ASH WEDNESDAY LITURGY

LENTEN PRAYER
(sections to be read aloud by everyone are marked by * and italics)

You hate nothing that You have made,

And You forgive the sins

Of all who are truly penitent:

Create in us new hearts that we,

Worthily lamenting our sins and

Acknowledging our wickedness,

May obtain of You,

God of all mercy, perfect pardon

And forgiveness.

You alone bring order to the unruly

Wills and affections of sinners:

*May we love what You command,

And desire what You promise,

So that, among the swift and varied

Changes of this world,

*Our hearts may be fixed

Where true joy is to be found.

WE ARE HUNGRY

Lord, I want more of You.

Living water rain down on me.

Lord, I need more of You.

Living breath of life come fill me up.

We are hungry, We are Hungry

We are hungry for more of You.

We are thirsty, Oh Jesus

We are thirsty for more of You.

Lord, I want more of You.

Holy Spirit rain down on me.

Lord, I need more of You.

Living breath of life come fill me up.

We lift our holy hands up

We want to touch you

We lift our voices, higher

and higher and higher to you.

A READING FROM THE BOOK OF JOEL

Blow the ram’s horn trumpet in Zion!

Trumpet the alarm on my holy mountain!

Shake the country up!

God’s Judgment is on its way—the Day’s almost here!

A black day! A Doomsday!

Clouds with no silver lining!

Like dawn light moving over the mountains,

a huge army is coming.

There’s never been anything like it

and never will be again.

But there’s also this, it’s not too late—

God’s personal Message!—

“Come back to me and really mean it!

Come fasting and weeping, sorry for your sins!”

Change your life, not just your clothes.

Come back to God, your God.

And here’s why: God is kind and merciful.

He takes a deep breath, puts up with a lot,

This most patient God, extravagant in love,

always ready to cancel catastrophe.

Who knows? Maybe he’ll do it now,

maybe he’ll turn around and show pity.

Maybe, when all’s said and done,

there’ll be blessings full and robust from your God!

Blow the ram’s horn trumpet in Zion!

Declare a day of repentance, a holy fast day.

Call a public meeting.

Get everyone there. Consecrate the congregation.

Make sure the elders come,

but bring in the children, too, even the nursing babies,

Even men and women on their honeymoon—

interrupt them and get them there.

Between Sanctuary entrance and altar,

let the priests, God’s servants, weep tears of repentance.

Let them intercede: “Have mercy, God, on your people!

Don’t abandon your heritage to contempt.

Don’t let the pagans take over and rule them

and sneer, ‘And so where is this God of theirs?’”

EXPLANATION OF ASH WEDNESDAY

PSALM 51

Have mercy on us, O God,

in your goodness;

in the greatness of your compassion wipe out our offenses.

Thoroughly wash us from our guilt

and of our sin cleanse us.

*Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

For we acknowledge our offense, and our sin is before us always: “Against you only have we sinned, and done what is evil in your sight.”

*Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

A clean heart create in us, O God,

and a steadfast spirit renew within us. Cast us not out from your presence, and your Holy Spirit take not from us.

*Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

Give us back the joy of your salvation,

and a willing spirit sustain in us.

O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths shall proclaim your praise.

*Be merciful, O Lord, for we have sinned.

O COME TO THE ALTAR

Are you hurting and broken within

Overwhelmed by the weight of your sin

Jesus is calling

Have you come to the end of yourself

Do you thirst for a drink from the well

Jesus is calling

O come to the altar

The Father’s arms are open wide

Forgiveness was bought with

The precious blood of Jesus Christ

Leave behind your regrets and mistakes

Come today there’s no reason to wait

Jesus is calling

Bring your sorrows and trade them for joy

From the ashes a new life is born

Jesus is calling

Oh what a Savior

Isn’t He wonderful

Sing alleluia, Christ is risen

Bow down before Him

For He is Lord of all

Sing alleluia, Christ is risen

Bear your cross as you wait for the crown

Tell the world of the treasure you’ve

found

EXPLANATION & REMEMBRANCE OF THE ASHES

Let us pray: 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,

that we may remember that it is only by your gracious gift that our sins are made nothing: through Jesus Christ our Savior.

Amen.

Please come forward to receive the ashes when you are ready.

I SHALL NOT WANT

From the love of my own comfort

From the fear of having nothing

From a life of worldly passions

Deliver me O God

From the need to be understood

From the need to be accepted

From the fear of being lonely

Deliver me O God

And I shall not want, I shall not want

when I taste Your goodness I shall not want

From the fear of serving others

From the fear of death or trial

From the fear of humility

Deliver me O God

Oh how I need You

(repeat)

BENEDICTION

Almighty God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who desires not the death of sinners, but rather that we may turn from our wickedness and live. You pardon and forgive all those who truly repent, and with sincere hearts believe and live Your holy Gospel.

We therefore ask you to grant us true repentance and Your Holy Spirit, that we may please You by the things we do today and that the rest of our lives hereafter may be pure and holy, so that we may come to know Your eternal Joy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

That concludes our service today. Please exit in silence.