Ash Wednesday Service - February 17 at 7:00 p.m.We will begin the season of Lent with an Ash Wednesday Service on February 17th at 7:00 p.m. in the chapel. The Ash Wednesday worship service is a solemn service which calls us to observe Lent and make it a holy time of prayer, Bible study, introspection, repentance, and self-denial. The service culminates in the imposition of ashes. The ashes used are from the burning of last year’s Palm Sunday palm leaves. This is a potent reminder that we, as human beings, are guilty of cheering Jesus on some days and turning our backs on him on other days. The ashes serve a dual function. First, they signify our mortality. In the funeral liturgy, we are reminded that we are mortal creatures that will eventually die: “Ashes to ashes, dust to dust.” Because our life is limited, we are called to make the best use of each day of our lives. During Lent, we focus on the question whether we are living well and whether we are prepared for death. Second, ashes signify our penitence. Throughout scripture, the imposition of ashes signified an individual’s desire to repent of their sins and to seek a new way of life. As we receive the ashes during the service we are reminded that must “repent and believe the gospel.” Thus, Ash Wednesday provides us with a worship service that calls us to examine our lives and invites us to a new way of life, a life reflecting the life of Christ.
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