Lent 2025
Join Countryside this Lenten season for a journey of quiet reflection, prayer, worship and spiritual practices that nurture growth and inspire us to embody our faith more fully.
Download the complete Lenten and Easter Guide | PDF
LENTEN CALENDAR (more details below)
Wednesday, March 5, Ash Wednesday
Ashes-to-Go drive-through, 12 p.m. Cancelled due to Inclement Weather
Ash Wednesday Service & Imposition of Ashes, 7 p.m.
Poetry Journey begins, through Sunday, April 20.
Friday, March 7
Labyrinth Prayer Walk opens through Thursday, April 17.
Art Walk opens through Thursday, April 17.
Sundays, March 9 through April 13
Contemplative Lenten Taizé Worship, 8:30 a.m.
Traditional, Jazz and Communion Worship, 10 a.m.
Mondays, March 10, 24, 31 & April 7
Discover Awe Book Study, 12 p.m.
Sunday, April 13, Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Procession, 9:45 a.m. Palm Sunday Service, 10 a.m.
Friday, April 18 – Good Friday
Combined Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Tenebrae Service with Omaha Symphony Cellist Tim Strang, 7 p.m.
Sunday, April 20 – Easter Sunday
Sunrise Service, 7 a.m.
Worship Service, 9 a.m.
Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt, 10-11 a.m.
Worship Service, 11 a.m.
STUDY
Discover Awe This Lent: Four Mondays at 12 p.m.: March 10, 24, 31 and April 7 (zoom optional available)
Join us this Lenten season for a transformative book study on Awe: The New Science of Everyday Wonder and How It Can Transform Your Life by Dacher Keltner. Together, we’ll explore how the experience of awe connects us to God, deepens our relationships, and reveals the sacred in our everyday lives.
Through thought-provoking discussions and reflective practices, we’ll journey through themes of wonder, compassion and the sacred mysteries of life, all while grounding our exploration in the hope of Lent. Come with an open heart and leave inspired to see the world—and your faith—in a whole new way. All are welcome!
Dacher Keltner is a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, and the faculty director of UC Berkely’s Greater Good Science Center. A renowned expert in the science of human emotion, Dr. Keltner studies compassion and awe, how we express emotion, and how emotions guide our moral identities and search for meaning.
Choose Your Lenten Devotional
This Lent, deepen your spiritual practice with one of two meaningful devotional options:
A Sanctified Art Devotional: Engage your heart and imagination with beautiful art, poetry, and reflections designed to inspire and challenge you throughout the season.
The United Church of Christ Lenten Devotional: Ground yourself in daily scripture and thought-provoking meditations, offering practical ways to connect faith with everyday life.
Both devotionals invite you to pause, reflect, and draw closer to God on your Lenten journey. Choose the one that speaks to you—or explore both! Copies of the Sanctified Art devotional are available in the church office for a suggested donation of $5. To access a free, online flip version or receive a free PDF version, email the office at office@ countrysideucc.org. UCC devotionals are available to order online at thepilgrimpress.com/products/into- the-deep-2025-lent-devotional.
Discovery Kids: Lenten Adventures (Children are dismissed to classes from worship at 10:15 a.m.)
Our Children’s ministry team will bring the stories of Jesus to life for through an interactive, skit-based curriculum designed for Lent through Easter. Over seven engaging weeks, kids will journey through Luke’s Gospel, exploring the Everything In Between sub-themes and gospel stories. Join us as we inspire young hearts to discover the wonders of faith!
SPIRITUAL PRACTICE
Lenten Labyrinth Prayer & Art Walk
March 7 – April 18, Chapel
Open Hours (*Check church calendar and website for additional hours) Mondays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
Fridays, 9 a.m. – 1 p.m. Good Friday, 5-7 p.m.
Labyrinth Prayer Walk
This Lenten season, step into a sacred journey of prayer and reflection with our Labyrinth Prayer Walk in the Chapel. Open throughout Lent, the labyrinth offers a quiet space to draw closer to God, release burdens and center your heart on the hope of Easter.
Prayer guides are available for those seeking a guided meditation, or you’re welcome to walk and pray at your own pace. Whether you come to seek clarity, peace or simply time with God, the labyrinth is a space for all.
Come as you are. Walk in prayer. Leave renewed.
Art Walk
Experience the sacred journey from Ash Wednesday to Easter through the eyes of talented artists. The Lenten Art Walk invites in you to explore a stunning collection of visual art paired with heartfelt artist statements that reflect on the sacred stories of this holy season.
This immersive experience in the Chapel is a perfect pre-cursor or follow-up to the Labyrinth prayer walk, offering a reflective and contemplative way to deepen your spiritual journey through Lent.
