Bishop’s Lent Appeal
Each year our bishop invites churchgoers and members of our communities to donate towards good causes during Lent. For 2026-28, he will support the same two global charities and one local charity as in 2025.
The global charities are USPG and Tearfund. The local charity is Vista, based at Harbour Church, Portsmouth.
National C of E Lent resources
This year’s resources have at their heart the theme of a ‘rhythm of life’ – habits and patterns which help us grow as disciples of Christ day by day, especially as we prepare to celebrate the great mystery of God’s saving love at Easter.
The Church of England’s Lent theme for 2026 is Draw Near.
During Lent, reflections are centred around a summary of the Christian Way from Common Worship, which identifies six activities essential to our calling as disciples.
Each week a different contributor explores a different aspect of Christian discipleship – worshipping together, praying, exploring the Bible, sharing communion, offering service and sharing the good news with others.
"Draw Near is all about teaching us how we can cultivate the habits and practices that will draw us nearer to God. And we will find that, in doing so, God will draw nearer to us, too."
Archbishop-elect Sarah Mullally & Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Webinar: Digital resources for Lent and Easter 2026
Wednesday 21st January, 12:30pm
A special webinar as we explore this year’s Lent and Easter resources for churches. This year’s resources have at their heart the theme of a ‘rhythm of life’ – habits and patterns which help us grow as disciples of Christ day by day, especially as we prepare to celebrate the great mystery of God’s saving love at Easter. Register here.
Resources
Draw Near: Life-giving Habits for Lent
Draw Near is the Church of England’s theme for Lent 2026.
The booklet for adults invites you to develop a rhythm of life that will help you grow as a disciple of Christ. Each week explores an activity central to Christian discipleship: worship, prayer, Scripture, communion, service to others and sharing the good news. For each day of Lent it offers Bible readings, short reflections, prayers and practical responses.
Read a sample of the booklet for adults
The booklet for children encourages younger readers to build a habit of generosity with the help of 40acts. Rather than giving something up for Lent, it invites you to give away things, time and encouragement, discovering the joy of generosity. Each day offers a simple Bible verse, reflection, prayer and age-appropriate generous act.
Read a sample of the booklet for children
You can purchase both editions, with bulk discounts for 10 and 50 copies, here.
Dancing to the Heartbeat of God
Stories of Discipleship: The Archbishop of Canterbury’s Lent Book 2026: Foreword by Sarah Mullally
Dancing to the Heartbeat of God explores many aspects of discipleship.
With a foreword and an afterword by the Archbishop of Canterbury designate, an introduction by the Archbishop of York, and chapters by around thirty authors drawn from across the globe, the volume creates a sense of excitement, dynamism and faithful witness in its gloriously diverse writers and readers alike.
Its testimonies and stories aim to encourage people in the Church of England and across the Anglican Communion to share their faith with others.
Available here.
Lent resources from previous years
Wild Bright Hope
A Lent Journey with the Big Church Read
Wild Bright Hope is a transformative Lent book, bringing together 12 dynamic voices, each contributing a unique chapter on the power of hope.
Each chapter is paired with a video from its author, offering deeper insight and creating an engaging, interactive experience. Themes include Seeds of Unity, Wild Paths of Peace, A Vision for Hope in Politics, and Hope in Suffering. These chapters inspire readers to face challenges with fresh perspective and active faith.
Through stories, reflections, and bold ideas, Wild Bright Hope not only encourages a hopeful outlook but also invites readers to play their part in bringing God’s kingdom to life.
Available here.
Living Hope: 40 daily reflections for adults
Living Hope invites you to explore the hope God offers us – not wishful thinking, but something real, robust, alive. Each day the reflections consider the idea of hope from a different angle as we journey with Jesus on the road that leads to the cross – and beyond, to the transforming hope of Easter Day.
- The booklet for adults offers daily Bible readings, pictures, short reflections, prayers and practical ideas to help you grow in hope and in faith during Lent.
Available as single copies, packs of 10 and packs of 50 from Church House Publishing.
