Lent will begin on Ash Wednesday, February 18, 2026, and Easter is on Sunday, April 5. Now is the time to request resources that your church or small group would like to use during the Lenten season.

On this page, we have highlighted new and popular resources used during Lent and Easter, but the NC Conference Media Center offers many more, including:

• Video-based small-group studies
• Book-based small-group studies
• Documentary and dramatized DVD movies
• Devotionals
• Program and worship planning books
• Youth and children’s curricula
• Activity books for children and families
• Animated videos for children
• Picture books for children

All Lent and Easter Resources

The Media Center offers these pathfinders that contain complete lists of all our resources designed to be used during Lent and Easter.

Lent and Easter DVDs for Adults

Lent and Easter Books for Adults

Lent and Easter Resources for Youth

Lent and Easter Resources for Children

New Lenten Resources for 2026

New DVD Studies for 2026

Why Did Jesus Have to Die? The Meaning of Crucifixion by Adam Hamilton. Despite the crucifixion’s central place in Christian faith, the New Testament offers few clear answers about how Jesus’ death saves, or why, exactly, he had to die. What if that’s because we’ve been asking the wrong question? What if the cross isn’t a transaction to be explained, but a living Word from God meant to transform who we are and how we live?

The Last Supper: Conversations That Led to the Cross by Will Willimon. Travel with Jesus on the road to Jerusalem in this profound six-week Lenten study that explores the parables and stories Jesus told at tables along the way to his final meal. Will Willimon invites readers to experience how these table stories—about searching shepherds, welcoming hosts, prodigal sons, and rejected invitations—illuminate the deeper meaning of the Last Supper and Christ’s sacrifice.

An Unlikely Lent: Extraordinary People of the Easter Story by Rachel Billups. The crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus are at the heart of the story of Easter. But the resurrection was not witnessed in isolation; it unfolded before a crowd. What might the stories of those women and men teach us today? How will they help us step into the story of Easter?

New Book Studies

Awakening Through Wilderness: Lent, Easter, and Pentecost Inspired by the Teachings of John Wesley by Michael Roberts with Lauren Delano Grosskopf. Each chapter offers a devotional paraphrase of one of John Wesley’s classic sermons, followed by a modern devotion and practical questions for reflection. Roberts masterfully connects Wesley’s original passion for renewal and reform with the liturgical rhythms of the church year, guiding readers through themes of fasting, self-denial, temptation, grace, and resurrection.

When Did We See You? A Lenten Exploration of Poverty and Wealth by Elizabeth Mae Magill. Grounded in scripture and the author’s own life and experience, this study explores how wealth shapes our relationship with God and neighbor and calls us back to Christ’s radical way of love, justice, and solidarity with the poor. The book includes a chapter for each week of Lent, with reflection questions for each day, and litanies for Ash Wednesday and Good Friday.

“Learning Together: A Lenten Exploration of Anti-Racist Values in Matthew, Mark, & Luke” Study & Devotional Resources (PDF Download)

The General Commission on Religion and Race invites you to use this Lenten devotional, Learning Together: A Lenten Exploration of Anti-Racist Values in Matthew, Mark, & Luke, for personal or congregational use.

This devotional was inspired by a desire to showcase, through the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), Jesus’ faithful demonstration and engagement of anti-racist values – values of shared power, shared responsibility and authority, and openness and curiosity.

This study must be purchased and downloaded from The General Commission on Religion and Race of The United Methodist Church.

More DVD Studies for Lent

The Message of Jesus: Words that Changed the World by Adam Hamilton. More than 3 billion people claim to follow Jesus. But aside from a few verses, how many actually know what he taught? In fact, much of what people think Jesus taught, he never said. In this six-week study, pastor and best-selling author Adam Hamilton explores six of the most important themes in Jesus’s teachings, why they matter, and how they speak to us today. The study will explore Jesus’s preaching on the Kingdom of God, the Sermon on the Mount, the parables, the “I am” sayings in John, and more.

The Final Days: A Lenten Journey through the Gospels by Matt Rawle. The four New Testament Gospels aren’t the same story, but they offer the same Resurrection hope. Each Gospel offers a different lens through which we understand Jesus’ Passion. One portrait reveals Jesus to be in control, while another emphasizes his suffering. In one story, Jesus offers hope to the thief on the cross, and in another, Jesus only receives derision. These different perspectives aren’t a reason to dismiss the Gospels; rather they reveal an abundant, diverse, and complementary picture of God’s work in the suffering, death, and resurrection of Jesus.

