ABOUT THE SERIES:
This Lent, we are focusing on the life and faith of one of Jesus’ most famous disciples. In Peter, we see a person who is both steadfast and unsteady, a dear friend and a betrayer, a follower and a wanderer. In Peter, we often see ourselves. By following Peter’s journey, we watch the story of Jesus unfold through the eyes of a very normal human trying to figure it all out—just like us.
As we were studying Peter’s faith journey, the lyrics of “Come Thou Fount” came to mind. It’s as if Peter himself wrote this song. Like many of us, Peter has a wandering heart. His journey is not polished, or linear, or perfect, but he is always tethered to the love of God.
In this series, we want to affirm that faith is a constant journey of steadfast pursuit, one that ebbs and flows. We want to affirm the ways Peter keeps going: he drops his nets, he walks on water, he runs to the empty tomb, he swims to the shore to meet the risen Christ. He keeps searching and yearning and loving, even after missteps or mistakes. Ultimately, in Peter’s story, we are reminded that God loves imperfect people—in fact, time and again, that’s precisely who God claims and calls.
This Lent, we will look for ourselves in the stepping stones of Peter’s story. We will reflect on the stages of our own faith journeys as well as who and what has shaped us along the way. As we wander, let us tune our hearts to sing God’s grace. May we rest in streams of mercy, never ceasing.
About the Bundle:
This is a bundle of 11 multimedia ministry resources for the season of Lent–Easter. It includes materials for 8 weeks starting with Ash Wednesday and concluding with the Second Sunday of Easter. For this series, we have selected focal texts that focus on the significant moments in Peter’s journey—from becoming a disciple to meeting the risen Christ. Download our free theme infographic to preview the series and scriptures included. We bundle our resources because they often overlap in use, and because we want to equip you with comprehensive materials for a whole season. Each resource is also available separately. Scroll down this page & click the “Resource Details” buttons to learn more about each individual resource.
Note: All resources are digital files. Please purchase the tiered bundle price that best fits your community’s size and budget. For additional purchasing options, read this page.
HOW TO PURCHASE THE BUNDLE:
What’s included in the bundle:
(All of the following are included in the bundle, but each resource is also available separately for individual purchase)
1. Lent Devotional Booklet
(Individual Price: $18–$85)
Beginning with the First Sunday in Lent, this weekly devotional follows the scriptures of our Wandering Heart series through the Second Sunday of Easter. Each week offers commentary, poetry, visual art, hymns, and reflection prompts. We encourage you to walk through these weekly readings at your own pace throughout the season, following the rhythm that works best for you. The devotional features biblical commentary by our guest writers, Dr. Terence Lester and Dr. Karoline M. Lewis, and art and reflections by our guest artists, Rev. Nicolette Peñaranda and Rev. T. Denise Anderson.
2. Words for Worship for Lent–Easter
(Individual Price: $25)
A collection of over 50 prayers, this resource provides fresh language for worship inspired by the Wandering Heart scriptures and themes for Lent. We’ve included liturgy for: the 1st-5th Sundays in Lent, Palm/Passion Sunday, Easter Sunday, and the Second Sunday of Easter. For each of these holy days, we provide: A call to worship, a call to confession, a prayer of confession, words of forgiveness, a prayer for illumination, and an affirmation of faith. We have also included a benediction for the series and Communion liturgy for both Easter Sunday and the Second Sunday of Easter.
3. Daily Devotional Cards for Lent
(Individual Price: $7–$55)
Beginning with Ash Wednesday and continuing through the second week of Easter, use these daily devotional cards to guide your wandering heart this Lent. You might place the stack of cards by your bed to read first thing in the morning or right before you sleep at night. Display the cards that resonate with you the most so you continue to ponder the daily questions. Perhaps use the cards as prompts to journal and reflect. Day by day, may these prayers remind you that no matter where you wander, you are always tethered to the heart of God.
