Lent's A-Coming

I've got Lent fever this year! Lent can definitely be hit-or-miss with me, similar to New Year's Resolutions... especially since I started to study the Gospel of Mark... but you know, some years I really can knuckle down and do some good spiritual work. At the parish, I think Lent is like a lab, full of opportunities to develop programs, try out new things, see what works and what doesn't. Over the last few years we've seen a significant increase in people attending Ash Wednesday and other Lenten holy days and programs, and it seems to be a time when people are willing to do something for their own faith development and give church a shot. This year, in response to some of the things we've been hearing in our Listening Sessions, I'll be offering a Sunday Gospel Lectio group at two different times, targeted at two different groups, and we'll continue with our Friday night Soup and Stations (which is a surprisingly big hit!) and offering extra Reconciliation times (we take part in an Archdiocesan program that has all churches open one night a week offering confession, and we post greeters at the chapel to show people where to go and answer any questions they might have). Plus, I've stolen someone else's awesome idea and will be hosting/posting a Lenten Retweet! Ha! I love that!! My version is a >140 character comment on a reading of the day for each of the 40 days of Lent.
SO much to do, so much getting ready to get ready for.