Although not technically a Celebrity Blogger, we are using the term "Celebrity Blogger Week" to highlight all the members of the Lent Madness Team. Maria is our Resident Foodie whose recipes, or Saintly Sprinkles, can be found in the Saintly Scorecard: The Definitive Guide to Lent Madness 2016.

What's that you say? You haven't yet ordered your copy? Act now -- they've sold out the last couple of years. Don't be the only Lent Madness fan on your block without one. It will make you feel marginalized. And hopeless.

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On the second day of Celebrity Blogger Week Lent Madness gave to me...not two turtle doves but a single Lutheran! Beth Lewis is what you might call an overqualified Celebrity Blogger and we're delighted she agreed to join us for the 2016 Lenten season. Read on!

But first, in case you missed yesterday's edition of Monday Madness, be sure to tune in as Tim and Scott highlight the start of Celebrity Blogger Week and explain why Westminster Abbey is basically a monument to Lent Madness.

Beth Lewis has served as President & CEO of Augsburg Fortress, Publishers, since September 2002. During this time, the company has transitioned into a leader in delivery of digital content for congregations, higher education and families through their Augsburg Fortress, Fortress Press, sparkhouse, and Sparkhouse Family imprints. This call followed 20+ years of work for several Fortune 500 publishing companies and owner of a computer and technology career school. Beth is a popular speaker in ecumenical groups on a wide range of topics; some of the most popular are Gutenberg to Google: Effective Use of Technology for Congregations, Strategic Planning for Faith-Based Organizations, and Congregational Hospitality. Having been raised Lutheran in Lexington, Kentucky, Beth continues to be a dedicated fan of UK Wildcats basketball, so brackets are among her favorite things to follow! She writes the One Mission blog and you may connect with her on Twitter @bethalewis and on Facebook.

1. Since being named a Celebrity Blogger is obviously your greatest lifetime achievement, how will you handle the inevitable post-Lenten letdown?
I’m thinking a nice bottle of red wine will do the trick; perhaps one of my favorites, Druid’s Fluid from Troon Vineyard in Grant’s Pass, Oregon?

2. What is the single strangest thing you’ve learned about one of your assigned saints?
Dominic’s emblem in art is a dog with a torch in its mouth. It is reported that it is a pun on his name because the Dominicans are sometimes called the "Domini canes,” the hounds of the Lord.

3. What is your favorite saint-inspired food and why?
Chewy German pretzels. I assume that one of my favorite saints, Dietrich Bonhoeffer, having lived most of his life in Germany, must have enjoyed plenty of these! Besides, they are bread-like, so make me think of communion. The best ones have plenty of salt -- “Let your speech always be gracious, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how you ought to answer everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

And, I find this bit of legend/history regarding their Trinitarian form interesting: “Though the exact origins of the pretzel remain mysterious, legend has it that the story began around A.D. 610, when Italian monks presented their young students with treats of baked dough twisted in the shape of crossed arms. At the time, crossing one’s arms was the traditional posture for prayer. As the custom spread through medieval Europe, the pretzel’s three holes came to represent the Holy Trinity—Father, Son and Holy Spirit—and the twisty baked good became associated with good luck, long life and prosperity.”

4. Besides Lent Madness, what do you most look forward to during the season of Lent?
This Lent, it will be celebrating my 10th wedding anniversary with my husband! Yes, a Lutheran pastor and a Lutheran publisher were married in Lent! Probably slightly scandalous in some circles!

Celebrity Blogger Week (or however long it takes) kicks off today! We’ll introduce you to the fabulous writers who will help make our 32 Lent Madness 2016 saints come alive.

We’ve asked all of our CBs to answer a few questions and provide a photo that somehow reflects or sheds new light upon them in a way that transcends their official headshot. The Supreme Executive Committee will be posting these intros in the order we receive them. Mostly because this will offer subtle motivation to those Celebrity Bloggers who have yet to submit their answers. Don't make us write the answers for you! (as we famously did one year for a particularly deadline averse former Celebrity Blogger).

