Ash Wednesday
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series IV, Cycle B
Call To Worship
Based on Joel 2.
Leader:
Blow the trumpet,
People:
Sound the alarm,
Leader:
For the day of the Lord is coming.
People:
Announce his coming,
Leader:
Call everyone together for a holy gathering,
People:
Declare a holy fast,
Leader:
Gather the people and set them apart,
People:
Bring everyone together,
Leader:
From the oldest to the youngest,
People:
Leave whatever you're doing and listen,
Leader:
Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart.
People:
Now is the time to return to the Lord.
Leader:
Let us bow down before our holy God.
Prayer Of Confession
Psalm 51
Leader:
Have mercy on me, O God,
People:
In your great tenderness,
Leader:
Wipe away my faults;
People:
Wash me clean of my guilt;
Leader:
Purify me of my sin,
People:
For my sin is constantly on my mind.
Leader:
I have sinned against none other than you,
People:
Having done what you declared to be wrong.
Leader:
You are justified in passing sentence on me,
People:
And blameless in judging me.
Leader:
Yet, I pray, Lord, that you would hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
People:
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
Leader:
Put a new and righteous spirit within me.
People:
Restore to me the joy of your presence,
Leader:
And keep my spirit steady and willing.
People:
Amen.
This one, based on 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, is a Confession and a Statement Of Faith. It could even be used as a Dedication Prayer.
Leader:
Father God,
People:
Our sin is ever before us.
Leader:
Yet you sent your Son Jesus, who was sinless,
People:
To be sin for us,
Leader:
So that we might become righteous,
People:
With your righteousness.
Leader:
Our sin is exchanged for your righteousness.
People:
We are humbled and grateful.
Leader:
In Jesus' name, be reconciled to God then.
People:
God, let your forgiveness and reconciliation be seen in our lives,
Leader:
So that others will know Christ and his healing power.
People:
We are the evidence of the reality of Christ.
Leader:
May we live as his ambassadors,
People:
For so we are.
Leader:
Amen.
Assurance Of Pardon
Based on Joel 2. It goes well with the Confession based on Joel 2 above.
The Lord says, "Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts and not your garments"; meaning don't just show outward signs of repentance, like the mark of ashes on your forehead or giving up something for this season of Lent, but let your heart be broken in realizing your sin before the Lord. In your sorrow and remorse, return to the Lord, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He is the God of grace, who forgives our sins and restores us once again into a right relationship with him.
Parish Prayer
Loosely based on 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. You may want to read the passage as an introduction to the prayer.
Let us pray: Life is not easy. We all face temptations and trials and troubles. It's hard to keep being faithful and keep doing what's right all the time. It's a daily challenge to endure and to persevere ourselves, let alone encourage others.
Lord, we lift up to you in prayer those for whom at this moment life is hard. O how we need the presence of your Holy Spirit and the power of your love to get through and make us victorious in all our struggles. Give us your grace and strength and love. When we come to the end of ourselves, having nothing to keep us going, we have you; you are everything we need. Thank you, precious Lord. Amen.
Benediction
2 Corinthians 6:1-2
Christians, do not receive God's grace without realizing its amazing worth. For God says, "In the time of my favor, I heard you, and in the day of salvation, I helped you." Now is the time of God's favor; now is the day of salvation. Go in God's saving grace.
Hymns
At Calvary
Cleanse Me
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor And Needy
I Lay My Sins On Jesus
If My People's Hearts Are Humbled
Jesus, I Come
Lord, I'm Coming Home
Since I Have Been Redeemed
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Contemporary Choruses
I Give You My Heart, Reuben Morgan
Take My Life, Scott Underwood
Wonderful Cross, The, Jesse Reaves
Other Music
Beauty For Ashes, Crystal Lewis
Perfect for Ash Wednesday. The song tells of how Jesus turns the ashes of this life into beauty.
Based on Joel 2.
