In the service outlined for Ash Wednesday in the Book of Common worship, the pastor is invited to make this statement:
Friends in Christ, every year at the time of the Christian Passover (Easter) we celebrate our redemption through the death and resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lent is a time to prepare for this celebration and to renew our lives in this holy mystery. We begin this season by acknowledging our need for repentance, and for the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ. We begin our journey to Easter with the sign of ashes. This ancient sign speaks of the frailty and uncertainty of human life, and mark the penitence of this community.
We hope you will join your friends in Christ at our Ash Wednesday service, on February 14 at 6:30 p.m. in the sanctuary. You will hear the Word proclaimed, and have the opportunity to be marked with ashes as you begin your own Lenten journey to the empty cross.