During Lent, many of us are reminded once again to examine our lifestyles and ask, “What can we do for others?” Lent is a good time to commit to giving money to a project that helps those in need. One way to involve the whole family is to collect coins during the season of Lent, then donate what has been collected after Easter. Follow our Coins for Lent Giving Calendar as a guide.

If you decide to do this as a family or as a congregation, first determine where you would like your money to go. Maybe you have a community food bank that could use funds to purchase food for the hungry. Maybe you would like to contribute to a larger project beyond your local community.

Heifer International is an agency that addresses need around the world. You can find out more about Heifer International at www.heifer.org. Or you may know of another project to which you would like to give your money. Select one for your gifts.

Once you have selected a project, decide what coins you want to collect. You may want to contribute a quarter for every item on the giving calendar. You may want to simply collect loose change and give whatever coins you have for each item.

Now make a container to collect the money. Use a plastic tub, or a jar, or a coin bank that you aren’t currently using in your home. Decorate this and place it where all can see.

Items on the daily guide will remind us of all we have and how little others may have. Each Sunday, take time to pray as a family for the project for which you are collecting money and the people who will benefit from your gifts. Our giving begins on Ash Wednesday and concludes with Holy Saturday. In Lent and always, Sundays are for worship and praise to God.

Click here to download a family friendly Coins for Lent calendar.

This article, by Maryjane Pierce Norton,  is from UMC Discipleship.  https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/coins-for-lent