A Service of Worship for Ash Wednesday

A Service of Worship for Ash Wednesday

MEDITATION VERSE: "And saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.'" - Mark 1:15 (KJV)

Prelude... Lorie Courier / “Grace Alone”

Greeting... Pastor Charles

Leader: The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.

People: And also with you.

Leader: Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.

People: God's mercy endures forever.

Opening Prayer... Amy Abshire

O God, maker of everything and judge of all that You have made, from the dust of the earth You have formed us and from the dust of death You will raise us. By the redemptive power of the cross, create in us clean hearts and put within us a new spirit, that we may repent of our sins and lead lives worthy of Your calling: through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. 

—Laurence Hull Stookey (professor of Pastor Charles at Wesley Theological Seminary)

*Hymn... “Sunday’s Palms are Wednesday’s Ashes” (TFWS #2238)

Scripture Lesson: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17... Amy Abshire

Special Music... Lorie Courier / ”What Wondrous Love”

Scripture Lesson: 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10... Amy Abshire

*Hymn: “Prayer is the Soul’s Sincere Desire” (UMH #492)

Gospel Lesson: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21... Pastor Charles

Lenten Reflection... Pastor Charles

Invitation to the Observance of Lenten Discipline

Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: the early Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church that before the Easter celebration there should be a forty-day season of spiritual preparation. During this season converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. It was also a time when persons who had committed serious sins and had separated themselves from the community of faith were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness and restored to participation in the life of the Church.

In this way the whole congregation was reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the need we all have to renew our faith. 

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to observe a holy Lent:

by self–examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self–denial; and by reading and meditating on God’ Holy Word. To make a right beginning of repentance, and as a mark of our mortal nature, let us now come before our Creator and Redeemer.

Litany of Confession (Psalm 51 & Psalm 103, The Inclusive Bible) ... Amy Abshire

O God, have mercy on me! Because of Your love and Your great compassion, Our God is merciful and gracious, slow to get angry, and full of unfailing love. Wash me clean of my guilt; purify me of my sin. God will not constantly accuse us, nor remain angry forever. I sinned against You alone and did what is evil in Your sight. You are just when You pass sentence on me, blameless when You give judgement. God has not punished us for all our sins, nor does the Lord deal with us as we deserve. For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is God’s love for those who fear YHWH; as far as the east is from the west, so far has the Lord removed our transgressions from us. I was born in sin, conceived in sin – yet You want truth to live in my innermost being. As tenderly as parents treat their children, that’s how tenderly You treat Your worshippers, YHWH! For You know what we are made of – You remember that we’re nothing but dust. Yet You want truth to live in my innermost being. Teach me Your wisdom! We last no longer than grass, live no longer than a wildflower; one gust of wind and we’re gone, never to be seen again. Restore to me the joy of Your salvation and make me willing to obey You.  Yet Your love lasts from age to age for those who revere You, YHWH, as does Your goodness to our children’s children, and to those who keep Your Covenant and remember to obey Your precepts. The sacrifice You want is a broken spirit. A broken and contrite heart, O God, You will not despise. Our God is merciful and gracious. Bless YHWH, my soul.

—Christine Longhurst, www.re:worship.com

The Lord’s Prayer

Imposition of Ashes

*Hymn... “Lord, I Want to Be a Christian” (UMH #402)

Dismissal with blessing... Pastor Charles

*Postlude... Lorie Courier / “Here I Am, Lord”

Adapted from “A Service of Worship for Ash Wednesday” © 1979, 1986 by Abingdon Press.   © 1992 UMPH. “Invitation to the Observance of the Lenten Discipline,” "Confession" and “Pardon” from The Book of Common Prayer (The Episcopal Church, 1979), p. 264-269.

An Ash Wednesday message from Bishop Karen

Dear Sisters and Brothers, Siblings of the Mountain Sky Conference,

Today is Ash Wednesday, a day of penitence as we enter the season of Lent. We stand before the altar on this day, receiving a smudge of ash on our forehead, a sign of our mortality and earthly impermanence.

In these days we are living, mortality has become especially real to us. The stench of death hangs in the air. We are mindful of loved ones we have lost, of empty places at our tables and in our pews. We are stunned at how quickly peace can turn to war and how far the violence of war can reach. We grieve the impact of nature’s destruction. Even within our denomination, once the bedrock that grounded our faith, we feel the instability of impermanence.

