Ash Wednesday Service

Ash Wednesday is the start of Lent, a forty day period of self-denial and repentance in preparation for Easter.  Forty days of austerity (fasting) is seen in the life of Moses (Exodus 34:28) when he received the ten commandments, in the life of Elijah when he journeyed to Mount Horeb (1 Kings 19:8), and in the life of Jesus when he was tempted (Matthew 4:2).  These three were together on the Mount of Transfiguration (Mark 9:4).  The church over the centuries, in line with Jewish traditions taken up by the early church, took up seasons of repentance to better orient our lives to God.

Lent is a season for self- reflection (Romans 12:3), for dealing with sin in our lives (Matthew 5:27-30) and for confessing our sins and turning to God (1 John 1:8-9). On Ash Wednesday, penitents are marked with ashes (a cross on the forehead) as a sign of repentance (Job 42:6, Jonah 3:5-6).  The service gives significant time to confession through the litany, and ends with a celebration of the eucharist to remind us of the hope and forgiveness we have in Christ.

It is followed by a simple fellowship breakfast.