4. Sermon Planning Guide for Lent–Easter
(Individual Price: $20)
Our sermon guide is designed for preachers, worship planners, and adult faith formation leaders. For each Sunday in our series, this guide offers:
Biblical commentary (written by our guest contributors, Dr. Terence Lester and Dr. Karoline M. Lewis)
Theme connections
Considerations for the week
Guiding questions
Inspiration for further reading & research
5. Curriculum for Children and Youth
(Individual Price: $25)
This two-part curriculum invites children (ages 5-11) and youth (ages 12-18) to learn about Peter’s journey with Jesus. The children’s curriculum includes 8 weekly lessons that each feature: a main idea, a retelling of the scripture stories with action prompts, questions for discussion, a prayer, and suggestions for games, books, and creative activities to further engage the theme. The youth curriculum also includes 8 weekly lessons with: scripture readings, questions for discussion, multimedia journaling prompts, and prayers. You are welcome to adapt these components for use in Sunday School, youth group, worship, or Lent take-home kits.
Note: the youth curriculum is centered around multimedia journaling. You may wish to order custom Wandering Heart notebooks for your youth!
6. Stations of Peter Holy Week liturgy
(Individual Price: $15)
This creative liturgy by guest contributor Rev. T. Denise Anderson invites you to walk “the way of sorrows” to the cross, but through the eyes and experiences of one of Jesus’ closest disciples. As a nod to the “Stations of the Cross,” this liturgy highlights Peter’s role in the crucifixion narrative. This liturgy includes two options for engagement:
A communal liturgy is designed for in-person worship services. The entire congregation participates in each station synchronously together while seated in chairs or pews.
A prayer stations version of the liturgy is designed for an in-person experience in which participants physically travel from one prayer station to another. Each station features scripture readings and multi-sensory ways to engage, confess, and lament. This version encourages you to print/display art from our Wandering Heart Visual Art Collection.
7. Children’s Bulletins for Lent–Easter + Faith map
(Individual Price: $12)
To engage all ages in worship, these printable children’s bulletins invite children to look and listen to all that is happening in worship and use their holy imagination. Each week’s bulletin includes a main idea and short retelling of the scripture, a closer look at the Wandering Heart icons, words to listen for during worship, and space for drawing and coloring in response to prompts. A printable faith map is also included to send home for children to follow Peter’s journey throughout Lent.
8. Poetry for Lent
(Individual Price: $15)
This is a collection of 12 poems inspired by our Wandering Heart weekly themes and scriptures for Lent–Easter. Honest and intimate, these poems offer meditations that we hope become prayers of your own.
Teach me about abundance, about seventy-times-seven
and all the days of my life.
Teach me about joy, about its contagious weaving
and its soul-healing.
Teach me about mercy, about open hands and deep breaths.
Teach me about the dawn of time and the stars in the sky.
Teach me what matters most.
Teach me what is mine to do.
Teach this achingly curious heart
until I run out of questions
or I run out of days.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
and I will have a life well-lived.
—from “Teach Me” by Rev. Sarah Speed
9. Visual Art Collection for Lent–Easter
(Individual Price: $70)
This is a collection of 13 visuals inspired by the scriptures for Lent–Easter included in the Wandering Heart series. These art pieces, created in a variety of mediums—multimedia collage, ink on paper, acrylic on canvas, quilted fabric, and digital media—are visual meditations on these scriptures. With the visuals, we include written statements from the artists. We also provide a visio divina bible study guide for you to use these images in a group session incorporating the ancient Benedictine spiritual practice of "divine seeing." This collection includes artwork created by our guest artists, Rev. Nicolette Peñaranda and Rev. T. Denise Anderson.
10. Branding Bundle
(Individual Price: $45)
We’ve put together a full branding package with logo files, icons, graphics, design elements, background images, and a branding story to inform you on the best practices for how to utilize these files to share the Wandering Heart theme with your community through your digital and print communications.
11. Bonus Resource: “REturn To you” Theme Song (BY THE FAPC CHAPEL CHURCH BAND)
(Individual Price: $25)
This music video features an original theme song written and produced by Can Olgun, Sarah Speed, and the FAPC Chapel Church band. This song was written from the perspective of Peter, but we hope it becomes a sung prayer for everyone this season.
