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 we’re thinking about Meaningful Giving & Community.

Meaningful giving isn’t just about doing kind things at random; it’s about giving in ways that truly make a difference to others. Sometimes, that means:

• Standing up for fairness
• Including someone who’s left out
• Sharing responsibility instead of leaving it to others
• Giving time and effort, even when it costs us

In the early church, community meant looking out for one another – making sure no one was overlooked. Giving wasn’t just personal. It was shared responsibility.

In Hebrews 10:24, it says:

Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds.

Notice that word: consider.
It means thinking intentionally about how we help others grow.

Being part of a school community means we affect each other every day. Through what we say, what we ignore, and what we choose to do.

So today, as we draw near, we might ask:

• How do my choices shape this community?
• What kind of school culture am I helping to build?
• Where could I give in a way that really matters?

Prayer
Generous God,
thank you that we belong to a community.
Help us to give in ways that bring fairness, kindness and courage.
Teach us to look beyond ourselves
and build a community where everyone can flourish.
Amen.

*Image by pch.vector on Freepik