The Gospel of John: A Beginner’s Guide to the Way, the Truth, and the Life by Amy-Jill Levine. With her characteristic wit and charm, Amy-Jill Levine introduces readers to the world of the Gospel of John by unpacking the stories in their original context, along with examining how the text is read today. This book considers the Gospel of John in its entirety, moving through the Gospel and exploring the prologue, the wedding at Cana, the Samaritan woman at the well and the woman caught in adultery, the healing of the man at the pool and the man born blind, foot washing, Mary Magdalene and Doubting Thomas, and the Lamb of God. 

The Third Day: Living the Resurrection by Tom Berlin with Mark A. Miller. Tom Berlin uses his gifts of storytelling and understanding the Scriptures to connect the reader to the experiences of several individuals around Jesus in his final days, focusing on new life and redemption rather than loss. Join Peter, Mary Magdalene, and Thomas as they feel the despair of losing Jesus and the surprise and joy that awaits them in the resurrection.

Remember: God’s Covenants and the Cross by Susan Robb. God’s covenants throughout the Old Testament show the character of God’s promises to God’s people. Susan Robb leads readers through the covenants with Noah, Abraham, Moses and Israel, and David, followed by the New Covenant established on Maundy Thursday. The Lenten story culminates with an examination of the cross as another example of God’s promise for a new world.

Finding Jesus in the Psalms: A Lenten Journey by Barb Roose. Combining an interpretation of the Psalms with real-life stories, this 6-week study moves through the familiar words of Psalm 23 toward the painful cries of Psalm 22 uttered by Jesus on the cross. The study includes reflections on the life of King David and the original context of the writings, along with connections between the psalms and the life and death of Jesus the Messiah.

Even More DVD Studies for Lent!

The Media Center has 47 total DVD studies designed to be used in small groups during the Lenten season. Browse the full list and discover something new! The list also contains movies and documentaries that you can use to supplement your study.

More Book Studies for Lent

Believe Like Jesus: Rising from Faith in Jesus to the Faith of Jesus: 40 Days to Spiritual Transformation by Rebekah Simon-Peter. These 40 days of transformation invite you to shift from believing in Jesus to believing like Jesus, from rising from faith in Jesus to the faith of Jesus, from being a disciple to being an apostle, all to become more Christ-like. Just as a tree puts down deep roots to grow tall, take a deep inward journey of spiritual transformation to rise into a human being who lives your faith more courageously, more miraculously. This is a fresh approach to spiritual growth unlike anything you may have experienced before.

Turning Over Tables: A Lenten Call for Disrupting Power by Kathy Escobar. With keen insight and unwavering conviction, visionary pastor Kathy Escobar guides readers on a Lenten journey inspired by the ways of Jesus to dismantle the systems that perpetuate inequality and injustice. In each week of Lent, readers will dig deeper into Jesus’ challenge to the pervasive influence of privilege and oppression that have dominated since ancient times. Through poignant reflections and thought-provoking practices, readers will discover how they can harness the disruptive power of Jesus’ teachings to bring about meaningful change in their communities and beyond. In addition to the wealth of devotional and group study resources found within the book, you can access free digital resources, which include a sermon series guide, group study videos from the author, images for use during worship or group study, and resources to promote your outreach.

Hard and Holy Work: A Lenten Journey through the Book of Exodus by Mary Alice Birdwhistell and Tyler D. Mayfield. Many of us want to understand how to integrate our personal spiritual lives more actively with our engagement in working for justice and the liberation of the oppressed and marginalized. Hard and Holy Work provides a space for just that, helping readers participate in Lent in a new way by becoming attuned to God’s boundless presence in our world and waking up to and taking action for God’s justice through exploring stories from the book of Exodus that have inspired the work of liberation for centuries.

Have a Beautiful, Terrible Day! by Kate Bowler. Bowler is inviting readers for the first time to fully embrace the terrible along with the beautiful by offering readers honest, heartfelt daily devotionals followed by blessings and action steps that lead readers to feel seen, heard and understood no matter what their day may bring. In addition, Bowler has written Advent and Lenten sections to round out the book that offer readers a rich, meaningful way to enter into these seasons of expectation and contemplation. Sign up for additional Lenten resources.

Where We Meet: A Lenten Study of Systems, Stories, and Hope by Rachel Gilmore, Candace Lewis, Tyler Sit, and Matt Temple. Meet Jesus at the intersection of faith and justice Jesus devoted himself to uplifting the poor, reaching out to the marginalized, and fearlessly challenging systems of oppression. The authors guide you through a series of daily reflections, exploring a spectrum of critical themes—from diversity and equity to the challenges of the post-colonial church. They will also delve into the vital need for innovation and contextualization in doing the work Jesus had called us to do.

