Resources

Every year as the season of Lent begins there are a variety of essays, articles, posts, and tweets about Lent and its observance. This season may be foreign to many people, whether they are Christians or not, so there are inevitably questions about what this season is and what it is for. If you are looking to learn more about the season of Lent, especially how it originated, you came to the right place.

My wife sometime accuses me of starting to prepare music for Lent and Holy Week the day after Christmas. She says that because it has been true more than once.

I had the opportunity to meet many musicians and artists at the Liturgy Collective conference last fall. So, this year I decided to get direct input from other musicians for music that they use in their churches that have become favorites for them. I was looking for service music, congregational songs and hymns, and choral music. I was hoping for some lesser-known pieces—both newly composed but also older pieces that were new to me.

When Protestants think about spring holidays and festivities, we too often think only of Easter as an isolated Sunday that comes at some unexpected date that changes every year. The great High Holy Feast day of the Church thus pops in and out of the calendar with little preparation and fanfare. As such, it is quite possible to arrive at church one Sunday for Easter without any of the preparation that Lenten observance or Holy Week services could provide. 

The following is transcribed from a talk given in Nashville, TN on October 2021 at the Liturgy Collective, where David was addressing how the work of worship leaders connects to the hope needed in our world today.