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What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent and involves a service where we recognize our mortality, repent of our sins, and return to our loving God. We recognize life as a precious gift from God, and we re-turn our lives toward Jesus Christ. We may make resolutions and commit to change our lives over the next forty days so that we might be more like Christ. In an Ash Wednesday service, usually a minister or priest marks the sign of the cross on people’s foreheads, using ashes.

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During Ash Wednesday you'll hear about something called Lent. What is Lent? 

Lent is a season of the Christian Year where we focus on simple living, prayer, and fasting in order to grow closer to God. The season of Lent began with Ash Wednesday (February 17) and continues for 40 days (excluding Sundays) until Easter (April 1). Lent in the Early Church was a time of preparation for converts to Christianity (Baptisms were scheduled on Easter in those days).

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Persons who were to be confirmed into the Christian faith entered a period of preparation that included prayer, fasting, self examination, and repentance. The practice evolved into the season observed today by many Christians. 

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Why is Lent important?

During Lent we repent of, turn away from, those things that block our relationship with God and others. Through prayer, fasting, and giving of ourselves, we turn our attention to God, to the good news of Christ’s life, death, and resurrection.

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If I'm wanting to attend the Ash Wednesday Service for the first time, what do I need to know prior to the service?

During an Ash Wednesday service Pastor Reece will mark our foreheads or hands with ashes that are made up of last year’s burned palm branches.  

 

If this is your first time attending an Ash Wednesday service, we just want to share that so that you know what to expect and you're not caught off guard during part of the service. 

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The marking with the ashes symbolizes the dust from which God made us. And it serves as a visual reminder of the season we're entering into.

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There is no minimum amount of time that you must keep the ashes on. Some wipe them off immediately, and some leave the mark on until bedtime. There's no right or wrong way.

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Do I need to dress up for this service?

Not at all! No dress code required. We are a casual, come as you are, church family. So anything you'd normally wear on a Sunday morning is great.

We do generally encourage attire that is not super distracting for all of our services, so maybe leave the short shorts and tank tops at home for this one. But if it's good for school or work, it's probably totally fine for church.

We care about YOU and that you've joined us, more than what you have on! 

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Can I participate in Ash Wednesday from home?

Absolutely! We will live stream the service at 7pm just as we do on a normal Sunday morning.

 

Pastor Reece does encourage anyone planning to attend from home to review the below article (from The Upper Room, a couple years back) for more information on how to prep for a socially distanced or at home, Ash Wednesday service. 

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You can review that article HERE.

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