Lent Devotional 2020

To access the current Lenten devotional, visit our Advent and Lent Devotional homepage.

Lenten Devotional 2020

Read and/or listen to daily meditations written by members of the Seminary community. Scroll down to learn more about the various ways you can read the daily messages.

DOWNLOAD THE LENT 2020 DAILY DEVOTIONAL (PDF)

With thanks to our Distinguished Alumnae/i Award winners and Board members, who wrote this year's devotionals, and Deb Burgess '06, who provided the audio recordings.

Feb. 26, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Darrell W. Yeaney ’56, Specialized Ministry (2005) | Online | PDF | Audio

Feb. 27, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Stephen D. Crocco ’78, Academia (2005) | Online | PDF | Audio

Feb. 28, 2020 | The Rev. Sue Sterling Montgomery ’77, Pastoral Ministry (1998) | Online | PDF | Audio

Feb. 29, 2020 | The Rev. Lisa Dormire ’86, Specialized Ministry (2006) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 1, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Donald P. Owens ’69, Academia (2002) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 2, 2020 | The Rev. Paul D. Wierman ’61, Pastoral Ministry (2013) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 3, 2020 | Steven A. Falci ’03, Specialized Ministry (2016) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 4, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. James E. Davison ’69, Academia (2009) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 5, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Tami Hooker ’02, Specialized Ministry (2017) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 6, 2020 | The Rev. Carey Jo Johnston ’03, Mission (2019) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 7, 2020 | Dr. Sandra A. Collins ’87, Academia (2018) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 8, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. William R. Myers ’67, Academia (2010) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 9, 2020 | The Rev. Michael Stanton ’06, Mission (2017) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 10, 2020 | Dr. Daniel O. Aleshire, Board Member | Online | PDF | Audio

March 11, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Helsel (Hetz) Marsh ’68/’87, Pastoral Ministry (2000) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 12, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. W. Fred Graham ’55, Academia (2006) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 13, 2020 | The Rev. Michael C. Gehrling ’08, Creative Ministry (2018) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 14, 2020 | The Rev. Diane Fonderlin ’89, Mission (2018) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 15, 2020 | Bishop Cynthia Moore-Koikoi, Board Member | Online | PDF | Audio

March 16, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. David R. Hosick ’76, Pastoral Ministry (2016) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 17, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. William N. Jackson ’61, Pastoral Ministry (2017) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 18, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. LindaJo H. McKim ’77, Academia (1994) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 19, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Edward Newberry ’71, Pastoral Ministry (2012) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 20, 2020 | Josephine (Jodi) Brodhead Moore ’96, Mission (2016) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 21, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Myles W. MacDonald ’55, Pastoral Ministry (2009) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 22, 2020 | Robert Benedetto ’77, Academia (2013) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 23, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Carol B. Pitts ’89, Specialized Ministry (2011) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 24, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Robert J. Weingartner ’82, Mission (2012) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 25, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Carolyn J. Jones ’77/’89, Pastoral Ministry (2005) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 26, 2020 | Dr. Bradshaw L. Frey ’77/’83, Academia (2017) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 27, 2020 | Bishop Leon D. Pamphile ’74, Academia (2008) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 28, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. William M. Paul ’59, Pastoral Ministry (1996) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 29, 2020 | The Rev. Joan E. Reasinger ’86, Pastoral Ministry (2015) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 30, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Theodore W. Kalsbeek ’51, Pastoral Ministry (1996) | Online | PDF | Audio

March 31, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Joseph D. Small ’66, Academia (2008) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 1, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. John M. Fife ’67, Specialized Ministry (1986) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 2, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. John E. White ’82/’09, Specialized Ministry (2019) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 3, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Jonathan D. W. Lawrence ’97, Academia (2016) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 4, 2020 | The Rev. Curtis D. Illingworth ’70, Specialized Ministry (2014) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 5, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Anita Stuart-Steva ’04/’13, Creative Ministry (2017) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 6, 2020 | The Rev. Keith C. Kaufold ’07/’12, Creative Ministry (2015) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 7, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Michael Spezio ’96, Academia (2020) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 8, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. David G. Dawson ’72, Mission (2011) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 9, 2020 | The Rev. Dr. Donald K. McKim ’74, Academia (1994) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 10, 2020 | The Rev. Kellie D. Wild ’09, Creative Ministry (2019) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 11, 2020 | The Rev. James F. Reese ’49, Specialized Ministry (2003) | Online | PDF | Audio

April 12, 2020 | The Rev. John T. Campbell ’74, Pastoral Ministry (1999) | Online | PDF | Audio

Lenten Resource Kit 2020

Coffee with the Dean Video Series

During this weekly series, Dean Heather Vacek sits down with members of the PTS community to discuss Lenten practices, Lectionary passages, and their work at the Seminary. This year's series was cut short due to the pandemic.