You are welcome to show this video in worship or other ministry events. You are granted permission to embed this music video in your live-streamed or online worship. We’ve also included a lead sheet and piano accompaniment for the song, as well as the .mp3 recording.
(Note: The theme song and video is a bonus for all patrons of the full bundle. If you previously ordered the bundle, navigate to the Patron Access Page to download it.)
Free Supplemental Materials
To help you implement all of the resources, we have progressively released the following free supplements:
BONUS ADD-ONS:
This is a collection of 5 original hymns (written by Rev. Anna Strickland) inspired by our weekly sub-themes and texts for the first five Sundays in Lent. Each hymn offers new words to sing with familiar, public domain tunes. Download the sheet music to include these hymns in your worship. Note: These hymns are also linked in our devotional booklet for individuals and families to sing at home.
CONTENT CALENDAR FOR SOCIAL MEDIA
To support you in sharing this Lenten series with your community online, we have curated a social media calendar for you to use throughout the season. The calendar includes carefully-selected images, graphics, and excerpts from the Wandering Heart resources for you to post on your social media platforms so you can share the series with your larger community, near and far. The calendar is available only to bundle patrons.
ON OUR BLOG:
Liturgy for Ash Wednesday
We’ve crafted a simple worship outline, including a prayer of the people, centered on our scripture and sub-theme for Ash Wednesday.
MUSIC IDEAS FOR WORSHIP
We’ve curated a long list of music ideas—both traditional and contemporary—for worship, fellowship, and listening.
Themed Banners and Notebooks
These printed-to-order products feature the Wandering Heart theme branding (not included in the bundle)
Wandering Heart BannerS for Adornment
Order these custom banners to adorn your sacred space, perfect for bringing the Wandering Heart theme to life in your sanctuary.
Small banner: 34.5"x56" flag material with grommets ($35)
Table tapestry: 60"x80" soft blanket material with a hem ($45)
Wandering Heart Notebook
Order this custom notebook featuring the hymn verse that inspired our Wandering Heart theme—perfect for journaling, sermon notes, doodling, or gifting.
Note: The Wandering Heart youth curriculum is centered around multimedia journaling. You may wish to order these custom journals for your youth.
Notebook: 8.5”x5.5” with 140 dot grid pages ($15)
Meet our guest contributors
Meet the talented writers, artists, and musicians we’ve partnered with to create these resources!
Dr. Terence Lester
Commentary writer for the 1st–5th Sundays in Lent
Dr. Terence Lester (he/him) is a storyteller, public scholar, speaker, community activist, and author who is the Founder and Executive Director of Love Beyond Walls, a nonprofit organization focused on raising poverty and homelessness awareness and community mobilization. At the age of sixteen, Terence was a high-school dropout and a member of a gang. A rebellious teen, he lived on the streets and even attempted to take his own life. At twenty, he was arrested. In jail, he met a man who talked to him about life decisions. It was the first time he had ever heard the good news. By the start of the following year, he was submitting to a call to share his testimony to change the lives of others.
He’s known for nationwide campaigns that bring awareness to homelessness, poverty, and economic inequality. His awareness campaigns have been featured on MLK50, CNN, Good Morning America, Essence Magazine, TEDx, TVONE, Creative Mornings, USA Today, NBC, Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC) National Magazine, NBC News, AJC, Black Enterprise, Rolling Out, and Upworthy. These campaigns have been viewed by millions of people worldwide. He is also the author of several published books through InterVarsity Press. Terence is happily married to his best friend, Cecilia Lester, and they have two amazing children, Zion Joy and Terence II.
terencelester.org | @imterencelester | @lovebeyondwalls
Dr. Karoline M. Lewis
Commentary writer for Holy Week and Easter
Dr. Karoline Lewis (she/her) is the Marbury E. Anderson Chair in Biblical Preaching at Luther Seminary, St. Paul, MN, where she has taught since 2007. Lewis is the author of A Lay Preacher’s Guide: How to Craft a Faithful Sermon (2020), SHE: Five Keys to Unlock the Power of Women in Ministry (including an accompanying facilitator guide, participant guide, and DVD) and John: Fortress Biblical Preaching Commentaries, as well as numerous articles and book chapters. Her next book, to be released in August, is Embody: Five Steps to Leading With Integrity.