Struggle to the Cross: A Lenten Study for Individuals and Groups by Sharma D. Lewis. Bishop Lewis invites readers to observe Lent by introspection, repentance, forgiveness, renewal, prayer, fasting, and Biblical study. Each daily reading ends with the “My Action” section, inviting readers to put into practice what they have read and reflected upon. Each Sunday, readers are asked to reflect and journal on the past week’s study using questions provided by the author.

Even More Book Studies!

The Media Center has 28 book-based studies that were designed for small groups to use during the Lenten season. Browse the full list to find the right study for your group.

Devotional Books

Journey to Easter: Daily Hymns and Devotions by Taylor W. Mills. This book invites you on a devotional journey through the season of Lent, guided by the timeless wisdom of Scripture and the profound hymnody of Charles Wesley. Each day, from Ash Wednesday to Easter Sunday, you will encounter a carefully selected Scripture passage paired with verses from a Charles Wesley hymn. Sundays and special days include reflection questions. Each chapter is designed to illuminate the scriptural text, draw out its meaning, and apply its truth to your life.

A Just Passion: A Six-Week Lenten Journey by Esau McCaulley, Tish Harrison Warren, Sheila Wise Rowe, Ruth Haley Barton, and others. To better confront oppression in the world, we must own that reality and look to Christ our liberator. Lent is the opportune time for this as we contemplate his suffering together. With selections from a diverse range of InterVarsity Press books, A Just Passion has been curated to hold in tension the immense weight and hope of the Lenten season. This collection of short readings, breath prayers, and Scripture passages from the First Nations Version guides readers through a six-week journey of repentance, lament, worship, and healing.

My Body Is Good: Giving Up Diet Culture and Embracing Body Positivity for Lent by Anne Cumings. Equipped with a body-positive mindset, Cumings has created an engaging and uplifting study to guide readers through a Lenten season of celebrating their bodies. Written specifically for women, each daily meditation offers a scripture passage, a reflection, and a prayer. Readers are encouraged to capture their questions, ideas, and thoughts through journaling and other spiritual practices, all with the intention of healing from diet culture. Join her on this Lenten journey, and never again forget that your God-given body, made from dust, is good.

A Time to Grow: Lenten Lessons from the Garden to the Table by Kara Eidson. Eidson encourages readers to slow down, move through the painstaking process of growth, and end together with great feasting and celebration of the resurrection. Readers will explore the intricacies of how faith is required to produce food and how that faith can lead us all to feast at the table on Easter morning.

Unrevealed Until Its Season: A Lenten Journey with Hymns by James C. Howell. Howell takes readers on a 40-day journey through popular songs of the church. Reflecting on well-loved hymn phrases, Howell helps readers discover who God is and what following Jesus means.

Lent of Liberation: Confronting the Legacy of American Slavery by Cheri L. Mills. Each of these forty devotions for Lent includes the testimony of a person who escaped slavery through the Underground Railroad, a Scripture passage, and a reflection connecting biblical and historical themes to challenge modern readers to work for liberation.

More Devotional Books!

The Media Center has 26 devotional books designed for individual or group use during the Lenten season. Browse the full list to choose the right devotional for you.

Program and Worship Planning

Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, & Resurrection: Simple Ways to Create Meaning for the Season by Traci Smith. Parents, guardians, teachers, and ministers will find dozens of fun and easy practices for celebrating the Easter season with our kids. Smith also offers theological notes guiding parents on addressing the violence of the crucifixion and the meaning of Jesus’ death.

Messy Easter: Three Complete Sessions and a Treasure Trove of Ideas for Lent, Holy Week, and Easter by Jane Leadbetter. This book offers your church a tool to bring together people of all ages and stages of faith for a unique come-as-you-are experience of creativity—allowing space for all to play and create, celebration—worshiping God and his redeeming work in Jesus, hospitality—sharing a meal where all are welcome. These three once-a-month sessions include ideas for activities, games, crafts, food, and much more to help us learn about Lent, Holy Week, and Easter in an excitedly messy way.

