Welcome to a special Viewer Mail edition of Monday Madness! You have questions? Tim and Scott have "answers."

In response to one such query, Scott explains how the Episcopal Church adds people to its calendar of saints.* The Supreme Executive Committee also shares the official Lent Madness coffee standard. Which means Tim gets to mention his book, Holy Grounds: The Surprising Connection between Coffee and Faith - From Dancing Goats to Satan's Drink, while simultaneously showing off the perfect mug out of which to drink your coffee, the 2019 Golden Halo winner mug featuring Martha of Bethany.

Printed Saintly Scorecards are sold out this year, but you can still get one for your Kindle. We also have giant bracket posters available. Is there a better way to spend $11 than getting a full-color printout of the saintly bracket? We think not.

Tune in for all the action -- plus more viewer questions -- RIGHT NOW!

* If you want to see the "Saintly Scorecard of the Episcopal Church," you can find the lineup of saints and biographies in the scintillatingly-titled volume, Lesser Feasts and Fasts 2018.

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What?! In an unprecedented move, the Supreme Executive Committee needs YOUR help. It's true! In this week's action-packed episode of Monday Madness, Tim and Scott solicit the advice of the Lent Madness global viewing public, as they put out a request to help name some of the epic themed battles of the 2021 competition. To succeed in making your mark upon this year's Saintly Smackdown, simply combine the ethos of professional wrestling with the ambiance of holy Lenten devotion in offering your suggestions. For consideration, add your ideas in the comments section.

They also share something of the structure of the 2021 bracket, including all-new quadrant names. If you're worried about seeing the quadrants on a tiny bracket, you can get a giant bracket poster (for just $11!) just like the one Scott waves around in the video. Sounds like a lot of great content, right? Well, that's not even all of it. You might have heard that the Saintly Scorecard is sold out, and that rumor is true. The good news is that Tim and Scott are here to tell you how you can get the scorecard on your favorite e-reader, tablet, or phone.

There's more, but we need to keep you intrigued so you'll watch the full episode.

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Have you ever wondered what deli meats have to do with Lent Madness? Gather the kids around the teevee, grab some popcorn -- or a hunk of salami, and tune in for this week's installment of Monday Madness. With Lent Madness 2021 a mere 23 days away, Tim and Scott deftly delve into the bracket by previewing a few of the upcoming battles. One of which involves deli meats.

Of course, because you've come to depend on it, there's product placement. Tim shows off his Harriet Tubman Golden Halo 2020 winner mug. You can grab one of the few Harriet mugs remaining, or maybe you'll want to drink your coffee out of a Martha of Bethany Golden Halo 2019 winner mug. And don't forget the travel mug.

Life is more than coffee, we're sorry to say. The good news is that you can wile away the hours between cups of coffee by studying up on Lent Madness saints with the Saintly Scorecard 2021. Share your picks with the Lent Madness 2021 Giant Bracket Poster.

Like grace, Lent Madness is also free. You can visit the bracket tab to print out your very own bracket, free of charge. There's also a new feature: a bracket you can download, type in your picks, and then print out. Whoever said the Supreme Executive Committee wasn't responsive to the requests of the global Lent Madness viewing public?

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With a mere 30 days until the start of Lent Madness 2021, Tim and Scott are back with an action-packed episode of Monday Madness! Of course, they discuss the legacy of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr, who memorably appeared in the 2013 edition of Lent Madness. How did he do? Check out this week's edition of Monday Madness to find out.

Naturally, Tim and Scott encourage you to prepare for Lent Madness by ordering your very own copy of the Saintly Scorecard. You can buy it for your Kindle or in paper. Maybe you want to buy them for your whole church or for all your neighbors. If so, you'll want the bulk price! Packs of ten are just $20, which means the Scorecards only $2 each. If you are buying three packs or more, the price plummets to just $15 for ten, which makes the Scorecards only $1.50 each. It's really crazy that they're that cheap.

