Practicing Through the Lens During Lent

If you use Facebook, Twitter or instagram, which are all social media agents, you may have friends that are taking part in some sort of photo-a- day challenge. Some of these projects challenge individuals to take a photo of a certain idea or item each day. I began my own photo-a-day project three years ago which I called “Once Upon a Day.” I challenged myself each day to take one picture. There were no boundaries and most were taken via my cell phone and uploaded to a website that tracked my progress.

My purpose through this project was three-fold: 1. To have time each day to reflect 2. To teach myself discipline 3. To create a space to share the mundane and extraordinary events as I went through the year. After that year was over, in which I did successfully take a picture every day, I completed all three of those tasks and even completed my first New Years Resolution. Beginning with the new year in the church, I began another Once Upon a Day project, but that is not the only photo project I’m working on at this time. 

This Lent, Rethink Church, an extension of the United Methodist Church, is challenging people to think differently about church. They have created a Lent photo-a-day project. Each day of Lent is associated with one word or a short phrase. Participants are challenged to take time each day to reflect on the word or phrase and then share their perceptions with the larger community through social media.

Rethink Church’s goal for this project is for participants to take up the practice of being aware and intentional, two of the reasons I began my first photo challenge in 2010.

During Lent we may face the challenge of ridding ourselves from a practice or habit that may discourage our relationship with God and our community. Sometimes we take things up during this season in the church such as participation in weekly Lenten services or giving additional money to the poor.

This year, what are some ways we can practice being aware, intentional and reflective? If you are still searching for that answer, I invite you  to join in with on this Lenten Challenge. It could be through capturing these ideas on film, maybe it is drawing or coloring reflection, or it could be spending time together understanding what is so unique about these 40 days.

Check-out my journey of rethinking church this lent by following me on twitter, instagram or checking out my photos here.

Join the conversation:
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Twitter: #40days #rethinkchurch