Whether you’re seeking spiritual renewal, artistic inspiration or simply a quiet moment to reflect, this event offers a unique opportunity to engage with the beauty and depth of Lent.
Embark on a Self-Directed Lenten Poetry Journey
Immerse yourself in the beauty and depth of Lent through the power of poetry. Download A Sanctified Art’s Lenten poetry book and discover the wonders of journeying through this sacred season with words that inspire, and spaces that invite reflection, and awaken your imagination.
Whether you read quietly at home or find moments to pause during your day, this collection offers a meaningful way to connect with the themes of Lent at your own pace.
A PDF version is available by emailing Office@countrysideucc.org. Printed copies are also available upon request, ensuring everyone can take part in this contemplative journey. Get your copy today and let the poetry guide your heart and mind through the Lenten season.
LENTEN WORSHIP
Contemplative Lenten Taizé Worship: Sundays, March 9 – April 13, 8:30 a.m., Chapel
Experience the peace and simplicity of Taizé worship this Lent. Join us in the chapel on Sundays, March 9–April 13, at 8:30 a.m. for a reflective time of prayer, scripture, and meditative music.
Through silence, prayer, and the repetitive beauty of Taizé chants, we’ll draw closer to God’s presence, preparing our hearts for the journey to Easter. All are welcome to this sacred space of renewal and stillness.
Come, rest in the quiet and let your soul find its center this Lenten season.
Traditional, Jazz and Communion Worship: Sundays, March 9 – April 13, 10 a.m. in the sanctuary
Each Sunday at 10 a.m., journey through Lent with us as we explore “everything in between,” discovering how to meet God in the midst of life’s extremes. This traditional service, infused with progressive ideas, offers a rich tapestry of worship featuring diverse music—from the soulful rhythms of a jazz band to the harmonious beauty of choral performances, strings, brass and organ.
Come for meaningful reflection, engaging ideas and a worship experience that uplifts and inspires. All are welcome as we walk this sacred season together.
SPECIAL LENT AND HOLY WEEK SERVICES
Wednesday, March 5 – Ash Wednesday
12 p.m. Ashes-to-Go: Drive-thru Coffee & Ashes offered at the front entrance of the building. Pull-up, roll down your window and receive a blessing and imposition of ashes. Cancelled due to inclement weather.
7 p.m. Ash Wednesday Service & Imposition of Ashes
Begin your Lenten journey with a sacred time of reflection and renewal. Join us for our Ash Wednesday service as we pause to embrace the themes of repentance, humility and hope. The service will include the Imposition of Ashes, a meaningful ritual symbolizing our shared humanity and our commitment to spiritual transformation.
Sunday, April 13 – Palm Sunday
Palm Sunday Processional & Worship Service: Join us at 9:45 a.m. on Palm Sunday for a joyful and meaningful celebration as we begin Holy Week together. Gather in the narthex for a Call to Worship, then join the palm processional as we move into the sanctuary with palms raised and waving, remembering Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. This vibrant service will include music, prayer and reflection as we prepare our hearts for the journey through Holy Week.
Friday, April 18 – Good Friday
7 p.m. Combined Maundy Thursday and Good Friday Tenebrae Service with Tim Strang and the C4 Choir
Join us for a poignant Tenebrae service featuring Omaha Symphony Cellist Tim Strang and Countryside’s C4 Choir. Tenebrae is a deeply symbolic, curated service designed to lead the congregation through the final hours of Christ’s life on earth that includes choral anthems, instrumental duets, litanies, drama, liturgical elements, and underscores. This service offers a sacred space to contemplate the journey of Christ’s passion and the hope that follows.
EASTER SERVICES
Sunday, April 20 – Easter Sunday Easter Sunday Worship Services
Alleluia! Chris is Risen! Celebrate the joy of the Resurrection with us this Easter Sunday! Begin your morning with an 7 a.m. Sunrise Service, out on the lawn, followed by worship at 9 a.m. and 11 a.m., each featuring inspiring music, a meaningful message, and the sacred celebration of communion.
Whether you join us for the quiet beauty of sunrise or the vibrant energy of our later services, come and experience the hope and renewal of Easter morning as we proclaim, “Christ is risen!”
Easter Brunch & Egg Hunt – 10-11 a.m.
Celebrate Easter with delicious food and family fun! Whether you worship at 7 a.m., 9 a.m., or 11 a.m., you’re invited to join us for a festive Easter Brunch at 10 a.m. At 10:30 a.m., children can enjoy an exciting Easter Egg Hunt, perfect for capturing joyful memories—so don’t forget your cameras!
This is a wonderful opportunity to connect, celebrate, and share in the joy of Easter morning with your church family and friends. All are welcome — come share in the fun and fellowship!