Ordained in the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America, Lewis holds degrees from Northwestern University (B.A.), Luther Seminary (M.Div.), and Emory University (Ph.D., New Testament Studies and Homiletics). Lewis leads conferences, workshops, and retreats internationally on the Gospel of John, the New Testament, interpreting the Bible, preaching, leadership, and women in ministry. She is a contributing writer for Working Preacher, co-host of the site's weekly podcast, Sermon Brainwave, and regularly authors the Dear Working Preacher column. Visit karolinelewis.com for resources on preaching, leadership, and being a woman in ministry.
Rev. Nicolette (Faison) Peñaranda
Visual artist
Rev. Nicolette “Nic” (she/her) is a pastor in the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America serving as the Program Director for African Descent Ministries. Nic is the creator of MONadvocacy, a racial justice resource grounded in play, as well as the “Talks at the Desk” series which celebrates the voices of leaders in the ELCA African descent community: livinglutheran.org/2022/02/a-love-letter-to-african-descent-communities.
She is passionate about queer Black liberation, cultivating diverse leadership in faith spaces, and the art of creation. She is also the illustrator of God's Holy Darkness, written by Sharei Green and Beckah Selnick (Beaming Books, 2022). The book deconstructs anti-Blackness in Christian theology by celebrating instances in the story of God's people when darkness, blackness, and night are beautiful, good, and holy. She resides in the Chicagoland area with her spouse, two daughters, and two cats, Penne Pablo and Rigatoni Braxton.
Rev. T. Denise Anderson
Visual artist and liturgy writer
Denise (she/her) is a minister in the Presbyterian Church (USA) and The Director for Compassion, Peace, and Justice Ministries at the Presbyterian Mission Agency. A graduate of Howard University School of Divinity, she is the former Co-Moderator of the 222nd General Assembly (2016) of the Presbyterian Church (USA). A nationally-recognized writer and blogger, Denise’s work has appeared in The Christian Century, The Huffington Post, These Days, and on her own blog, SOULa Scriptura. Denise writes, preaches, and engages on issues of social justice, diversity, and reconciliation. As a gifted visual artist, she creates art that explores themes of spirituality, history, religion, and race.
Can Olgun,
Rev. Sarah A. Speed,
& the Chapel Church Band
Guest musicians
Our Lent theme song is crafted by a collective of talented creatives at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church, NYC. The lyrics are written by Rev. Sarah Speed (one of our Founding Creative Partners and our lead liturgy writer). Sarah collaborates with Can Olgun and the Chapel Church Band at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church (New York), where she serves as Associate Pastor for Young Adults and Membership. Music director, Can Olgun, composes the original music and is the leader of the band, which features a rotating slate of professional vocalists singing to the rhythms of guitar, piano, and drums. Their repertoire covers a broad range of traditional and contemporary music, with a growing list of original compositions. fapc.org/chapel-church
Can Olgun (he/him) is an internationally-performing pianist, composer, educator, and researcher. Originally from Berlin, Germany, Olgun moved to New York in 2008 to pursue a Master’s degree at the Manhattan School of Music after being awarded a scholarship by the German Academic Exchange Service (DAAD). Olgun serves as the Director of Chapel Church Music at Fifth Avenue Presbyterian Church in New York and was the musical director for the late actress/singer Suzzanne Douglas. In 2019, Olgun joined the faculty at CUNY BMCC, where he teaches classes in performance, piano, and theory, as well as focusing on the development of a new degree specialization in jazz and popular music. He is a Ph.D. candidate at the Victoria University of Wellington/New Zealand School of Music, where he conducts research at the intersections of contemporary gospel keyboard playing, artistic research, and jazz piano improvisation. His research findings will entail a portfolio of creative work expected to be released in 2023 and 2024. canolgun.com