Dean Heather Vacek and Associate Professor of Homiletics and Worship Angela Dienhart Hancock discuss preaching the John 11 passage and the raising of Lazarus, how pastors can survive the busy season of Lent, and how to listen to a sermon. Watch Week 5
In Week 4, Dean Heather Vacek and Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness Jim Downey, talk about the mystery of Lent, the intersection of faith and science, and the story of Samuel anointing David. Watch Week 4
Week 3: Listen in as Dean Heather Vacek and Academic Support Specialist for Registration and Church Planting Jane Larson discuss intentionality about worship, liturgy, and spiritual practices in new worshiping communities; joining in with what God is already doing in neighborhoods; and Lenten practices in new ministry contexts. Watch Week 3
During Week 2, Heather Vacek interviews Vice President for Seminary Relations Charles Fischer about Lenten practices in the Episcopal Church and John 3, where Nicodemus coming to Jesus by night. Watch Week 2
In this first video of the Coffee with the Dean Lent 2020 series, Dean Heather Hartung Vacek and the Rev. Derek R Davenport '05/'17, co-director of the Miller Summer Youth Institute, discuss Ash Wednesday practices and how to both preach and teach the story of Adam and Eve eating fruit from the forbidden tree. Watch Week 1

LENTEN REFLECTIONS E-BOOK

From Lent through Easter is both an important and an especially busy time for pastors and Christian leaders. In these pages, some of Pittsburgh Seminary's faculty and program directors offer fresh insights and practical ideas to foster the spiritual nourishment of your congregation—and yourself. The informal remarks of these pastor-theologians have been excerpted from "Conversations with the Dean" (a video series developed last year) on a variety of topics relevant to Christian ministry and witness at this reflective and celebratory time in the church year. May they enrich your ministry and your soul.

DOWNLOAD THE LENTEN REFLECTIONS EBOOK

BIG BOOK OF LENTEN DEVOTIONALS

The Seminary's 2020 “Big Book of Lenten Devotionals” gives you a valuable resource for personal and corporate Spiritual formation during the Lenten season. From Day 1 through Easter, each section includes multiple biblical passages from the daily lectionary, reflections based on those passages, and accompanying prayers based on each reflection. Seminary alumnae/i, faculty, staff, Board members, and students have contributed to this resource to help enrich your Lenten worship for many years to come.

DOWNLOAD THE BIG BOOK OF LENTEN DEVOTIONALS (WORD Doc)

SYI HYMNAL FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS

The Miller Summer Youth Institute Hymnal for Wind Instruments coordinates with the 1990 Presbyterian Hymnal and the 2013 Glory to God: the Presbyterian Hymnal. This resource contains three charts for each song, and each chart shows the vocal lines from the hymnals transposed for a collection of instruments—the ones that the youth in your congregation learn to play for marching and symphonic band. Involve your kids and young adults in an upcoming service! Have them accompany your choir, perform special music in a small group, or play a solo on their flute, saxophone, trumpet, or other wind instrument.

ACCESS THE SYI HYMNAL FOR WIND INSTRUMENTS

OLD TESTAMENT TEXTS ELUCIDATE NEW TESTAMENT PASSAGES

As you move through Lent and celebrate Easter, learn from New Testament professor Dr. Edith M. Humphrey how Old Testament texts elucidate New Testament passages on these themes via her blog and podcast, A Lamp for Today: Understanding the Old Testament with Jesus and the Apostles, which examines Scripture from an Eastern Christian perspective.

Lent: What about Melchizedek?

In this 15-minute talk, Dr. Humphrey considers the strange figure of Melchizedek in Hebrews 4:14-5:10 read in the light of Mark 8:27-9:1, Genesis 14, Isaiah 53, and Psalm 44/45. Why is the figure of Melchizedek compared with our Lord, and how must we go beyond this comparison to embrace the cross?

For a written version of Dr. Humphrey’s talk, with the same title, see her blog.

Easter: The Lightning of His Godhead

In this 15-minute talk, Dr. Humphrey considers the astonishing resurrectional hymns in the second tone and understands their dramatic language in the light of the book of Job, the prophecy of Isaiah, and the Transfiguration narratives.

For a written version of Dr. Humphrey’s talk, with the same title, see her blog.

SERMONS

Consider using the Rev. Carolyn Cranston’s ’99 sermon reflecting on John 13 in your Maundy Thursday service this year—or in a Lenten or Holy Week gathering featuring foot washing. Carolyn is the Seminary's director of alumnae/i and church relations.

DOWNLOAD SERMON

From the office of the World Mission Initiative, the Rev. Bala Khyllep shares his sermon “Are You Watching?”—based on Luke 21:25-26—to encourage Christians to live uprightly and confidently amid turbulent times while we anticipate the Risen Christ’s return.

DOWNLOAD SERMON

Consider the extravagant expression of gratitude shown in Mary’s anointing of Jesus’ feet in this 14-minute audio version of a chapel sermon by the Rev. Dr. Leanna Fuller, associate professor of pastoral care. The accompanying service bulletin provides a suggested liturgy for your use.

LISTEN TO SERMON

DOWNLOAD BULLETIN

WORSHIP TUELL-KIT

Old Testament professor the Rev. Dr. Steven Tuell provides a Lenten reflection, Palm Sunday Bible Study lesson, and Easter invitation to celebrate the Risen Lord in this “Tuell-kit” for Lenten worship.

DOWNLOAD TUELL-KIT

WORSHIP BULLETINS

To bookend your Lenten and Easter service planning, these PTS chapel bulletins, offered by Chapel Coordinator the Rev. Kendra Buckwalter Smith ’12/’13, give inspiration for your Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday worship. They include musical selections, Scripture readings, prayers, responsive readings, and, for Ash Wednesday, worship notes that elucidate our understanding of the associated observances.

DOWNLOAD ASH WEDNESDAY BULLETIN

DOWNLOAD CELEBRATION OF THE RESURRECTION BULLETIN

ADDITIONAL LENTEN RESOURCES

For additional Lenten resources, visit the Digital Downloads "Seasonal Resources" page, and scroll down to the section titled "Lent."

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