Leader:
Blow the trumpet,
People:
Sound the alarm,
Leader:
For the day of the Lord is coming.
People:
Announce his coming,
Leader:
Call everyone together for a holy gathering,
People:
Declare a holy fast,
Leader:
Gather the people and set them apart,
People:
Bring everyone together,
Leader:
From the oldest to the youngest,
People:
Leave whatever you're doing and listen,
Leader:
Even now, says the Lord, return to me with all your heart.
People:
Now is the time to return to the Lord.
Leader:
Let us bow down before our holy God.
Prayer Of Confession
Psalm 51
Leader:
Have mercy on me, O God,
People:
In your great tenderness,
Leader:
Wipe away my faults;
People:
Wash me clean of my guilt;
Leader:
Purify me of my sin,
People:
For my sin is constantly on my mind.
Leader:
I have sinned against none other than you,
People:
Having done what you declared to be wrong.
Leader:
You are justified in passing sentence on me,
People:
And blameless in judging me.
Leader:
Yet, I pray, Lord, that you would hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
People:
Create in me a clean heart, O God,
Leader:
Put a new and righteous spirit within me.
People:
Restore to me the joy of your presence,
Leader:
And keep my spirit steady and willing.
People:
Amen.
This one, based on 2 Corinthians 5:20-21, is a Confession and a Statement Of Faith. It could even be used as a Dedication Prayer.
Leader:
Father God,
People:
Our sin is ever before us.
Leader:
Yet you sent your Son Jesus, who was sinless,
People:
To be sin for us,
Leader:
So that we might become righteous,
People:
With your righteousness.
Leader:
Our sin is exchanged for your righteousness.
People:
We are humbled and grateful.
Leader:
In Jesus' name, be reconciled to God then.
People:
God, let your forgiveness and reconciliation be seen in our lives,
Leader:
So that others will know Christ and his healing power.
People:
We are the evidence of the reality of Christ.
Leader:
May we live as his ambassadors,
People:
For so we are.
Leader:
Amen.
Assurance Of Pardon
Based on Joel 2. It goes well with the Confession based on Joel 2 above.
The Lord says, "Return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts and not your garments"; meaning don't just show outward signs of repentance, like the mark of ashes on your forehead or giving up something for this season of Lent, but let your heart be broken in realizing your sin before the Lord. In your sorrow and remorse, return to the Lord, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love. He is the God of grace, who forgives our sins and restores us once again into a right relationship with him.
Parish Prayer
Loosely based on 2 Corinthians 6:3-10. You may want to read the passage as an introduction to the prayer.
Let us pray: Life is not easy. We all face temptations and trials and troubles. It's hard to keep being faithful and keep doing what's right all the time. It's a daily challenge to endure and to persevere ourselves, let alone encourage others.
Lord, we lift up to you in prayer those for whom at this moment life is hard. O how we need the presence of your Holy Spirit and the power of your love to get through and make us victorious in all our struggles. Give us your grace and strength and love. When we come to the end of ourselves, having nothing to keep us going, we have you; you are everything we need. Thank you, precious Lord. Amen.
Benediction
2 Corinthians 6:1-2
Christians, do not receive God's grace without realizing its amazing worth. For God says, "In the time of my favor, I heard you, and in the day of salvation, I helped you." Now is the time of God's favor; now is the day of salvation. Go in God's saving grace.
Hymns
At Calvary
Cleanse Me
Come, Ye Sinners, Poor And Needy
I Lay My Sins On Jesus
If My People's Hearts Are Humbled
Jesus, I Come
Lord, I'm Coming Home
Since I Have Been Redeemed
Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus
Contemporary Choruses
I Give You My Heart, Reuben Morgan
Take My Life, Scott Underwood
Wonderful Cross, The, Jesse Reaves
Other Music
Beauty For Ashes, Crystal Lewis
Perfect for Ash Wednesday. The song tells of how Jesus turns the ashes of this life into beauty.
