Bulletin – Wednesday, February 22, 2023 – Ash Wednesday

Wednesday, February 22, 2023
Ash Wednesday

Introduction

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; and by reading and meditating on God’s Holy Word.

Let us together begin this Lenten journey to the Cross.

Hymn – “Beneath the Cross of Jesus”

Beneath the cross of Jesus I fain would take my stand:
The shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land,
A home within the wilderness, a rest upon the way,
From the burning of the noon-tide heat and the burden of the day.

Upon the cross of Jesus my eyes at times can see
The very dying form of one who suffered there for me;
And from my smitten heart, with tears, two wonders I confess,
The wonder of his glorious love, and my unworthiness.

I take, O cross, your shadow for my abiding place;
I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of his face,
Content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss,
My sinful self my only same, my glory all, the cross.

Call to Worship

One:   Here, at the outer limits of Lent, we are called to walk: to the paper-thin edges which cut us to the soul; to the workplaces which weary us; to the people who confuse us; to the faith which threatens us.

One:   Here, at the corner of Steadfast Love and Faithfulness, we are called to wait: when our clenched stomachs awaken us; in the moments of unbearable sorrow, with the angels who would carry us.

One:   Here, where time is fulfilled, where God’s Kingdom is as near to us as our neighbour, we begin Lent: with the Beloved, whose tears wash away our fears, with the God who will not let go of our hands.

Scripture Reading:           Joel 2:1-2, 12-17

¹ Blow the trumpet in Zion; sound the alarm on my holy mountain! Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble, for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near—² a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness! Like blackness spread upon the mountains a great and powerful army comes; their like has never been from of old, nor will be again after them in ages to come.

¹² Yet even now, says the LORD, return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; ¹³ rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the LORD, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. ¹⁴ Who knows whether he will not turn and relent, and leave a blessing behind him, a grain offering and a drink offering for the LORD, your God? ¹⁵ Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; ¹⁶ gather the people. Sanctify the congregation; assemble the aged; gather the children, even infants at the breast. Let the bridegroom leave his room, and the bride her canopy. ¹⁷ Between the vestibule and the altar let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep. Let them say, “Spare your people, O LORD, and do not make your heritage a mockery, a byword among the nations. Why should it be said among the peoples, Where is their God?’”

Prayer

O God, who makes all things new, new stars, new dust, new life; take my heart, every hardened edge and measured beat, and create something new in me. I need your newness, God, the rough parts of me made smooth, the stagnant, stirred; the struck, freed, the unkind, forgiven. And then, by the power of your Spirit, I need to be turned toward Love again. Amen.

Hymn – “Come to My Heart”

Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; teach me to walk in your way.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; come to my heart today.
Give me the peace and joy that only you can bring.
Come to my heart, Lord Jesus; give me a song to sing.

Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; teach me to walk in your way.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; fill me with love today.
Give me the peace and joy that only you can bring.
Fill me with love, Lord Jesus; give me a song to sing.

Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus; teach me to walk in your way.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus, answer my prayer today.
Give me the peace and joy that only you can bring.
Answer my prayer, Lord Jesus, give me a song to sing.

Scripture Reading:           Psalm 51:1-17

¹ Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. ² Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. ³ For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. ⁴ Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. ⁵ Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me. ⁶ You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. ⁷ Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. ⁸ Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. ⁹ Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. ¹¹ Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. ¹² Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit. ¹³ Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. ¹⁴ Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance. ¹⁵ O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise. ¹⁶ For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. ¹⁷ The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise.

Prayer

Loving God, at the beginning of this Lenten season, we are met with the challenge of handing over every bit of our lives that do not come from you. To rid ourselves of what clutters our lives, and all that distracts us from the simple truth of your love for us. Your prophets have called us to change the way we worship—to make internal sacrifices instead of external ones. To seek justice, and love kindness, and walk humbly with you each and every one of our days. If we don’t give anything up for Lent, then let us at least give up this: that we might cease living in ways that disconnect us from you, for every one of our steps is like a circle around your temple.

Perhaps this Lent, we can give up our way and give ourselves to your way for us. So, lead and guide us on this Lenten way. May we walk with Jesus toward the hill just outside of Jerusalem.

May we like Him take up our cross and follow, spending each moment of our lives living responsively to you, just as Christ himself did. For that is the faithful way. Amen.

Response – “How Deep the Peace”

How deep the peace, the confidence, of those whose wrongs are forgiven.
How deep the peace, the confidence, of those whose hearts are healed.

Reflection

(adapted from Jan L. Richardson on The Painted Prayerbook)

Anthem – “Healer of My Heart”

Imposition of Blessing

Thanksgiving

Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. Grant that these ashes may be to us a sign of our mortality and penitence, so that we may remember that only by your gracious gift are we given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen.

Blessing

We invite you to bow your heads in silent prayer, bringing to God all that weighs heavy on your heart this night. Let us offer to God all that we were, all that we are, all that we hope to be.

Journey courageously towards the Cross, repent, and believe the gospel.

Closing Prayer

God, we are marked with ashes, symbols of repentant hearts and contrite Spirits. We want to be transformed, to be made new, to learn the freedom of serving no other master but you. Let us heed your call, and walk with Christ into the wilderness.

Help us to see beneath the surface; not denial and sacrifice, not sin and death, but transformation, new life in Christ. Let us seek to be changed, let us seek to be so transfigured by your power and glory that we desire above all else to be worthy citizens of your new world of peace and justice. Amen.

Benediction

Created from dust, held together by God’s extravagant love, we turn away from sin, and leave today embracing God’s love.

Response

May the Christ who walks on wounded feet
Travel with you all your journey through.
May you see Christ’s face in all you meet
And may all you meet see Christ’s face in you.