As the pre-Lent Madness frenzy ratchets up, we hope you’ll enjoy spending some time with the men and women of Lent Madness 2016. We think they’re all pretty amazing and not just because they work for free mugs.

Then make sure to order your copy of the Saintly Scorecard: The Definitive Guide to Lent Madness 2016 and large Bracket Poster in order to fully participate in the Madness.

But before you read about our first CB, don’t forget to like us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter. Thanks — it’s good for our self-esteem.

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It's hard to believe, but the time is here! Gather your loved ones at the computer and watch the Supreme Executive Committee in the season premiere of Monday Madness. For the first time ever, Tim and Scott appear in 720p high-def full color! More important, in this episode, they exclusively reveal never-before-seen details of the 2016 Saintly Scorecard, the definitive guide to Lent Madness.

You can get your own Saintly Scorecard by visiting the Lentorium or directly at Forward Movement's web showcase. The Saintly Scorecard is a bargain at $3 for one, and a steal at $2 each for 10 or more. It's insane at only $1 when you purchase 25 or more. So head over to the website and buy now! While you're there, make sure you stock up on giant bracket posters, mugs, pint glasses, t-shirts, and even Golden Halo Flying Discs. If you don't love Jesus enough to spend your hard-earned cash in the Lentorium, you can download a free PDF of the bracket to study. Despite the fact the it's free, the SEC has provided this bracket in color!

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Welcome to Purple Friday 2016, the one-day bonanza of insanely low prices in the Lentorium. Get all your must-have Lent Madness items today! Okay, actually, the prices will last through Cyber Monday, November 30. But you'd better get in line now, because quantities are limited!

Think of the bracket poster as this year's Tickle-Me-Elmo doll or whatever the hot-ticket item is this year (speaking of which, did we mention St. Elmo made the 2016 bracket?). You want to get your bracket poster right away! Just don't claw anyone on your way into the store! Shop now!

Today is also launch day for the Saintly Scorecard: The Definitive Guide to Lent Madness 2016. It's so cheap we can't discount it, but you'll want to place your order while supplies last. It's only $3, which is a steal. But if you buy ten, they're just $2. And if you buy 25 or more (as many parishes do -- and all parishes should), we're practically giving them away for only a dollar. Pre-order yours today!

The Supreme Executive Committee offers a live video report from Purple Friday, including details of their late-night trip to open the Lentorium doors at midnight. Watch as Scott and Tim reveal bargains never before seen, and never to be seen again. Also tune in for exclusive product information about the giant bracket poster (spoiler alert: it's not merely printed in black & white!) -- and details about the Muzak you'll hear when browsing the Lentorium on Purple Friday.

Of course, it's not just Lent Madness stuff that's on sale at low, low prices today. Check out the full sale list for details on Forward Movement bargains galore! Here are some examples of the special Purple Friday pricing:

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Happy All Brackets' Day! And welcome to the holy Season of Pre-Lent (aka any time outside the penitential confines of Lent's 40 days and 40 nights).

While much of the world is recovering from the Halloween sugar high, the rabid Lent Madness faithful cast their collective eye toward Lent 2016. It may be more than three months away, but the 2016 bracket of 32 saints has been officially released by the Lent Madness Supreme Executive Committee! For the seventh year running, people worldwide are gearing up for the “saintly smackdown” that will kick off on “Ash Thursday,” February 11.

In response to a question about why people should think about Lent in November, Lent Madness creator, Tim says, “It’s all part of our diabolical plan to create a year-round Lent. Why be penitential for just 40 days and 40 nights? And if you can walk into some big box store and see Christmas decorations in August, why can’t you walk into your local coffee shop and see purple lights strung up in November?” Scott agrees. “The Lent-Industrial complex is alive, well and thriving. We’re simply tapping into it in order to get people talking about saints throughout the year.”

Click here to access the full bracket. If you are a true fan, you're going to want to pony up ten bucks for a giant bracket poster (printed in full color with extra purple!) from Forward Movement. But first, watch the latest edition of Monthly Madness as Tim and Scott highlight some of the unique battles to come in Lent Madness 2016.

Then let the saintly games begin! Well, in three months or so.

