EKD Lent Campaign “With Compassion! 7 Weeks Without Harshness” -sign up to our fasting group
For several years, Pastor Annika Klappert and Iris Schweiger have been participating in an online fasting campaign during Lent – organized by the Evangelische Kirche Deutschland (EKD), that is, the Evangelical Church in Germany – called “7 Weeks Without”.
The theme for the 2026 Lenten campaign is “With Compassion! Seven weeks without hardship” from February 18th to April 6th, 2026. It’s about being less hard on yourself and others, and rediscovering compassion in everyday life.
As a pilot project this year, Pastor Annika and Iris will be featuring their own short videos on MLC’s Instagram and Facebook pages every week until Easter (in German, with translations in English), where they’ll share Bible verses and simple exercises on how to engage in mental fasting.
We would love to hear your feedback! You can participate by following us on Instagram (@lutheransbythelake) or Facebook (@martinlutherchurchtoronto) and writing your thoughts in the comments after each short video, or by sending an email to office@martinluther.ca
(You can sign up for the free weekly emails at 7wochenohne.evangelisch.de).
Here are the topics which will be discussed each week, counting down to Holy Week/Easter.
WEEK 1: Longing (1 Kings 3:7, 9) At the beginning of Lent, we explore our longings. Where do we want to go? Do I have an inner compass? A “listening heart,” as the young King Solomon desired, to guide me?
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lutheransbythelake/reel/DVKU23ejqTe/
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/r/18BFv4iLbR/
WEEK 2: Spaciousness (Psalm 31:8-9) Within me lies a wide range of emotions. Which do I allow myself to feel, and which do I deny? Often we are too strict and hard on ourselves. This week, we discover how vast the space is that God places us in.
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Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1HCYitqJtt/
WEEK 3: Vulnerability (Mark 14:34, 37) At times, we are particularly sensitive and vulnerable. It takes courage not to hide away now, and to ask others for help, as Jesus did with his disciples. Can we do that? And how do we cope when others ultimately let us down? No one is always strong.
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Facebook https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1X7BxEgVzp/
WEEK 4: Compassion (Romans 12:15) This is an art: to resonate with the feelings of others without losing your footing. We practice empathic weeping and rejoicing with them. The question is, which is easier?
WEEK 5: Asking Questions (Luke 10:29) An antidote to a harsh ending to a conversation is asking questions: I don’t understand you – explain your perspective! Especially when it comes to questions of compassion and love for one’s neighbor. How close do I allow the fate of people I may not even know to affect me? We need to talk about this!
WEEK 6: Gentle Tones (1 Samuel 16:14, 23) What can I do when a friend is going through a difficult time? David’s harp playing touches the soul. And me? Do I also have a talent with which I can do good for people in need?
Week 7: Fear and Great Joy (Matthew 28:8) We are shaken to and fro by the events of Holy Week. Sometimes our emotions can’t keep up. The women at the empty tomb are afraid, yet they can still feel the joy growing within them, which will eventually take over completely.
