Abounding Joy Lutheran Church

February 10, 2016 7:00 p.m.

What is Ash Wednesday?

Ash Wednesday (from the Latin Dies Cinerum, meaning “Day of Ashes”) is the first day of Lent. On this day, Christians focus intensely on their utter and complete sinfulness and on the necessity of Christ’s suffering and death to win their salvation.

Ashes are referred to many times in the Old Testament as a sign of sorrow, mourning, repentance, and mortality (see II Samuel 13:19; Esther 4:1-3; Job 42:6; and Jeremiah 6:26). Many churches use ashes during Ash Wednesday worship as part of a rite called the Imposition of Ashes.

According to this custom, ashes (traditionally made by burning palm fronds used on Palm Sunday of the previous year) are mixed with a small amount of olive oil and applied to the forehead of each worshipper. The smudge mark made by the dirty ashes is a powerful reminder that we are going to die, because death is the penalty for sin (our fallen condition) and our sins (of thought, word, and deed).

The ashes are placed on our foreheads in the sign of the cross as a bold reminder of our Baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, who is the only way to forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life.

The theme of our 40-minute MID-WEEK LENTEN SERVICES (Wednesdays Feb. 17-March 16 at 7 pm) will be “THE LORD’S PRAYER FOR DAILY LIFE.” A soup and sandwich supper will be served each week from 6-6:45 pm. Suggested donation is $5.00. Children under 18 are free.

Gathering:

• Prelude
• Welcome
• *Confession and Forgiveness of Sins
• *Entrance Hymn: “In the Cross of Christ I Glory” #104 LBW (green book)
• *Apostolic Greeting Psalm 51 (read responsively)
• Imposition of Ashes (Come forward when you are ready)
•      “I Lay My Sins on Jesus” #305 LBW Salutation
• Prayer of the Day

WORD

• 1st Reading: Joel 2:12-19
• 2nd Reading: II Corinthians 5:20b-6:10
• *Lenten Verse: “Return to the Lord Your God”
• *Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
• Sermon: “Two Wonders We Confess”
• *Hymn of the Day: “Beneath the Cross of Jesus” #107 LBW
• *Confession of Faith – The Apostles’ Creed
• *Prayers of the Church (Sung Response: Jesus, remember me…)

MEAL

• *Sharing of the Peace
• Offering of Gifts: “Create in Me A Clean Heart”
• *Offering Prayer
• *Great Thanksgiving/Holy, Holy, Holy/Words of Institution
• *The Lord’s Prayer Communion Distribution “Lamb of God” “Be Thou My Vision” #776 WOV (blue book)
• Blessing, Prayer and Announcements

SENDING

• *Benediction (Spoken response: Amen!)
• *Closing Hymn: “I Want Jesus to Walk with Me” #660 WOV
• *Dismissal (Response: Thanks be to God!) and *Postlude

Abounding Joy Lutheran Church

A member of the LCMC and NALC

6000 County Road 120, St. Cloud, Minnesota 56377

320-217-8784

www.aboundingjoylcmc.org

Pastor: Thomas Wright

Director of Music: Jan Hansmeier

Accompanist: Ginny Shimota

Sunday Services are celebrated each week at 10:00 a.m.