On Sunday, September 1, we will return to our regular schedule of worship services at 8:15 a.m. and 10:45 a.m. Holy Communion will be celebrated each Sunday alternating between services starting with the 8:15 service on September 1.Sunday School and Bible Class will start at 9:30 a.m.
If you are unable to attend on Sunday morning, there will be another worship opportunity on Monday evening, beginning the evening of June 3 at 6:30. This will also be a service with Holy Communion.
Wednesday, February 13th, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent. Lent is a 40-day season of the church year that runs from Ash Wednesday to Holy Week (which begins March 24 this year). During this time, the Bible readings, hymns, and worship will focus on the ministry, suffering, and death of Jesus Christ.
The 40 days of Lent, not counting Sundays, is to be a time of preparation of our hearts to ponder Jesus’ suffering and death for our salvation. The 40 days parallel the 40 days Jesus was in the wilderness preparing for his formal ministry.
The start of Lent is determined by the date of Easter. Easter changes each year because it is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first full moon after the vernal equinox. This is done to parallel the Jewish lunar calendar and its observance of the Passover. It was during the Passover that Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper for us.
Ash Wednesday gets its name from the practice of receiving a cross of ashes on the forehead of believers on this first day of Lent. The imposition of ashes is often associated in the Bible with sorrow over sins which is one of the emphasis of Lent. Ash Wednesday also marks the beginning of our Midweek Lenten services held each Wednesday during Lent at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m.
The liturgical color for Lent is purple. Purple is used to signify repentance. Lent is a season centered around the confession of our sins, our desire to amend our sinful lives, and God’s willingness to forgive us through the cross of Jesus.
Some Christians give up different things during Lent. This is a long standing practice of some to deny themselves something during Lent as a way to better understand the sacrifice Jesus made for them. Other Christians will increase their times to worship, to pray, to read the Bible and to meditate. Still others use it as a time of increased charitable giving.
However Lent is observed, it always reminds us that, as the Bible says, “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Rom. 3:32). But God, in his mercy, sent his son, Jesus, to take our sins upon himself and received our punishment by dying on the cross so that we might be forgiven and granted life in heaven forever with him.
Lent starts Wednesday, February 13, and we will again hold an additional service each Wednesday at 11:00 a.m. This is to give those who do not drive at night or who have evening activities an opportunity to attend the midweek services.
The Ash Wednesday service, which marks the beginning of the Lenten season, will again have the dispensation of ashes and the celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Portions of the Passion story will be read during each midweek service.
We pray that the addition of this new time for the midweek services will enable more people to attend
these special services and help us focus on the passion of our Lord and its meaning in our lives.
The regular meeting of the Voters will be Sunday, January 20 at 7:00 pm. Along with other business, the year end reports will be given. Please plan to attend.