Are you new to Lent Madness this year? If so, we welcome you with arms open wide in sackcloth and ashes. We're delighted you're along for the ride, hope you learn a lot about some pretty amazing folks, and have some fun along the way.
A couple of points to remember. First, Lent Madness is purely optional. If you disagree with the results or loathe the entire concept of saintly competition, do yourself a favor and find another Lenten devotion. We particularly like the daily videos by the monks at the Society of St. John the Evangelist in Cambridge, Massachusetts, created for Lent 2014 called Love Life. There are many ways to mark this holy season that don't involve Lent Madness. In other words, if you don't bring a sense of humor to your faith life, this little online devotion may not be for you.
Second, you'll quickly notice something amazing taking place on your computer screen before your very eyes. Lent Madness transforms itself into a true community of faith during Lent. We don't always agree and everyone comes to Lent Madness from different places theologically, liturgically, and geographically. We see this diversity as a great gift to be celebrated. How does this community form? Through the comment section of each battle, on Facebook, and on Twitter. People share how a particular saint has touched them or what they've learned or why they're voting for a particular saint. We're always amazed at how gracious people are in their comments -- this is very unusual for an online community of course. We insist that people follow the norms of civilized online behavior. We have the power to block those who engage in hurtful behavior, and we're not afraid to use it!
Please vote only once. If there are multiple voters in your household you may use other devices to vote more than once. That's fine. But we have had voter fraud issues in the past and we've dealt with them swiftly and fairly. Yes, Big Brother is watching. Play fair!
To make sure you never miss a vote, go to the home page and enter your e-mail address where it says "subscribe" (top right under the countdown clock). The daily match-up will magically appear in your inbox at about 8:00 am Eastern time on the weekdays of Lent. Once the match-up starts, you'll have about 24 hours to vote.
We hereby dub you a Lent Madness Evangelist! We need your help in spreading the Lent Madness love and drawing more people into learning about the saints. Talk about it around the water cooler, send people links, chat it up on social media.
Last year the mysterious Maple Anglican created a Lent Madness 101 how-to-vote video. If you have any questions at all on how this works, this brief video should clear things up
Welcome to Lent Madness! Thanks for being along for the ride.
25 comments on “New to Lent Madness?”
Let the Madness begin 🙂 And many thanks to The Supreme Executive Committee for all the prep work you have done!
But in Chicago you "vote early, Vote often"!
🙂
YES!!!!! Life begins anew! I'm ready, willing, and as able as I'll probably ever be!
Thank you, Lent Madmen and Madwomen! I look forward to the saints and all the commentaries and especially the lightheartedness. I have introduced LM to my congregation, and am hoping this will spark some good discussions. Let's do this thang!
I am flabbergasted to see the incomparable Bach in any kind of competition, he is already a god! Not on the level of the Almighty, of course, but at the peak of the mortal pantheon. He will, naturally, win the Golden Halo with ease, because Lent Madness fans are people of rare discrimination and superb taste.
Here it is, the Eve of Ash Wednesday already. I still have bacon and butter in the fridge as well as leftover chocolates from Oscar Night festivities. I am subscribing to the school of taking on as opposed to giving up, so I have to get it settled in my mind and make the necessary preparations this afternoon. I know I will be ready tomorrow. Blessings to all who are going on this journey along with me. This is my second year.
I hope everyone will support Christina the Astonishing. She is my patron saint who was a big part of my healing from being a sick person.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christina_the_Astonishing
Ann, having read the bio's of both Christina the Astonishing and Basil whatshisname, I will be voting for Christina. In addition to everything else, she strikes me as being a rugged individualist which tips the scales neatly in her favor!
Let the Good Lent Maddness roll!
This is my second year joining in on the fun as well as the seriousness of Lent Madness. I am soooo looking forward to another informative year and pray that it will be as enlightening this year as last. I am hoping to get more of my parish, Grace Church in Bath, ME this year.
Ready, set, Go!!
...and we certainly don't want to make Jesus sad. Whew...thank you for the warning! 😉
Diane
There are two spelling errors on the 'how-to' video. How did that happen?
Well, you get what you pay for.
Thanks for your efforts and service to community. I most admit this is not light weight. Mother Barbara Crafton announced that you both were crazy. Now I know she meant that in the way the saints you are asking us to read about were crazy.
I hope to be on the list of the crazy people who loved God above all and driven to service of others because of that crazy love.
Peace and good,
Nino
Can't wait to get started!
This is my 4th year of Lent Madness - it is my devotional....I learn alot and have fun along the way....
Newbie here, can't believe I can't vote until 8am (wish I lived in Hawaii...). But I will be back!! (and GO AJHC!!) Did I just say that? I also LOVE Bach but he just isn't a saint, he is a musical God (re above).
I am not sure I have figured out how to vote -- do I just click on the picture of the Saint to vote??? Or am I missing the ballot portion of the site completely??
This is an interesting way to start Lent!!!
Well, I guess this means I won't give up Facebook for lent next year. Till then, I'll follow along on this site. Looks like it's going to be fun and enlightening!
Can't seem to "subscribe." Keeps telling me to check for email to activate but I never get an email to activate,. Have looked in every nook and cranny of my inbox but can't find an email from you. Voted today through Facebook but would really like to get subscribed. Help!
I'm having the same problem - it says an email has been sent to me, but it's not here - either in my inbox or in my junk mail folder. Guess I'll just have to visit the website
All hail Supreme Executive Committee! This voter humbly asks why the video link isn't working. Perhaps the Committee has been taking lessons from the Russian bureaucracy?
Methinks I hear the full celestial choir, now chanting clear, their aweful, aweful anthem raise. And now they all conspire to (without Alleluias) to the Madness that is Lent. Kyrie eleison, Christe eleison, Kyrie eleison!