When death surrounds us, when we are so aware of the world’s brokenness and our own sinfulness, Lent beckons us to enter a journey that ultimately leads us to redemption, reconciliation, and resurrection.

I call on the people of the Mountain Sky Conference to journey together through this season of Lent. Take only what you need for the journey. Fast from those things that distract you from your vocation as a follower of Jesus. Through your fasting, may you make room for prayer, bible study, holy conferencing, and service. May you give space for an honest inventory of your life and your discipleship. May this Lent lead you to a fuller relationship with God, a closer walk with Jesus, and a way of life that is grounded in love.

The ashes we receive today are not just randomly smudged on our forehead. They are placed there in the form of a cross, a reminder that even while we are most acutely aware of our own mortality and sinfulness, we are forever being led to an empty cross, a symbol of God’s redeeming power through the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Let us walk together this Lent, to be led by the Holy Spirit to Easter’s promise.

Blessings,

Bishop Karen Oliveto

Anniversary of John Wesley's death

On 2 March 1791 John Wesley died, aged 87. This painting depicting him on his death bed is on display at the Museum of Methodism, London.

Among his last words— “The best of all is, God is with us.”

Devotional for Ash Wednesday

The shell is an ancient symbol of pilgrimage

"Ask, and it will be given to you seek, and you will find; 

knock, and it will be opened to you." 

— Matthew 7:7 (21st Century King James Version)

 ~ ~ ~

“Time spent alone with God is not wasted. It changes us; it changes our surroundings; and every Christian who would live the life that counts, and who would have power for service must take time to pray.” 

M. E. Andross

~ ~ ~

 The readings from the gospel according to Luke begin today and continue until Holy Saturday and allows us to read the entire gospel account. On Sundays, you may want to reread text that tugged at you or focus on passages used in worship.

Luke in 40 Days: Luke 1:1-38

Preparing the way

The ashes are ready for tomorrow's beginning of the Lenten journey. Our Ash Wednesday service will be in-person at 6:30 pm along with the Zoom offering (same time). 

Topic: Ash Wednesday service (Zoom)

Join Zoom Meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86292160901

Find your local phone link/number: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/klXTMixI5

(re)Launch of in-person worship (again)

We will resume in-person worship at St. Paul's on March 2 at 6:30 PM for Ash Wednesday. Sunday morning worship will resume in-person on March 6 at 10:15 AM. 

We will continue to offer a Zoom option for all services for those who would like to make use of that platform. 

Masks will still be required for the foreseeable future.

An invitation to a Lenten discipline

Lent marks the beginning of the church’s journey toward Easter. The significance of this time in the church’s life is stated clearly and well in the “Invitation to the Observance of Lenten Discipline” in the Ash Wednesday liturgy found in The United Methodist Book of Worship #322: 

"Dear brothers and sisters in Christ: The early Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church that before the Easter celebration there should be a forty-day season of spiritual preparation. During this season converts to the faith were prepared for Holy Baptism. 

It was also a time when persons who had committed serious sins and had separated themselves from the community of faith were reconciled by penitence and forgiveness and restored to participation in the life of the Church.

In this way the whole congregation was reminded of the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ and the need we all have to renew our faith.

I invite you, therefore, in the name of the Church, to observe a holy Lent: by self-examination and repentance; by prayer, fasting, and self-denial; and by reading and meditating on God's Holy Word.”

Copies of this year’s Lenten Devotional are available at the church and daily entries will be posted on our Facebook page and on this blog. 

The devotional is presented in three parts: A scripture lesson (from a different version/translation each day) in which prayer is the subject is offered each day. A quote is next shared which provides the opportunity for reflection on prayer.    

Finally, I invite you to join with me in reading the gospel according to Luke during the season of Lent. Reading as a community was a common practice for centuries in the Christian church and a practice that I believe will offer a common experience for us on the journey that leads us to the celebration of Easter. Reading a little bit each day, we’ll read the entire gospel account by Holy Saturday, the day before Easter.

So let us rise up and join the saints on the journey that leads to Easter morning.

 

Every blessing,

Rev. Dr. Charles Alkula