In the Ash Wednesday Service, the ashes themselves come from the burning of palms from the previous Palm Sunday.  After the blessing of the ashes in the service, the people proceed to the front of the altar.  The celebrant imposes ashes by dipping the right thumb in the ashes and marking a small cross on the forehead of each person saying, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”  It is meant to remind us of our humility and our dependence on God for all things.

All Saints will have an Ash Wednesday Service at the church office at noon on 2/17.  We promise to have you out in less than an hour so that you may return to work. We hope you can join us.

So, what is Lent?  Well like Ash Wednesday, the Church has adopted the period of preparation for the excommunicated for all its worshippers.  Excommunication is a fitting time to repent and prepare, but it is fitting for all believers, especially those of us weighed down and distracted by the cares of the world in a modern society.

Lent is the 40-day period of fasting, penitence, almsgiving, prayer, and study that prepares us for Easter; what Christ has done for us in his death and resurrection.  Many churches keep the season of Lent with special programs, reading groups, and prayer groups.

Here at All Saints, we will have a Lenten Series on Thursday nights where we will study marriage and relationships, a place where many of us have room to repent and plenty to surrender to the Lord.  We will meet on Thursday nights for 6 weeks from 6:30-8:30pm at the church office.  We will have some opening worship, a light dinner (catered), a teaching, and some table discussion.  We encourage all to attend, and if you are not married, come anyway as much of what we will discuss relates to all relationships.

The Sunday Service during Lent is a penitential order that includes opening the service with the Confession of Sin, much like we did during Advent.  Many festal elements of the liturgy are missing form the church during the Lenten season, such as the alleluias; the church furnishings also reflect this austerity.  The liturgical color is purple, symbolizing pain & suffering, and mourning and penitence.  Lent’s climax is in the baptismal liturgy and renewal of baptismal vows on Easter, where we recognize that our sins were crucified and buried with Christ, and that we are raised again to new life in Him.

How can I participate in Lent?  Many people will forgo something of pleasure for the time and in their longing, spend time in prayer and reflection before the Lord.  Others may incorporate a fast.  All should be very generous financially, especially those who are afraid to part with their money…perhaps this is the time we complete raising the funds for phase 2 of the office renovations.

Some will also choose to make an aural confession, the confessing of one’s sins to a priest.  Time will be scheduled during Holy Week for such confessions.  It is the Anglican belief in aural confession that all may, some should, and none must.  It can be a powerful and life-changing experience.  We encourage everyone to consider it.

Yet there is one item that is often missing from the list of Lenten observances, the taking on of something.  It is fitting not only to deny oneself, but also to take something on.  Perhaps it is serving at the soup kitchen each week, increasing Bible readings, attending mid-week services (TNT), etc.

Whether it is putting off, or putting on, may you be richly blessed during this time of preparation.  Press into the Lord with all you have, knock and the door will be opened.

May the glory of Jesus Christ be made known to you in all His splendor.

Blessings,

Charlie+