February 18 through March 24
The 2024 Lenten Discipleship Initiative will begin on SUN, FEB 18 and continue through the season of Lent. Join a group after the 8:30 AM or 4:00 PM services (organized by the Regional Fellowship in which you live) or participate in your currently existing small group.
This year’s Lenten Discipleship Initiative will use devotionals produced by World Relief entitled “He Was There.” Together, we will be walking in the footsteps of Jesus and seeing how he cares for those on the margins. Hard copies of the booklet will be available in the Welcome Center (with a suggested donation of $5 for every copy taken), and a digital version can be downloaded at the button below.
What is the Lenten Discipleship Initiative?
Lent is a season of inward reflection and penitence leading to a life of action in obedience to Christ as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord on Easter. The Lenten Discipleship Initiative (LDI) is designed to assist us in thinking deeply about our discipleship to Jesus.
LDI spans a six-week period starting the Sunday after Ash Wednesday and continuing through Palm Sunday. It is comprised of two major components:
- Weekly group gatherings each week to work through a scriptural study together. In this context authentic friendships of encouragement and accountability develop broadening the tapestry of relationships within our church family.
- Daily readings to continue reflection and communion with God throughout the week
When does LDI meet?
Small Groups are encouraged to participate in LDI together during their normal weekly gathering time, or participants can register individually and join a Regional Fellowship group on Sunday. Sunday groups will meet at the church in either the morning or the evening:
- Morning Session 9:45–10:50 AM throughout the church
- Evening Session 5:30–6:30 PM in the Fellowship Hall
A virtual group will also meet on Sundays at 5:30 PM via Zoom.
On Sunday, February 25, LDI will meet at 9:15 AM and there will be no evening session, to accomodate the church’s Annual Meeting.
How do I sign up?
Whether you are participating in your currently existing Small Group or would like to join a Sunday group, each person should register using the button below.
LDI / World Relief 80th Anniversary Generosity Initiative
In 1941, as World War II raged in Europe, the Park Street Church War Relief Committee urged our members to fast one meal a week during Lent and contribute funds via “fasting envelopes” towards a hunger relief fund. At the same time, our Woman’s Benevolent Society also collected tons of clothing donations, which were shipped to war-torn Europe. This example became a national initiative following the establishment of the National Association of Evangelicals (NAE) under its first president, Dr. Harold Ockenga, Park Street Church Senior Pastor from 1937 to 1969. Thus, was born the NAE subsidiary, War Relief Commission in 1944, which later became World Relief. The close tie between World Relief and Park Street Church continues to this day. Today, World Relief is a global Christian humanitarian organization whose mission is to empower the local church to serve the most vulnerable and develop sustainable solutions amidst our world’s greatest problems.
This year, to commemorate its 80th anniversary, World Relief will partner with PSC through a “Generosity Initiative” to respond once again to today’s humanitarian crisis of displaced peoples worldwide. We are encouraging congregants to stand in solidarity with our global brothers and sisters who are serving the displaced or are themselves seeking refuge by fasting one meal a week and contributing that money via “fasting envelopes” in the pews, or “fasting jars” for the children, or electronically via the church center app (see buttons below). These gifts will be collected on Maundy Thursday as our contribution to World Relief.