Get ready, world. The Pope's visit is about to be overshadowed by the biggest religion story of early autumn. Yes, friends, it's time to reveal the lineup of 2016 Celebrity Bloggers. Scott and Tim have the goods in the latest episode of Monthly Madness!

We bid farewell to several retiring Celebrity Bloggers, whose jerseys are now hoisted to the rafters in the LentDome. We also welcome five new Celebrity Bloggers: Anna Fitch Courie, David Hansen, Beth Lewis, Hugo Olaiz, and Derek Olsen. Please note we now have two doctors and a nurse in the house in case of medical and/or spiritual emergency.

As usual, the Supreme Executive Committee urges you to show that you love Lent Madness (and Jesus) the most by spending your hard-earned money in the Lentorium. In addition to the standard mug spiel, they are hawking Meet the Saints, a family storybook published by Forward Movement about the saints of the church. Check it out -- it's part of a free, downloadable curriculum for congregations in which children, youth, and adults can learn more about saints and how Jesus' light shone brightly in women and men through history. Get yours now, for free, using these links for children or youth/adults.

Most important, mark your calendars for All Brackets' Day, November 3, and get ready to stare at your browser at 8:00 am Eastern time as the Lent Madness 2016 bracket is unveiled. It's not too early to queue up for a good seat by the computer.

You may have heard by now that the dean of the Washington National Cathedral will soon be retiring. If not, you can read about it in this article from Tuesday's Washington Post.

The Very Rev. Gary Hall has had an illustrious ministerial career that has literally taken him all over the world. We’re pretty sure, however, that the true highlight of his ministry at WNC was being tapped by the Supreme Executive Committee to officially open Lent Madness 2014. Watch the video to take a trip down Lenten lane.

Yes, he also wrote a back cover blurb for the founder of Lent Madness’ 2015 book Father Tim’s Church Survival Guide but this presumably ranks a distant second in Dean Hall’s vocational highlight reel.

As the Washington National Cathedral will soon be experiencing a power vacuum (a.k.a. searching for a new dean), the SEC is considering a hostile takeover. Well, not hostile exactly. It’s really more of a holy takeover.

Here are the top 10 things the SEC will do to make the National Cathedral even more awesome than it already is.
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Dear Brothers and Sisters in Lent Madness,

"Grace and peace to you from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ,” as Paul of Tarsus said before he was ignominiously defeated by Emma of Hawaii in Lent Madness 2012.

As you know from breathlessly following Lent Madness on Facebook and Twitter (using hashtag #SECconclave), the Supreme Executive Committee has been prayerfully discerning the 2016 bracket throughout the day. Much coffee was consumed. And then more coffee was consumed.

We realize that many of you find it unbearable to endure the wait until All Brackets’ Day (November 3), when the 2016 bracket is released to the entire world. The SEC hears the plaintive cry of the Lent Madness faithful, and we assure you of our constant concern during this wilderness time. Though not so much as to provide even a hint about the content of the aforementioned 2016 bracket.

Of course, to keep things in perspective, it could always be worse. You could contract leprosy -- although that wouldn’t be so bad either, since you would be able to meet Damien of Molokai (defeated in the first round of Lent Madness 2013) while experiencing an all-expenses-paid (not by us) trip to Hawaii.

Nonetheless, the SEC, in our beneficent magnanimity and unsurpassed compassion hereby offer the follow coping strategies:
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Was it last week or last century that a bunch of Episcopalians gathered in Salt Lake City for the 78th General Convention of the Episcopal Church? Seems like long ago, but it was just days. At Lent Madness HQ, we dug around in the archives and found this gem for Throwback Thursday. Enjoy the thrill of adventure as the entire Supreme Executive Committee (which is unicameral and yet bicameral, a great mystery) searches far and wide for signs of Lent Madness devotion. Additional hilarity ensues.

Stay tuned for news of the SEC Summer Retreat, at which Tim and Scott will gather in a secure, undisclosed location to discern the bracket for Lent Madness 2016. Thirty-one more saints need to be chosen for the bracket to join Clare, who didn't need any voting irregularities to defeat Chad at a play-in held at General Convention.