Ash Wednesday Service

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and marks a period of intentional prayer, fasting, and alms-giving. It is preceded by Shrove Tuesday and lasts about six weeks until Easter. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the ancient Jewish practice of placing ashes on one’s head or to sit in ashes to signify repentance (for ex. Esther 4; Job 42; Jer 6). Lutherans and other Christians come to a special service on Ash Wednesday to receive ashes on their foreheads as a sign of repentance and hear the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return” proclaimed to them. The ashes may be prepared by burning palm leaves from the previous year’s Palm Sunday celebrations.  Our service begins at 6:00PM.