Ash Wednesday

Welcome

The Ash Wednesday service was reprinted by permission from the Worship Sourcebook, Second Edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources.

The aim of Ash Wednesday worship is threefold: to meditate on our mortality, sinfulness, and need of a Saviour; to renew our commitment to daily repentance in the Lenten season and in all of life; and to remember with confidence and gratitude that Christ has conquered death and sin. Ash Wednesday worship, then, is filled with gospel truth. It is a witness to the power and beauty of our union with Christ and to the daily dying and rising with Christ that this entails.

The imposition of ashes is a central part of this worship service. The ashes are the burnt residues of the previous year’s palms from Palm Sunday. Towards the end of the service we will mark our forehead with the sign of the cross (with or without ashes) and the words, “Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return,” and “Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ,” will be spoken over you.

Call to worship

Brothers and sisters in Christ, every year at Easter, during the time of the “Christian Passover,” 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 practice with discipline daily repentance, our daily dying and rising in union with Christ.

Worship Song #1

Call to Confession

We begin this season by acknowledging our need for repentance and for the mercy and forgiveness proclaimed in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Genuine repentance involves two things: the dying-away of the old self and the coming-to-life of the new. The dying-away of the old self is to be genuinely sorry for sin, to hate it more and more, and to run away from it.

The coming-to-life of the new self is wholehearted joy in God through Christ and a delight to do every kind of good as God wants us to. Together, as Christ’s body, we now confess our sin and express our longing to live in joyful obedience to God.

– based on Heidelberg Catechism, Q&A’s 88-90

Prayer of Confession

Have mercy on me, O God,

according to your unfailing love;

according to your great compassion

blot out my transgressions

Wash away all my iniquity

and cleanse me from my sin.

Surely you desire truth in the inner parts;

you teach me wisdom in the inmost place.

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

and renew a steadfast spirit within me.

Do not cast me from your presence

or take your Holy Spirit from me.

Restore to me the joy of your salvation

and grant me a willing spirit, to sustain me. Amen

–from Psalm 51:2-6, 10-12, NIV

Assurance and Pardon

Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows.

He was wounded for our transgressions and bruised for our iniquities.

Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, and with his stripes we are healed.

He will feed His flock like a shepherd and gather the lambs in his arms.

– based on Isaiah 40:11; 53:4-5

Worship Song #2

Imposition of Ashes

We begin our journey to Easter with the sign of ashes. This ancient sign speaks of frailty and uncertainty of human life, calls us to heartfelt repentance, and urges us to place our hope in God alone.

Prayer

Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth.

May these ashes remind us of our mortality and penitence and teach us again that only by your gracious gift are we given everlasting life through Jesus Christ, our Saviour.

Amen.

Worshippers are invited to receive the imposition of ashes.

Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return (Gen 3:19)

Consider yourself dead to sin and alive to God in Jesus Christ. (Rom 6:11

Worship Song #3 (during the imposition of ashes)

Prayer

Gracious God, out of your love and mercy

you breathed into dust the breath of life,

creating us to serve you and our neighbours.

In this season of repentance,

restore to us the joy of our salvation

and strengthen us to face our mortality,

that we may reach with confidence for your mercy,

in Jesus Christ, our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Closing prayer

Jesus Christ,

we want to always remember

that you love us, died for us, and rose from the dead for us.

In the next weeks, help us to remember,

and help us to trust in you more and more. Amen.

Worship Song #4

Blessing/Benediction

The God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely;

and may your spirit and soul and body be kept sound and blameless

at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The one who calls you is faithful, and he will do this. Amen.

– from 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, NRSV.

The Ash Wednesday service was reprinted by permission from the Worship Sourcebook, Second Edition, © 2013, Faith Alive Christian Resources.