A group of downtown Suffolk churches are preparing to begin their annual series of Lenten services.

Lent is the 40-day period (not including Sundays) leading up to Easter Sunday. It begins on Ash Wednesday, which this year falls on March 9.

“This is a way to get folks together in the Christian community across denominational and racial lines to celebrate what we have in common as we begin our journey toward Easter,” said the Rev. T. Floyd Irby Jr., pastor of West End Baptist Church.

A dozen churches representing about a half-dozen denominations will participate in the services through hosting or providing the pastor to preach. The host church and the church whose pastor preaches will help prepare the soup and sandwich lunch each day.

This is the eighth year the downtown churches have participated in the cooperative program. Last year’s attendance average about 100 at each service, Irby said.

“The community has been very responsive,” Irby said.

For many Christians, recognition of Lent is a way to prepare for a period of repentance and renewal of faith. The Lenten services are designed so that people who work in the downtown area can attend during their lunch hour.

Services begin promptly at noon, with a soup and sandwich lunch at 12:30 p.m. The services are open to everyone, and no reservations are needed.

The following is a listing of the services:

• Ash Wednesday, March 9 — West End Baptist Church, 501 W. Washington St., hosting; the Rev. Dr. Mark A. Croston of East End Baptist Church preaching
• March 16 — Oak Grove Baptist Church, 2635 E. Washington St., hosting; the Rev. Dr. Keith Emerson of St. Paul’s Episcopal Church preaching
• March 23 — Main Street United Methodist Church, 202 N. Main St., hosting; the Rev. Wendell Waller of Christian Home Baptist Church preaching
• March 30 — St. Paul RZUA Church, 619 Spruce St., hosting; Father Piotr Bialkowski of St. Mary’s Catholic Church preaching
• April 6 — Suffolk Christian Church, 216 N. Main St., hosting; the Rev. Ben Fitzgerald III of Zion Christian Church preaching
• April 13 — Metropolitan Baptist Church, 125 County St., hosting; the Rev. Rebecca Page Lesley of Suffolk Presbyterian Church preaching.