Tread Lightly for Lent: Daily Reflection/Action Calendar
Taken from the Presbyterian Church (USA) website. Read the original article published Jan. 23, 2025.
As people of faith, we seek to “serve and preserve” God’s world. However, some of our collective choices have led to a changing global climate. To turn this tide, we must commit to treading lightly on God’s Earth. Lent is the time to reflect on Christ’s ministry, death, and resurrection. We slow down, take time, and examine our internal spiritual lives and the way we live out our Christian faith in the world around us.
The Presbyterian Hunger Program accompanies people as they move towards sustainable choices that restore and protect all of God’s children and creation. We hope that this Lenten calendar will be the beginning of actions intended to create more mindful behaviors throughout the year.
| March | ||
|---|---|---|
| 5 (Ash Wednesday) Read Psalm 51:1-17. Consider the plea for mercy and consider what actions of mercy we should show as we care for the Earth. | 6 Download the OGHS Sharing Calendar. | 7 Learn more about using sustainable palms in your worship. Order online. |
| 8 Set aside a special time to consider how to be intentional in your care for all God’s creation. | 9 Challenge yourself to drink only water. It takes 600 cups of water to produce a single cup of coffee, and 125 cups of water to produce a cup of tea. | 10 Read Job 38 and reflect on awe inspiring Creation around you. |
| 11 Write down everything you throw away today. Challenge yourself to reduce the trash you produce for the remaining days of Lent. | 12 Read Romans 8:21. Consider ways that Creation is reflecting longing. | 13 Take a walk to appreciate the Earth’s natural beauty. Consider why preserving the Earth is crucial for the health of future generations and tell two people. |
| 14 Download a prayer so you can be prepared for the National Climate Prayer on Earth Day (April 22) at noon local time. | 15 Understand the environmental and social impacts of what you are buying. Do research on products you commonly use and find information on more creation friendly products. | 16 Read and reflect on Psalm 8. |
| 17 Explore Creation Care Prayers from other traditions. | 18 Where do you see Christ today? Share this with three people. | 19 Pray: God, show us your grace through your gift of Creation. Teach us to be as gracious with each other as you have been with us. Amen. |
| 20 Download Considering Our Treasure from the Presbyterian Hunger Program and take one of the action steps listed in the study. | 21 Learn how many planets we need if everyone lived like you. | 22 Share Creation Justice Ministries 52 Ways to Care for Creation with your congregation. |
| 23 Pray: God of Enough, remind us of those who still have not been able to realize your abundance because we have taken more than what we need. And let that remembering drive us to change. Amen. | 24 Read and Reflect on Isaiah 65:17-25. | 25 Refresh your memory regarding which items your city or town allows for curbside recycling. Remind your family, friends and coworkers to recycle. |
| 26 Read about the UN’s COP29 Climate negotiations outcome. | 27 Pray: “In the rising and setting of the sun and the cycles of the seasons, in the patterns of the shining stars, may we remember the goodness of God. Amen.” | 28 Watch this short video on environmental injustice’s disproportionate impact on people of color. |
| 29 Participate in Earth Hour by switching off all electricity at 8:30pm local time in solidarity with global efforts to secure nature and our home. | 30 Time your shower today and challenge yourself to decrease the time by 20% in April. | 31 Read and Reflect on Genesis 1:29. |
| April | ||
|---|---|---|
| 1 Pray: “Creator of the rivers and oceans, who washes us clean and refreshes us daily, help us to be like a cup of cold water to others in your name: refreshing, cleansing, and relieving. Amen” | 2 Transport, housing and food have the three largest carbon footprints. Learn more about decreasing your food carbon footprint. | 3 For Easter baskets, buy Fair Trade chocolate, dried fruit, tea and coffee or small gifts made by women’s cooperatives! Fair trade helps farmers and workers around the world. |
| 4 Use the map to find the closest Earth Care Congregation to you and say a prayer for them. | 5 Unplug the chargers for your cell phone and laptop when you leave your home or office today to minimize the energy many electronics and appliances continue to draw power even when they are off. | 6 Celebrate the animal kingdom by watching this video and consider planning an animal blessing. |
| 7 Read and Reflect on Philippians 3:4b-14. | 8 Sign up for Blessed Tomorrow’s Climate Ambassador Program. | 9 U.S. drivers consume 500 gallons of gasoline every year per driver, creating as much as 10,000 pounds of carbon dioxide. Walk somewhere you would have driven today. |
| 10 Donate to offset your carbon use. | 11 Check your tire pressure. Low tire pressure means high energy/fuel consumption. | 12 Pick up as many pieces of litter as you can and challenge five friends to do the same. |
| 13 (Palm Sunday) As we think about Christ’s journey this Holy Week, take space to acknowledge that while it is easy to be overwhelmed with climate injustice, we do not travel alone. | 14 Download ecoAmerica/Blessed Tomorrow’s info sheets on various Climate topics. | 15 Learn more about Environmental injustice and consider who is most impacted by pollution and climate change. |
| 16 Storytelling is a powerful tool to inspire and engage people. Consider what your climate story is and download this canvas to help you strategize telling it. | 17 (Maundy Thursday) Urge elected officials to support legislation making justice and creation-care a priority. Download this helpful guide. | 18 (Good Friday) Consider Mary Magdalene’s grief while simultaneously holding onto hope. Journal about how we can deepen our understanding of faith in the face of a suffering world. |
| 19 Reflect on the quiet of the tomb and the stillness of waiting. Consider how creation reflects this. | 20 (Easter) Give with joy to the One Great Hour of Sharing. |
For further learning and action:
- Support the sustainable living work of the Presbyterian Hunger Program through gifts to the Hunger Fund H999999.
- Celebrate One Great Hour of Sharing, an offering that strengthens Earth care ministries, disaster response, and hunger and poverty alleviation.
- Sign up for the Presbyterian Justice and Peace e-newsletter.
- Find a more complete list of ideas for congregational Earth-care activities in the Earth Care Congregations guide.
- Become a member of the grassroots organization Presbyterians for Earth Care.
- Read our blog, Eco-Justice Journey.
- Download Earth Day Sunday materials.
- Stay up to date on public policy concerns through the Office of Public Witness.
- Lead a study group with the Lent 4.5 materials. Email for copies.
Please visit pcusa.org/hunger to learn more about ongoing opportunities for simple living, environmental justice, alleviating poverty and eliminating root causes of hunger.