Digital Lenten devotional designed for youth, young adults and adult youth workers

Phone app offers daily devotionals, creating a holy habit

by Scott O’Neill | Presbyterian News Service

The daily devotional app, d365, now has daily devotionals for the Lenten and Easter seasons.

LOUISVILLE — The Office of Presbyterian Youth and Triennium, in coordination with its ecumenical partners, is announcing a 2021 Lent and Easter daily devotion series titled “Journey to the Cross.” Available through a phone app (d365 daily devotionals) and website, d365.org, it was created for youth, young adults, and anyone interested in practicing prayer and daily biblical reading and reflection.

D365 began as a prayer and devotion resource to help youth manage the aftermath of the attacks on Sept. 11, 2001.  An Advent/Christmas/Epiphany series called “Following the Star” was added to the mix shortly thereafter. The Lenten/Easter series came next and a daily devotion series followed.  According to Gina Yeager-Buckley, associate for the Presbyterian Mission Agency’s Presbyterian Youth and Triennium office, the devotion series received a great deal of positive feedback from youth, young adults, and adult youth workers.

“The goal was for the devotions to be a daily Christian spiritual practice and each of the partners provided funding, writers, and ideas for themes,” said Yeager-Buckley. “It feels like we are truly connecting with the hearts and minds of those whom we are serving.  Amid busy, often chaotic lives, the devotions are a very simple, free (no cost to the user) and contemplative way to consider ‘your’ part in bringing about God’s kin-dom.”

With more than 2 million site visitors to date, the resource is directly connecting people to the Word of God and encouraging a holy habit, according to Yeager-Buckley. There are three national church sponsors and an administrative producer for the series.  The church sponsors are the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) through the Presbyterian Youth and Triennium Office, the Episcopal Church through its Young People’s Division, and the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship. Passport, Inc., an ecumenical youth camping program and a youth ministry partner with the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship, houses the software and works with a content editor. D365 hosts the daily devotionals and three seasonal series for Lent, Advent, and Back2School – all available through Apple and Android apps.

Journey to the Cross began on Ash Wednesday and features daily scripture, prayer and meditative thoughts accompanied by Lenten hymn arrangements and meditative songs. This year’s themes are written by a host of writers with varying faith backgrounds.

The Rev. Dr. Kathryn Threadgill, associate director of Theology, Formation & Evangelism at the Presbyterian Mission Agency, is one of two Presbyterian writers in the Lenten series. She said she was honored and humbled at the opportunity to engage with youth in her devotional titled “Receiving the Good News.”

the Rev. Dr. Kathryn Threadgill

“I have such a heart and passion for the lifelong discipleship formation of adolescents, and I’m excited for this opportunity to share in faith with them,” said Threadgill. “I hope readers will be inspired by the Spirit’s power to live as true disciples of our risen Savior, Jesus Christ, and that my message will encourage readers to see the journey to the Cross, and understand their own journey of faith in light of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

This year’s Lenten themes and writers are listed below:

Preparing for the Journey — Angela Grover, Director of Christian Education at St. Mark’s Presbyterian Church in Boerne, Texas

Believing the Promise — Mark Wingfield, Executive Director of Baptist News Global, Dallas, Texas

Seeking God’s Wisdom — Brian Smith, Chaplain at the Episcopal University Center, Chapel of the Resurrection & Ruge Hall, Tallahassee, Florida

Living Through Grace — Colleen Burroughs, Vice President of Communications, Passport, Inc., Birmingham, Alabama

Following in Obedience — Wendy Karr Johnson, Episcopal Service Corps (ESC) Coordinator, Officer for Faith Formation Department Programs and Events, The Episcopal Church

Shouting out to Jesus — Peter Hanson, Lead Pastor, Christ the King Lutheran Church, New Brighton, Minnesota

Holy Week and Easter — Mary Alice Birdwhistell, Pastor of Highland Baptist Church, Louisville, Kentucky

Receiving the Good News — Kathryn Threadgill, Associate Director of Theology, Formation & Evangelism, Presbyterian Mission Agency, PC(USA).