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This Lent, members of Foundry UMC in Washington, D.C. are participating in a money fast, designed to help them grow in their understanding of stewardship as they abstain from unnecessary spending.

Their observance is based on Michelle Singletary’s book “The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom and essays that appeared in Sojourners Magazine on Faith and Finance, which Foundry paid to provide to its members.

Below is the information distributed to the small groups, which you or your congregation might wish to adapt.

The Lenten Money Fast: A Guide for Small Groups

What Is a Money Fast?

Obviously, in an economy and culture such as ours, it is virtually impossible to cease utilizing money for 21 days. Nonetheless, the Money Fast is an effort to minimize personal spending in order for us to reflect on the ways, both good and bad, that we are dependent upon money. As with any fast, we assume that we will begin spending again afterwards. However, we also expect that we may experience changes of perspective that alter our relationship to money and our spending priorities after the fast. Some of us may discover that we are wasting money that could be better spent, shared or saved.

All of us will have to pay our rent, and we will have to buy food to eat. We will continue to contribute monthly to those charitable causes that we believe in. Each of us will have to decide what exactly the Fast will look like for us.

* All are encouraged to cease any and all discretionary spending.

* All are encouraged to do no shopping or ‘browsing’, either in person or online – except for food and other life necessities.

* All are encouraged to cease using credit cards, as you are able. Some will choose to use debit cards only. Others may wish to simply use cash for the three weeks.

* All are encouraged to cease eating out or even buying coffee from the coffee shop. In lieu of this, we are encouraged to buy groceries and coffee at the supermarket.

* If your work requires you to make large purchases, you may choose to make as many of those purchases as possible before the Fast begins – indeed some of us who buy for work get just as much buzz from that as if we were shopping for our household.

* All are encouraged to use public transportation where possible in lieu of personal vehicles and taxis.

* Some will choose to use the Money Fast as a component of a larger personal discipline during Lent: that might also include other components of healthy living – eating fresher food, skipping a meal or two each week, exercising more. We encourage you to see this time as a positive experience.

* Some will choose to use this time to rethink their personal budget: listing out their monthly expenses and reflecting on how they wish to change the allocation of resources, perhaps to pay down debt or to give more to invest in blessing others.

* ALL ARE ENCOURAGED TO SHARE IN A WEEKLY GROUP OF FOUNDRY FRIENDS, which will meet to share experiences and to think together about our relationship to money and to the larger economic system.

What the Money Fast Is Not

1. This is not a season for becoming less social or hospitable. Obviously, eating out is a major social bonding exercise in DC. You may choose to have friends in your home instead. You may end up spending more in the short run in order to buy groceries and to host such a gathering. We would encourage you to keep your entertaining deliberately simple during this time – but we would celebrate the idea of using this season as an opportunity for creative and quality hospitality.

2. This is not a legalistic exercise with hard and fast rules, such as giving up fish on Fridays. In fact, each of us lives with somewhat unique circumstances – and we encourage you to interpret the Money Fast in a way that is provocative and significant for you.

3. This is not reserved only for those who will participate in Money Fast groups. The Groups will be great experiences for many – but you can do the fast and the journaling solo if you choose – or find a buddy to reflect with weekly.

4. Most importantly, this is not intended as a depriving or punitive experience. If this is not something that you wish to do, don’t do it. For some of us, the prospects of the fast may make uncomfortable or provoke anxiety – this is indicative of the fact that most folks in our culture are in an addictive relationship to spending and acquiring. We would encourage you to proceed with the fast even if you are dreading it, so long as you are open to discovering a different kind of relationship to money and things.

What You Need for Your Money Fast

1. A journal, in which you commit to write daily, reflecting on your experiences and logging each of your purchases (like you would do if you were beginning a rigorous diminishment of caloric intake.)

2. A Bible. Each of the essays reference Biblical passages, some quite extensively. We encourage you to chase down one of the Bible passages each day and reflect on it in your journal. If you prefer to use an online text, we recommend reading the New Revised Standard Version from: http://bible.oremus.org/ (For those of you not in a group, we list out relevant Bible passages at the end of this guide.)

3. A written covenant that states clearly what you will do and not do during the 21 days of the fast. Finally, you take full responsibility for whatever it is you are committing to. If you wish to share your covenant with a friend or with your fellow group members, that is entirely your call.

4. A spirit of adventure and openness to receive and discover the good surprises and ah -ha’s that God has for you in this season!

Groups

Several groups are forming during the Season of Lent at Foundry around the observance of a Lenten Money Fast. The fast is inspired by Michelle Singletary’s book, "The Power to Prosper: 21 Days to Financial Freedom." She is a personal finance columnist with The Washington Post and a devout Christian. Groups and individuals may choose to use her book as a guide. However, the SNF lead team recommends that groups utilize a group curriculum developed in 2009 by the Sojourners organization in D.C. entitled ‘Faith and Finance: Christians and the Economic Crisis.’ It contains 14 excellent and provocative essays by leading Christian scholars and ethicists. {Note: Foundry paid to provide these materials to their members.}