?hungry for words of life, for rituals of preparation, for practices to help us on our way.

Together, let's remember God, receive words of life, and walk through the days of Lent.

Featuring Beth A. Richardson's book Walking in the Wilderness: Seeking God During Lent, our online retreat will include a variety of elements available to you anytime in our online classroom:

Daily devotional readings from the book, available in the online classroom
Space for comments and interaction with other eCourse registrants
Recordings of live sessions from 2021, available for viewing.
Optional: private classrooms and closed discussions are available just for your group or congregation.**

Walking in the Wilderness: Seeking God During Lent is an honest Lenten devotional that invites us to remember God as much as we can; in doing so, we will maintain a true center during this holy time.

We invite you to engage as you are able. You are not required to participate in every element of the online retreat.

Join our open group and make new friends, or request a private classroom for your group of 5 or more and delve into Walking in the Wilderness: An Online Lenten Retreat with The Upper Room with those you know.

Week One: Entering the Wilderness | Isaiah 58
Week Two: Wandering in the Wilderness | Exodus 16
Week Three: The experience of Exile | Ezekiel 37:1-14
Week Four: Singing the Songs of Exile | Psalm 137
Week Five: Jesus in the Wilderness | Luke 4:1-13
Week Six: The Wilderness of Holy Week

Private group breakout rooms are available during these live events.

* For private classroom pricing and information, contact us at UReLearning@UpperRoom.org.

Walking in the Wilderness

Sat, 14 May 2022 04:13:28 GMT

We Are Beloved

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:48:28 GMT

Christians often have the head knowledge that we are beloved, but deep in our hearts do we truly believe it? Author Kristen Vincent takes us on a journey with Jesus that helps us discover how deeply beloved we are.

This 6-week Lenten journey follows stories of Jesus' experience of God's love. The incarnate Son of God was made fully human, which means that Jesus had to fully mature in strength and wisdom to learn that he was beloved. Just as Jesus learned of his belovedness, we, too, can cultivate the wisdom and knowledge that we are deeply loved.

Each week begins with a scripture passage, a weekly devotion, reflection questions, an optional prayer bead experience, and a listening meditation. A Leader's Guide for small-group study is also included. Note: This product does not include prayer beads.

Be transformed by God's love this Lenten season.

We Are Beloved

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:48:39 GMT

Be transformed by God's love this Lenten season.

We Are Beloved

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:18:22 GMT

Be transformed by God's love this Lenten season.

Because of This I Rejoice

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:46:06 GMT

For too long Lent has been thought of as a season of self-sacrifice and discipline that sounds to many Christians like a list of spiritual chores. Lenten disciplines become the spiritual equivalent of New Year's resolutions to lose weight, be healthier, or practice better money management. These promises are easily made and often quickly broken, leaving us feeling like we do not measure up to what we should be.

In his letter to the Philippians, the apostle Paul joyfully turns to spiritual practices that draw him closer to God amid persecution and imprisonment. These practices keep Paul connected to a sense of God's power and presence. Joy flows from Paul and becomes a vital part of his relationship with the Philippians.

Because of This I Rejoice is a 6-week study of Philippians that explores what Paul teaches about joyfully practicing spiritual disciplines. The intent of these disciplines is to help us focus less on ourselves and more on God. This Lenten study invites us to engage in the same spiritual practices as a way to grow closer to God and allow joy to flow through our lives.

Because of This I Rejoice

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:39:37 GMT

Because of This I Rejoice

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:39:49 GMT

Divine Friendship

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:40:12 GMT

Many of us spend our lives searching for something to satisfy our deepest longings. Yet we will never find complete satisfaction in human relationships, possessions, or personal power. As Saint Augustine wrote, "Our hearts are restless until they find their rest in you [God]."

Lent offers us the opportunity to deepen our friendship with God. The idea of being friends with God may intimidate some, but the authors of this book provide practical tips for developing a closer relationship with God. Set aside at least 15 to 20 minutes each day to spend with God, the introduction suggests. Read the scripture texts and reflections, and pay attention to what they evoke in you. Then talk to God about your thoughts and feelings just as you would to your best friend.

During Lent Jesus invites us to spend time with him and to renew our friendship with him. This encouraging book reminds us that we are beloved children of a God who deeply desires friendship with us. The meditations help us realize that through friendship with God, we will satisfy our hearts' yearnings.

Divine Friendship

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:40:25 GMT

Divine Friendship

Thu, 05 May 2022 20:13:08 GMT

Pausas para la Cuaresma

Sat, 14 May 2022 01:44:17 GMT

Tomar algunos minutos para hacer una pausa es bueno para el alma. Estas pausas nos dan la oportunidad de reorganizarnos, reflexionar y volver a centrarnos en Dios.

En Pausas para la Cuaresma, Trevor Hudson ofrece un libro bellamente minimalista en el que se centra en una palabra para cada día de Cuaresma. Nos invita a hacer una pausa, enfocarnos en la palabra, leer una Escritura y una meditación breve relacionada con la palabra del día y luego, a ofrecer una oración.

Hacer estas pausas nos ayudarán a encontrar tiempo para Dios y a refrescar nuestro espíritu, incluso en medio de una vida muy ocupada. Esto puede hacer posible percibir la presencia de Dios de una manera nueva y descubrir que Dios quiere encontrarse con nosotros en medio de nuestra vida, tal como ella es, con todas sus complicaciones.