Ash Wednesday, 2013

On this Ash Wednesday, I find myself rebuilding a bilge pump and cleaning our Dickenson stove.
What are you working upon?
Do you find yourself reflecting upon your task at hand and how that might apply to you (i.e. "What in my life do I need to pump out?" or "Where do I need to clean in my interior/exterior life?")?

Such is the start of Lent.

Blessings,

Joel

Below is the standard Ash Wednesday service I have used for years (out of the United Methodist Book of Worship) - this year, I'm tempted to change the ritual from Ashes to Earth/Mud - reminding ourselves of our connection to our planet home, and the original blessing in the second creation story (see Genesis 2:4ff - please note that adama means human - not Adam whose partner is Eve). Thanks to Tanya and Creation-Care, 365 for this suggestion and pointing out the questions that Paul Nuechterlein raises:

 How about changing the line on Ash Wednesday for the Impositions of Ashes to, "Remember that you are earth, and to earth you shall return" -- which is basically another way to translate adama in Gen. 2:7. Isn't the deeper meaning of Genesis 2:7 that we are made of the same stuff as the earth, and so our fates are bound together? We are called to be stewards of the earth from which we are made. ...
Does this take us too far from the traditional Ash Wednesday theme? I might argue that, given the fact that the Imposition of Ashes is tied to Gen. 2:7, this way of striking the theme might be more true to the overall intentions of the beginning of the Lenten season with Ash Wednesday. If salvation from our sin is the theme of Lent, then let's put the matter into its proper cosmic, creational framework. The scope of God's salvation in Jesus Christ is the whole Creation. And our sinfulness is tied directly to the salvation of Creation because of our failure to live according to our true and original calling, namely, to be stewards with God of God's Creation. Redemption from our sin of straying away from our calling as stewards means redemption of the whole Creation. If we are redeemed to finally take care of the earth as we should, then the earth also begins to be redeemed.
~ Paul Neuchterlein, Girardian Reflections on the Lectionary, "Green Ash Wednesday"

ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

GREETING:
The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Bless the Lord who forgives all our sins.
God’s mercy endures forever.

OPENING PRAYER   (from the United Methodist Hymnal #353)

O God,

maker of every thing 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 would raise us up.

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.

SCRIPTURE:
Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Psalm 51 #785
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

INVITATION TO THE OBSERVANCE OF LENTEN DISCIPLINE
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ:

the early Christians observed with great devotion 

the day 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 meditation on God's Holy  Word.

To make a right beginning of repentance, 

and as a mark of our mortal nature, 

let us now kneel (or bow) before our Creator and Redeemer.

(a brief silence is kept)

THANKSGIVING OVER THE ASHES
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 Savior. Amen.

IMPOSITIONS OF THE ASHES
(as people come forward, a leader dips a thumb in the ashes and makes 

a cross on the forehead of each person saying:
Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

DISMISSAL WITH A BLESSING