Ash
Wednesday Service
|
From the Open Files of: |
NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center (715) 833-1153 |
|
Contributed by: |
St. John's Lutheran Church, Eau Claire, WI |
Prelude Significance of the Day Psalm 51:1-13 - LBW p. 239 People: Glory to the Father, and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit: as it was in the beginning,
is now, and will be forever. Amen Pastor: Brothers and Sisters: God created
us to experience joy in communion with him, with
all humanity, and to live in harmony with all of
his creation. But sin separates us from God, our
neighbors, and creation, and so we do not enjoy the
life our Creator intended for us. By our sin we
grieve God, who does not desire us to come under
his judgement, but that we turn to him and
live. As disciples of the Lord Jesus we are called to
struggle against everything that leads us away from
love of God and neighbor. Repentance, fasting,
prayer and works of love &endash; the disciplines
of Lent &endash; help us to wage our spiritual
warfare. I invite you, therefore, to commit
yourselves to this struggle, and confess your sins,
asking God for strength to persevere in your Lenten
discipline. Most Holy and Merciful Father: People: We confess to you and to one another,
and to the whole communion of saints in heaven and
on earth, that we have sinned by our own fault in
thought, word, and deed; by what we have done, and
by what we have left undone. Pastor: We have not loved you with our
whole heart, and mind, and strength. We have not
loved our neighbors as ourselves. We have not
forgiven others, as we have been forgiven. People: Have mercy on us,
Lord. Pastor: We have been deaf to your call to
serve as Christ served us. We have not been true to
the mind of Christ. We have grieved your Holy
Spirit. People: Have mercy on us,
Lord. Pastor: We confess to you, Lord, all our
past unfaithfulness. The pride, hypocrisy, and
impatience in our lives, People: we confess to you,
Lord. Pastor: Our self-indulgent appetites and
ways and our exploitation of other people, People: we confess to you, Lord. Pastor: Our anger at our own frustration,
and our envy of those more fortunate than
ourselves, People: we confess to you, Lord. Pastor: Our intemperate love of worldly
goods and comforts, and our dishonesty in daily
life and work, People: we confess to you, Lord. Pastor: Our negligence in prayer and
worship and our failure to live out the faith that
is in us, People: we confess to you, Lord. Pastor: Accept our repentance, Lord, for
wrongs we have done, for blindness to human need
and suffering, and our indifference to injustice
and cruelty, People: accept our repentance, Lord. Pastor: For all false judgements, for
uncharitable thoughts toward our neighbors, and for
our prejudice and contempt toward those who differ
from us, People: accept our repentance, Lord. Pastor: For our waste and pollution of
your creation, and our lack of concern for those
who come after us, People: accept our repentance, Lord. Pastor: restore us, good Lord, and let
your anger depart from us. People: Hear us, Lord, for your mercy is
great. Amen The Imposition of Ashes -Those wishing
to participate are encouraged to come to the head
of the aisle at this time. Meditation Music - organ medley Pastor: Accomplish in us, O God, the work
of your salvation, People: that we may show forth your glory in
the world. Pastor: By the cross and passion of your
Son, our Lord, People: bring us with all your saints to the
joy of his resurrection. Pastor: Almighty God, the Father of our
Lord Jesus Christ, does not desire the death of
sinners but rather that they may turn from their
wickedness and live. Therefore we implore him to
grant us true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that
those true repentance and his Holy Spirit, that those
things may please him which we do on this day, that
the rest of our life may be pure and holy, and that
at the last we may come to his eternal joy; through
Jesus Christ, our Lord. People: Amen. (Silence. Please be seated.) Prayer of the Day Hymn - LBW #309 Lord Jesus, Think on
Me Lessons - Joel 2:1-2, 12-17 & II
Corinthians 5:20b-6:10 Lenten Response - LBW p. 63 "Return to
the Lord…" Gospel - Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Sermon - Pastor Hymn of the Day - LBW #91 Savior,
When in Dust… 1. Savior, when in dust to you / Low we bow in
homage due; When, repentant, to the skies, Scarce we lift
our weeping eyes; Oh, by all your pains and woe / Suffered once
for us below, Bending from your throne on high, Hear our
penitential cry! 2. By your helpless infant years, by your life
of want and tears, By your days of deep distress / In the savage
wilderness, By the dread, mysterious hour / Of the insulting
tempter's pow'r, Turn, oh, turn a fav'ring eye; Hear our
penitential cry! 3. By your hour of dire despair, By your agony
of prayer, By the cross, the nail, the thorn, Piercing
spear, and torturing scorn, By the gloom that veiled the skies / O'er the
dreadful sacrifice, Listen to our humble sigh; Hear our penitential
cry! 4. By your deep expiring groan, By the sad
sepulchral stone, By the vault whose dark abode / Held in vain the
rising God, Oh, from earth to heav'n restored, Mighty,
re-ascended Lord, Bending from your throne on high, Hear our
penitential cry! Apostles' Creed - WOV p. 19 Prayers Offering/Offertory - Create in
Me Lord's Prayer and Benediction Hymn - LBW #99 O Lord, throughout
… Pastor: Go in peace, serve the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Postlude February 17, 1999 + 1:00pm These words remind us that our entire existence
is animated by the life, death and resurrection of
Jesus Christ our Lord. The ashes remind us that as
mortals one day our family and friends will stand
beside our grave and hear the words, "Ashes to
ashes and dust to dust." But the symbolism of the
ashes does not stop there, because just as in the
ancient world ashes were used to cleanse in the
absence of soap, and fields were burned to give
opportunity for new life, so the promise of
cleansing and new life come to us through the power
and promise of Jesus Christ our Lord
Almighty and everliving God, you
hate nothing you have made and you forgive the
sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new
and honest hearts, so that, truly repenting of
our sins, we may obtain from you, the God of all
mercy, full pardon and forgiveness; through your
Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and
forever. Amen
(L) This is the word of the
Lord.
(C) Thanks be to God!(L) This is the gospel of the
Lord.
(C) Thanks be to God!
(Tune: LBW #90)
(L) Lord, in your
mercy…
(C) Hear our prayer.
[ LENT ] • [ HOME ]
© Copyright 2002 by the Northwest Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center. Please see our usage policy.
NW Synod of Wisconsin Resource Center