Side B Guide for Lent

Written By Rev. Steven Lympus

March 2025 Devotional
A Springtime Reflection


So, Lent. It’s not in the Bible. Or is it…? 

 

OK, technically no. But the elements are all in there: ashes, confession and repentance, 40 days, fasting, palm branches, deepening our study of Scripture, and many more. Lent is a season of walking with Jesus on his way to the Cross and Resurrection. 

 

But what does this season mean for us? Are there unique ways LGBTQ+ Christians can celebrate Lent? Oh honey, I only have 500 words here. So let me just offer a short list of Side B ways that queer folk can Lent it UP! 

 

Not a Lenter? Didn’t grow up in the tradition and wondering why all the fuss? I see you, and I’m choosing these Lent-adjacent ideas with you in mind:  

  1. Plan a Shrove Brunch: Shrove or Fat Tuesday is a feast held the night before Ash Wednesday. But girl, we can make anything into a brunch! The idea here is to use up the flour, eggs, milk, butter and sugar in your house since many folks fast from rich foods during Lent. Did someone say soufflé and quiche potluck?

    Pro-tip: improvise the menu and the day; anytime in early Lent will do. Think Mardi Gras, but more Gras and less Mardi. This year, I’m gathering a few friends and family members for pancakes at my mom’s—she makes the BEST buttermilk cakes!

  2. Fast from something: I know, we’re all abstaining from lots of things in Side B already. But fasting is different. It’s temporarily going without something good so that you feel hungry and invite God into that empty space. Chocolate, Insta, boba, Pedro Pascal, Chappell Roan—you do you, babe. 

    Pro-tip: maybe avoid fasting from being gay/SSA. Tried that in the 90’s…100% don’t recommend. This year, I’m fasting from sleeping in on Sundays and skipping church. Yep, totally counts. 

  3. Walk toward the Light: sound new age? Think again: Lent is an old word for spring, the season when days get longer. Friends, we’ve all spent time in the dark, whether in the closet or sin or both. And sometimes that darkness creeps back in. How can you walk more in the abundant life and light of Jesus this Lent? Are there ways you can let your orientation shine more and hide less? 

    Pro-tip: literally get outside and soak up some SUN. Bonus points if you invite a friend.

  4. Wear something different for 6 weeks: many of us will start Lent wearing ashes smeared on our foreheads, reminding us of our mortality and that we don’t get to Easter without Good Friday. No empty grave without the Cross, no resurrection without dying. Try wearing something—a bracelet, a ring, an armband, one black painted nail—for the next 6 weeks to remind you of your mortality. 

    Pro-tip: remove it at sunrise on Easter Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection! 

  5. Study Scripture with other Side B Christians: the Bible has often been weaponized against our community. But Scripture has life and wholeness for us. And it just so happens that Revoice is hosting our first Lenten Bible Study with Wes Hill this year! How often do LGBTQ+ Christians get to go deep on Nehemiah with a queer perspective? (answer: not nearly enough) Join me for this! 

  6. Hold a Lenten Film Festival: invite some friends, bring snacks, watch a movie with Lent-ish themes and then discuss. Eve Tushnet and I are legit making a list (email me). 

    Pro-tip: do a whole series. Bonus points if you invite some non-Christian cinephiles!

Why not a 7th item? Because 6 is the number of incompleteness in Scripture. This list is incomplete, we are incomplete, and . . . I’m over my 500 words. Lord walk with us this Lent.

To get these monthly devotionals in your inbox subscribe to our newsletter!

Rev. Steven Lympus

Steven grew up in Northwest Montana during the Jesus Movement and fell in love with Jesus at an early age. He is gay and shares a mixed-orientation marriage with his wife, Laura. Ordained in the Presbyterian Church (USA) in 2002, Steven pastored congregations in the Northwest and West Coast before returning to campus ministry in 2022. He coordinates online communities for Revoice and joins the staff to unite his passions for discipleship and care for the SSA/LGBTQ+ Christian community.

Steven holds a BS in Journalism from the University of Montana and a Master of Divinity from Regent College. He writes young adult fiction and has contributed to the forthcoming volume Christlike Acceptance and the Church's LGBTQ Children from Baker Academic. Active in denominational and community leadership, he engages in racial justice initiatives and refugee care, and regularly speaks at Camp Spalding. Steven and Laura live in Missoula, MT, with their four teenagers and 20+ college students at the Alpha Omega House.

”I’m inspired to share my story and insights through writing as a way to process my own experiences and, in turn, help others. My hope is that my writing can open up connections and offer encouragement to other Side B folks, especially through meditations on Scripture passages—particularly narratives—from a Side B perspective.” — Steven

Previous

Can I Be Real For a Second?
Next

Cultivating Agapic Energy