Lent is the season of soul searching, wrestling with the problem of evil and our fractured relationship with God, tracing the human story through scripture, always aware of Jesus' power to heal and restore as we prepare for Easter.

Is any of this suitable for the younger members of the Body of Christ? Or should we leave them out of all this? As full members of the Body, our youngest and oldest alike are an organic part of the love community which is church. We need to explore these areas of our common human experience together as family.

Throughout this book there are mixed-age-group activities and times of worship and reflection, which happen in the formal setting of the church congregation. There are others which keep the Lent pulse going on a daily basis, in homes and households, in family or friendship groups, or alone. There are also suggestions for opening the church up to the wider community during Lent.