Essential Lent: Holy Moments and Sacred Experiences for Your Whole Congregation by Aimee J. Jannsohn. This book offers interesting, easy-to-prepare activities and worship resources that invite your church to delve a little deeper into this season and make it more meaningful than ever. You’ll be encouraged to try new things in worship, but will find it equally fulfilling to practice traditional Lenten rituals included here, such as foot washing, stations of the cross, and more. It is designed to engage everyone in your congregation, regardless of age or individual faith journey.

Hearing God in Poetry: Fifty Poems for Lent and Easter by Richard Harries. From Yehuda Amichai and W. H. Auden to Phyllis Wheatley and Walt Whitman, this book invites you to take a closer look at fifty great poems by some of the finest poets in the English language. This beautiful Lent book for 2022 offers six poems for every week from Ash Wednesday, leading up to Holy Week, with ten poems specially chosen for Easter. A short reflection from Richard Harries accompanies each poet and the poem, drawing out their spiritual insights and how they communicate God’s presence.

Palm Sunday and Holy Week Services by Robin Knowles Wallace. This book features ready-to-use lectionary-based worship and preaching resources for Palm Sunday and Holy Week. It includes three options for Palm Sunday services, including procession suggestions with special emphasis on participation by children. Includes ready-to-use Palm Sunday and Holy Week services for worship with multiple worship options for each lectionary year scripture and gives suggested liturgies for each service, including those related to Taize.

Easter Services, Sermons, and Prayers by Kenneth H. Carter, Jr. Based on the Revised Common Lectionary and broadly ecumenical, this book provides creative liturgies, sermon helps, and prayers for Easter Vigil, Easter Sunday, and the 40 days of Easter.

For Youth & Children

Fathom: The Passion, The Death and Resurrection of Jesus by Katie Heierman. This 4-session youth study will explore the events surrounding Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion and their meaning for believers today. The lessons are a blend of narrative and traditional theological approaches to understanding the Bible story. Each lesson will focus on one passage that will launch into the larger context of God’s story, and how that story is meant to be theirs.

Praying during Lent and Holy Week from Fuller Youth Institute. Prayer helps young people deepen their connection with God, and can help them reflect on their lives during the season of Lent leading up to Holy Week and Jesus’ death. Through this prayer station activity, you’ll lead your group to contemplate and pray through seasonal themes of humility, lament, and turning toward God. This resource must be purchased and downloaded from Fuller Youth Institute.

Lent: A Journey of Discovery by Addition, Subtraction and Introspection by Erik E. Willits. This little book is a guide…a help…a companion on the 40-day journey of prayer and Christian practice known as Lent. On this journey, you’ll practice the disciplines of addition, subtraction, and introspection so that you may more fully participate in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Children’s Dramas For The Church Year: Reproducible Dramas for Lent, Easter, and Pentecost by Linda Ray Miller. This reproducible resource consists of very simple Easter dramas that can be performed by kids of all ages. Short poems are also included for use in programs. Selections take no more than 10 minutes to perform and the number of children can vary as needed by the size of the church. Props and scenery are minimal and selections can be performed with little rehearsal.

Make Room: A Child’s Guide to Lent and Easter by Laura Alary. This book uniquely connects its projects to the story of Jesus. Simple and practical activities such as baking bread, having a neighbor over for dinner, uncluttering your room, and watching less TV become acts of justice and kindness, part of a life of following and imitating Christ, and a way to make room for God in our lives and in the world around us.

Easter-rific! Teaching Kids… It’s More than Just One Day! by Tina Houser. This book includes nineteen stories that occurred during Holy Week, four more stories that occurred before Christ’s Ascension, and between two and four activities per story such as games, crafts, snacks, science experiments, storytelling ideas, and object lessons.

Sharing the Easter Faith with Children by Carolyn C. Brown. Being sensitive to the developmental maturity of children from ages birth to 12, Carolyn Brown provides materials, activities, and resources for congregations and families.

Download Lent Curriculum for Youth & Children

Cokesbury offers several Lenten curricula for youth and children that can be downloaded directly from their website. The options include seasonal sessions from:

• LIFT: Living In Faith Together
• Fathom Bible Studies
• Deep Blue Rotation Stations
• Spice Rack

More Resources for Children & Families!

The Media Center has 17 resources for youth to use during Lent. Many of these are companions to adult studies. Browse the full list to find the right Lenten study for your youth group.

The Media Center has 12 DVDs and 33 picture books for children that are related to the Lenten season. Browse the full list to choose videos and books that will help you teach your children about Lent and Easter.

Request These Resources

These resources can be borrowed for free by anyone involved with a United Methodist Church in the North Carolina Conference. We will mail them to your home! All you need to do is fill out the Resource Request Form.