Friends, I’m inviting anyone who’d like to join me in a Lenten practice I’m calling Nothing New Lent. Lent is the church’s season of preparation for Easter. Since the time of early church, it’s been a season when Christians were called to self-examination, penitence (recognizing where we fall short of our intentions, and seeking to do better and live differently), and fasting (giving something up for a season in order to come closer to God). 

A Lenten fast or discipline is not just a matter of saying No to yourself, but saying No to yourself for a REASON – for example, because you have a habit that isn’t aligned with your values and intentions, or because breaking that habit will up your time, energy, or resources, for things you really want to do. 

If you would like to take on a Lenten discipline or practice this year, there are many possibilities! The most important thing is that your Lenten practice is yours, something that touches on your own inner work and walk with God. I’m always happy to chat about ideas or possibilities. But in the meantime, read on! Maybe what I share here will help with your own plan, even if it’s not in this direction. 

Nothing New Lent: What? 

• The basic idea is to commit to trying not to buy any new consumer goods for the six weeks of Lent this year (March 5 – April 20). 
• Of course this doesn’t include groceries and other consumables. And you can set your own rules for what it does include! Maybe you need to buy the exact right gift for a loved one’s birthday, or your favorite shoes suddenly fail. Or you could decide that you’re not going to buy anything from big corporations, but channel your spending towards smaller or local businesses. You’re in charge – make your own plan! 
• This is, above all, an invitation to get reflective about our consumption habits and the inner needs we’re using consumption to fill. 

Nothing New Lent: Why? 

• For one thing: the climate and pollution costs of our current consumption levels – especially of so much stuff that nobody actually needs. Knowing that our current level of consumption is not sustainable, it seems wise and helpful to work on learning to discipline consumption habits and make do with less. (I heard a podcast recently where two women in their 30s were talking about the pressure they felt to buy new Christmas decorations every year; one of them had made the bold decision just to use the stuff they already have, and like, this year!…) 
• While my preferred shopping venues are thrift stores and speciality art supply vendors, I am quite familiar with the temptations of “retail therapy” – of using shopping as a distraction, and the rush of buying something new as a momentary boost, when life feels heavy. I’ve learned that other ways of dealing with those feelings and impulses are more aligned with my values and more conducive to my deeper well-being, but it’s ongoing work – like any recovery process, perhaps, in a whole society addicted to consumption. 
• Buying less can help us become people who are ready to give readily and generously, because we’re less attached to stuff, and even build community – read on! 

Nothing New Lent: How? 

• Develop the habit of evaluating your needs and wants. Have some strategies to use when you think, “I need that,” or, “I want that.” Just putting something on a list and circling back to it later can really help clarify whether you need it as much as you thought you did. 
• Notice your state of mind when you slide into online shopping or stop by the mall. How are you feeling? Is there something else you could do to address or gently tend to the root cause of those feelings? (A small business called Downsize Upgrade has some great tools, including an Intentional Buying worksheet that you can download for $5, that you could keep on your phone or wherever it’s useful.) 
• Learn to shop used. Our crammed thrift stores are a symptom of our overconsumption, not a solution. But at the same time it is often possible to find what we need in a thrift store or on Ebay, Poshmark, Craigslist or Marketplace, and getting more use out of something somebody else already bought new is worth doing. 
• By the same token, explore local Buy Nothing groups and swaps. That adds the fun of finding things you don’t need any more and offering them to others! 
• Learn to borrow. Need a sewing machine, or some rubber stamps, a baking accessory or a gardening tool, for just one project or a few days? Ask your friends, neighbors, or church community! (Always take good care of what you borrow, and give it back on time and in good condition.) As an extra bonus, this can build connection and community! 
• Explore what you already have! A lot of us have clothes in the back of our closets, craft supplies tucked away in a bin, books hidden on our shelves, and so on, that we don’t even remember we have. 
• If you share your household with others, talk about taking this on together. It could be an interesting and fruitful experiment to share. 

If people are interested, I’d like to create a Facebook group and/or a Discord community, to share experiences, discoveries, struggles, and requests to borrow something. If that sounds good to you, let me know!

BONUS: YOU MIGHT SAVE SOME MONEY!

Maybe it would be motivating for you to notice when you decide NOT to buy something (or buy it cheaper used), and set the money saved aside, to see it grow. Is there something that you would feel really good about doing with that money, at the end of Lent? Maybe there’s a larger purchase or experience you’d like to save up for, for yourself or your loved ones, or maybe you’d like to save up some money to give to something that matters to you. 

Thanks for reading and considering, friends, and blessings on your Lent! 

Rev. Miranda+