If the full-color, fold-out bracket inside the Scorecard isn't big enough for you, you'll want to purchase a Lent Madness giant bracket poster. This huge poster is THREE FEET by TWO FEET. It's only eleven bucks if you buy one, and the price shrinks to just $10 if you buy two or more.

Of course, you don't need to spend a cent to enjoy Lent Madness. You can read up on the saints on the Lent Madness website once the season starts, and you can print out your own bracket on the Bracket tab of the site. However, you might like to enjoy the free website while you're sipping a coffee from your Lent Madness 2020 Golden Halo Winner Mug featuring Harriet Tubman. Lots of merch is available in the Lentorium.

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Everyone keeps saying 2020 is bringing unprecedented this and that. Well, here's one to add to the list. The Supreme Executive Committee is bringing you a brand-new episode of Monday Madness...on a Tuesday. Why? Because reasons.

In this action-packed episode, Tim and Scott discuss the all-new bracket for Lent Madness 2021. Yes, it has 32 saints --- that's nothing new. But this year's bracket offers groundbreaking (unprecedented!) new quadrants. Gather the kids and neighbors (outdoors, wearing masks, six-feet apart) around your computer and behold the new cinematic brilliance, which includes a new (very brief!) intro.

It wouldn't be a Monday Madness if you didn't hear about the Lentorium. Watch to get details on this year's Giant Bracket Posters, a bargain at $11. Buy two or more, and save! Also, this year's Saintly Scorecard includes tips for safely enjoying Lent Madness during a pandemic with full social distancing in your home or church. You can pre-order individual copies or buy them in bulk and save. Single copies are just $5, and if you buy in bulk, the price drops to just $1.50 per scorecard if you purchase three bundles of ten or more.

Of course, like the grace of Jesus, Lent Madness is free of charge. If you don't want to spend any money, you can visit the bracket tab of the Lent Madness website and print out your own bracket.

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In the ultimate October Surprise, the Supreme Executive Committee of Lent Madness has declared TODAY All Brackets' Day!

Normally, we announce the new bracket for Lent Madness at the conclusion of the Autumn Triduum: All Saints' Day on November 1, All Souls' Day on November 2, and All Brackets' Day on November 3. The United States Congress wouldn't return our phone calls about rescheduling the general election to accommodate our big day, so we decided -- as a magnanimous gesture -- to move our big day.

So All Brackets' Day, one of the most highly anticipated holy days of the entire year, is here early. Surprise! And, by the way, with the other "madness" (the one involving bouncing orange orbs) having been suspended back in 2020, Lent Madness is now the world's longest continuously-running bracket competition. *

Some would say that in the midst of tense political times, we should avoid distractions like Lent Madness. For a few people, that may be true. But remember the Great Commandment of the world's largest online Lenten devotion*: Lent Madness is optional. For those who enjoy the annual Saintly Smackdown, the unveiling of the Lent Madness 2021 bracket offers a reminder that God works in all kinds of people. As always, in devotion to the saints, we find both inspiration by example and the comfort of knowing that the great cloud of witnesses is ready to cheer us on.

With that all said, we hope you enjoy seeing next year's bracket. You'll find the usual diversity of saints, with a variety of race and gender, laity and clergy, ancient and modern, prophet and pastor, young and old. But you'll see Christ's light burning brightly in each of their lives.

Here's the bracket (click to enlarge):

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What's up? On Ascension Day, it's Jesus! And also it's the start of Nominationtide!

For ten full days, the Supreme Executive Committee will be accepting nominations for Lent Madness 2020. The nominating period will remain open through the Day of Pentecost, Sunday, May 31, at which point this brief exercise in Lenten democracy will go up in smoke like the hair of the disciples when the tongues of fire descended upon their heads.

Usually we only allow a week for Nominationtide, but this year we are generously allowing you ten days. We know that conferring on nominations might take longer in a time of social distancing. Please note that the Lent Madness website has been thoroughly disinfected, so there is no risk as you read this post or browse the online Lentorium.* Unfortunately, all Lentorium store locations remained closed at this time.

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