11:30am Welcome - Rev David Bonnema *Call to Worship Leader: The grace of our Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. People: And also with you. Leader: The Lord is merciful to all and loves His creation. People: He is the Lord, our God, and is greatly to be praised. Leader: Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the discipline of Lent make this day holy by our repentance of sin and turning toward you. People: Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us by Your Word through these forty days, and minister to us with Your Holy Spirit, so that we may reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Hymn - “Holy, Holy, Holy” Scripture Reading - Genesis 3:17-19 Meditation Imposition of Ashes Unison Prayer: God of Grace, we are Your creation. We rely on you for every breath we take. May these ashes be a visible reminder of our complete and utter reliance on You. Amen. Closing Hymn - “Come Thou Fount” Benediction 6:30pm Prelude Welcome - Rev. David Bonnema Call to Worship Leader: The grace of our Savior Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit, be with you all. People: And also with you. Leader: The Lord is merciful to all and loves His creation. People: He is the Lord, our God, and is greatly to be praised. Leader: Lord, protect us in our struggle against evil. As we begin the discipline of Lent make this day holy by our repentance of sin and turning toward you. People: Gracious God, our way in the wilderness, guide us by Your Word through these forty days, and minister to us with Your Holy Spirit, so that we may reformed, restored, and renewed; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Hymn - “Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing” Unison Prayer - Please join us in reading Isaiah 58:1-9 “Shout it aloud, do not hold back. Raise your voice like a trumpet. Declare to my people their rebellion and to the descendants of Jacob their sins. For day after day they seek me out; they seem eager to know my ways, as if they were a nation that does what is right and has not forsaken the commands of its God. They ask me for just decisions and seem eager for God to come near them. ‘Why have we fasted,’ they say, ‘and you have not seen it? Why have we humbled ourselves, and you have not noticed?’ “Yet on the day of your fasting, you do as you please and exploit all your workers. Your fasting ends in quarreling and strife, and in striking each other with wicked fists. You cannot fast as you do today and expect your voice to be heard on high. Is this the kind of fast I have chosen, only a day for people to humble themselves? Is it only for bowing one’s head like a reed and for lying in sackcloth and ashes? Is that what you call a fast, a day acceptable to the Lord? “Is not this the kind of fasting I have chosen: to loose the chains of injustice and untie the cords of the yoke, to set the oppressed free and break every yoke? Is it not to share your food with the hungry and to provide the poor wanderer with shelter— when you see the naked, to clothe them, and not to turn away from your own flesh and blood? Then your light will break forth like the dawn, and your healing will quickly appear; then your righteousness will go before you, and the glory of the Lord will be your rear guard. Then you will call, and the Lord will answer; you will cry for help, and he will say: Here am I. Assurance of Pardon Scripture Lesson - Genesis 3:17-19 Meditation Anthem - “Touch Me With Ashes” - Martin Unity Choir Imposition of Ashes Those who desire to receive ashes now come forward. The pastor will sign you with ashes on the forehead or the hand saying "Remember you are dust and to dust you shall return.” Unison Prayer: God of Grace, we are your creation. We rely on you for every breath we take. May these ashes be a visible reminder of our complete and utter reliance on You. Amen. Closing Hymn “Abide with Me” Benediction Postlude The Lenten journey from the ashes of death to resurrected life begins on the first day of Lent, Ash Wednesday, which signifies a time to turn around, to change directions, to repent. This first day of Lent reminds us that unless we are willing to die to our old selves, we cannot be raised to new life with Christ. The first step of this journey calls us to acknowledge and confront our mortality, individually and corporately. In many traditions, this is symbolized through the imposition of ashes — placing a cross on one’s forehead. During the imposition of ashes the words: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return” (Genesis 3:19) are repeated again and again. We are to remember that we are but temporary creatures, always on the edge of death. On Ash Wednesday, we begin our Lenten trek through the desert toward Easter.