Living Hope: 40 daily reflections for children
Living Hope invites you to explore the hope God offers us – not wishful thinking, but something real, robust, alive. Each day the reflections consider the idea of hope from a different angle as we journey with Jesus on the road that leads to the cross – and beyond, to the transforming hope of Easter Day.
- The booklet for children offers daily challenges to do, learn or think about something on the theme of hope. There are also weekly prayers and short Bible readings.
Available as single copies, packs of 10 and packs of 50 from Church House Publishing.
Books
Lent and Easter for Everyone
Tom Wright
Packed with vivid insights into the Gospels and New Testament writings, Lent and Easter for Everyone is full of stimulating questions for both personal reflection and group discussions. A fresh devotional resource both for fans of the Everyone commentaries and for all who have not yet discovered them.
Available from St Andrew’s Bookshop.
Loving My Neighbour: A Lenten Journey
Edited by Olivia Warburton
Daily Bible readings and reflections from Ash Wednesday to Easter Day explore how we can love in truth, love the vulnerable and the suffering, embrace difference, care for our world, and love ourselves as God loves us. Holy Week brings us back to reflect on Christ on the cross, who loved us to the very end.
Available from St Andrew’s Bookshop.
Big Church Read: Lent resources
The Big Church Read website has posted three resource videos for use with Lent study groups who are using the books And Yet by Rachael Newham, Embracing Justice by Isabelle Hamley, and Living His Story by Hannah Steele. Click here to watch.
St Andrew’s online bookshop have a number of discounted Lent books and study guides available, and offer discounts on bulk purchases – click here.
Godforsaken
Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
In the Gospel of Mark’s account of the Passion narrative, Jesus calls out from the cross ‘My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?’ – the first line of Psalm 22. It’s an anguished expression – traditionally ascribed to King David – of defeat, failure, abandonment and despair. Join the Archbishop of York Stephen Cottrell, as he ponders the significance of these words. What does it mean for Jesus to have quoted them, at the very end of his life? What do those words mean for us? This is a beautiful and compelling exploration of the dark, suffering side of the Passion – and how Jesus’ words lead us to the greatest hope of all.
RRP £14.99 – click here to find out more.
Living Stones, Living Hope
USPG have released a 5-week study for Lent called Living Stones, Living Hope, exploring contextual theology from five different cultures. There’s a series of webinars and a downloadable PDF course guide, available here. They have also produced a number of liturgical resources for use in a variety of services, including all-age.
Live Lent: Embracing Justice
Paperback, £1.99, Church House Publishing
Live Lent: Embracing Justice is the Church of England’s theme for Lent 2022. It invites us to examine our own lives truthfully, to see the world more deeply and to pray – for the church and the world far and near – that ‘justice may roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream’ (Amos 4.24).
For each day of Lent, this booklet for adults offers a daily Bible reading, a short reflection and a prayer, as well as a practical challenge. Each week follows a different thread through the many stories of justice in the Bible to explore how God works with humanity to bring justice, wholeness and salvation to all.
Live Lent: Embracing Justice (for kids)
Paperback, £1.50, Church House Publishing
This Lent booklet for children provides a fun daily action to help children and their families explore how we can live well together, as well as a weekly reading and prayer.
Each week follows a different thread through the many stories of justice in the Bible to explore how God brings justice, wholeness and salvation to all.
You can order single copies here, packs of 10 here, or packs of 50 here.
Resources from previous years
Thy Will Be Done
Stephen Cherry
Thy Will be Done, by Stephen Cherry (of King’s College Cambridge, whose voice we hear every year at the annual Carol Service) is the latest of many books on the Lord’s Prayer that, more than any other prayer or thing, holds us together as individuals in the church. This is a good new opportunity to deepen our understanding of very familiar words – 57 of them in the Greek – and the book will help to simplify our prayer and devotion.
A Cross In The Heart Of God
Sam Wells
A Cross in the Heart of God: Reflections on the death of Jesus is by the well-known broadcaster and vicar, Sam Wells. This is a typically thoughtful book, with a study guide too, from a priest who is able to be challenging and provoking as well as consoling and reassuring. Head on he doesn’t avoid the different understandings of Christ’s crucifixion and enables us to discover them as, indeed, God’s wondrous love.