Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, and Resurrection: A Book Review

By Elizabeth Christie

Faithful Families for Lent, Easter, and Resurrection by Traci Smith is the latest addition to Rev. Smith’s fabulous collection of resources for families and family ministers. As pandemic life closes in on two years of upheaval and uncertainty for families, weariness is running high. I hear daily how parents are craving simplicity, ease, and meaning for their families. This book delivers meaningful practices for families in clear, simple formats.

Are you a parent? This resource delivers no-prep rhythms for your family that help everyone engage and process the meanings of the liturgies and practices of the Lenten and Easter seasons. Do you have a wide age range? This book provides practices for all. I have tested them with my own crew of seven that range in age from 1 to 18. My teens have pored over the resource, choosing one practice they would like to incorporate into their lives. My elementary aged kids want to do everything but are enjoying choosing one that is meaningful to them. My toddler is a big fan of the paper strips used for the Lenten Paper Chain (pg. 2) and looks forward to numbering his days each morning.

Are you ministering in a small congregation with limited numbers of families and/or limited resources? This resource delivers. There are many options for multigenerational practices that lend themselves to FaceTime/Skype conversations. This book doesn’t require you to have extra materials; in fact, several of the practices take no materials. This book also comes with the permissions to excerpt up to five prayers, practices, and lessons with proper attribution (pg. xxvi). Imagine the power of setting up a prayer bead creation station in your narthex/fellowship hall (see pgs. 23-24), coupled with beading care packages that get sent to others associated with your congregation. Everyone can add something new to their prayer toolbox and grow together in their individual ways.

Are you in ministry within a larger context? Imagine the power of families in small groups choosing a practice or two to incorporate into their family’s rhythm. You could make beautiful Lenten Family Care Packages with this book as the spine. Include a few materials (e.g., pretzel making supplies to go with the practice on pg. 28) and you have a home run offering for families. Perhaps you have a nursery school that is part of your congregation. Imagine what could happen with a small picture frame made out of painter’s tape on a window near the dismissal door with the invitation to wonder how God made the universe (pg. 15) or even a telescope that invites children and caregivers to look at the heavens and wonder together about how they fit into God’s great design.

I have seen the recommendation of taking seasonal resources and packing them up with your materials for each liturgical season. While I do appreciate having all my seasonal supplies in one spot, I just cannot bring myself to put my copy away. I will need to return to it sooner than when I begin my Lent and Easter preparations for 2023, simply because the reminders of how we are Easter people are needed throughout the year. I highly recommend adding this resource to your library.

A review copy of this book was provided by the publisher.