Ash Wednesday Service 2019
Ash Wednesday Service 2019
a service by Aaron Schultz
ENTRANCE
Upon entering this space and finding a seat, you will see a series of words projected on the screens. These words include: Prepare, Reconcile, Repent, Mercy, Mortality, Know Yourself, Prayer, Fasting, Deny Yourself, Read Scripture, Listen, Silence, Dust, Ashes, Kneel, Now. Allow these words to wash over you. Find one or a few that stick out to you. Hold on to the word(s) in your mind and allow the word(s) to lead you in prayer [1]
OPENING SONG - When Jesus Wept [2]
OPENING PRAYER
All: If you have sinned, do not lose hope because of your error. Pray instead. On the other hand, if you have done something good, never presume too much on account of your goodness. Never congratulate yourself excessively. Never look down on someone else for sinning, and remember that when the wayward soul prays and repents of doing wrong, the Lord will raise that person up, as he did Lazarus. [3]
SONG - Come Ye Sinners [4]
READING – Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
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—
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.
Yet even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 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.
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?
Blow the trumpet in Zion; sanctify a fast; call a solemn assembly; 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.
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?’”
All Sing :
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me
O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy.
Oh, help my unbelief, oh help my unbelief
O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy. [5]
READING – 2 Corinthians 5:20-6:10
So we are ambassadors for Christ, since God is making his appeal through us; we entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. For he says,
“At an acceptable time I have listened to you,
and on a day of salvation I have helped you.”
See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! We are putting no obstacle in anyone’s way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see—we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.
All Sing :
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me
O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy.
Oh, help my unbelief, oh help my unbelief
O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy.
READING – Matthew 6:1-6
“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven.
“So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
“And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you.
All Sing :
Have mercy on me, have mercy on me
O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy.
Oh, help my unbelief, oh help my unbelief
O Lord, have mercy, O Lord, have mercy.
CALL TO CONFESSION (from Matthew 6:6)
Leader: In quiet trust, in simple words, we enter a space for prayer.
As we confess our sins, both secret and public,
the door to God’s heart is open, and we enter into grace and mercy.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION [6]
Leader: Lord, we confess our sins before you.
We confess that we have fallen short of your glory and your intent for our lives.
Open our eyes that we may see ourselves with clarity and truthfulness,
that we may have eyes to see all of that within us that is not pleasing to you.
(silent prayers)
Leader: I need thee every hour, most gracious Lord; no tender voice like thine can peace afford.
All Sing: I need Thee, O I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee.
O bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee!
Leader: Lord, we confess to you that we have not loved as we ought. We have been impatient with others with whom we could have been patient.
We have disregarded those you have called us to serve.
We have chosen the selfish way when you have called us to selflessness.
(silent prayers)
All Sing: I need Thee, O I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee.
O bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee!
Leader: Lord, we confess that we have not tended to the care of our souls. We have been too busy to pray. We have been too quick to speak and too slow to listen for you. We have led our lives with all kinds of noise instead of patiently waiting like sheep for our shepherd’s voice.
(silent prayers)
All Sing: I need Thee, O I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee.
O bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee!
Leader: Lord, we confess our need of you. We need your grace.
We need your patience.
We need your guidance.
We cannot see beyond the moment.
We cannot worship you as we ought.
As we begin this solemn journey toward the cross,
we call upon your mercy and your love for our salvation.
(silent prayers)
All Sing: I need Thee, O I need Thee. Every hour I need Thee.
O bless me now my Savior, I come to Thee!
A Time of Silence for Personal Reflection
SONG - Spirit of God, Descend Upon My Heart [7]
VISUAL LITURGY - “Remember That You Are Dust” [8]
IMPOSITION OF ASHES
One: Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. May these ashes be for us a sign of our mortality and penitence, and a reminder that only by your gracious gift are we given everlasting life; through Jesus Christ our Savior.
All: Amen.
† The congregation is invited to come forward down the center aisle to receive the imposition of ashes. Return by the side aisles.
If anyone is unable to come forward to receive ashes, please raise your hand and we will come to you.
† These words are said to each person receiving the ashes: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. – Genesis 3:19
Song played during Imposition of Ashes - “Now and At the Hour” by The Brilliance (from their Brother album)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
One: Gracious God, in baptism you claim us as your own. Pour out cleansing mercy; let it wash over us and scrub away our iniquity. Pour out forgiving love; let it come down upon our heads and rinse us clean.
All: Pour out renewing grace; make us holy; make us whole. Through Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
LENTEN EVENING PRAYERS and LORD’S PRAYER
All: Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
*SONG - There’s a Wideness In God’s Mercy [9]
*BENEDICTION
*SHARING THE FELLOWSHIP OF CHRIST
[1] Adapted from https://www.umcdiscipleship.org/resources/contemporary-service-for-ash-wednesday
[2] This traditional song by William Billings is sung acapella in a round, tonight it will be sung in a four-part round presentationally
[3] attributed to Aelfric of Eynsham (c. 955 - c. 1010)
[4] Words: Joseph Hart (1759) and Music: Jeremiah Ingalls. Arr. By Aaron Schultz.
[5] Music by Sandra McCracken and Thad Cockrell
[6] from Worship Service for Ash Wednesday by Eric Howell
[7] Words: George Croly (1854) and Music: Karl Digerness from the album Pentecost Songs by City Hymns and Cardiphonia Music
[8] Written by Phuc Luu, acting by Jeremy Wells, filmed by Josh Spires and music by Aural Method. Produced by The Work of the People.
[9] Words: Frederick William Faber and Music: Dutch Melody
