What if just a few small choices could actually change how you feel, how you treat others, and how you live each day?

Ask someone to read out the words below: 

As Lent 2026 begins, we’re exploring this year’s Church of England theme, Draw Near: Life-Giving Habits, and thinking about how it can inspire our daily lives.

Lent isn’t just about giving things up (like chocolate etc.). It is about stopping, taking a breath, and choosing habits that help us grow closer to God.

Draw Near is all about showing us how the little habits we choose each day can help us get closer to God. And here’s the cool part… as we take steps toward Him, God moves closer to us too. It’s like a friendship that grows stronger every time we make the effort. We become more like Jesus, day by day. 

This is a chance to slow down, try something new, and see how small changes can make a surprisingly big difference.
And even if you follow a different faith or none at all, these ideas can still help us grow in kindness, courage, and how we treat ourselves and others.

This week’s theme is ‘attention and presence’

How often do you give something or someone your absolute full attention?

Why is this important?

Here are some questions to discuss as a class:

1.  Do you watch TV and scroll on your phone at the same time?
2. When you are with a friend – are you really listening or are you thinking about the next thing to say?
3. What strategies do you use to stop your mind from wandering and getting distracted?
4. How does it feel when you talk to someone, and you can see that they are not really listening to  you?
5. Why is being present important?

We are now going to practice being present in the moment.

The film clip below is to help you focus.  Allow yourself to relax but do not get distracted!!

Prayer

Heavenly Father, we thank you for the season of Lent where we can work on improving habits to help us.  Help me to find strategies to avoid distraction.  Help me to be present when I talk to my friends so that they feel valued.  Help me to listen more….and speak less.  Thank you that you are always present and when I talk to you, you will always listen. Amen

* Image JUST BE present flickr photo by built4love.hain shared under a Creative Commons (BY 2.0) license