Ash Wednesday
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series II, Cycle A Gospel Texts
Prior to worship, ask the congregation to bring some writings about the beginning of Lent which they would be willing to share with the congregation. Give them the opportunity to do so, as the Spirit leads them.
Somewhere in the worship, have people read the Scripture slowly and deliberately from different versions of the Bible. Invite them the previous Sunday to bring their Bibles with them for this purpose.
Read silently, or sing quietly, the hymn, "Forty Days and Forty Nights" (George Hunt Smyttan, 1856; alt. attr. Martin Herbst, 1676).
Give plenty of time for silence. Where appropriate, ask for sentence prayers along the way as people are led by the Spirit.
Dismiss the people with a silent benediction, by raising your hand, and by their raising their hands over one another as they leave the sanctuary.
Meditation
The road to hell is paved not so much with the harmfully obvious for Christians, but with the subtly "unharmful." Our danger is to give first-rate importance and power to second-rate causes.
Somewhere in the worship, have people read the Scripture slowly and deliberately from different versions of the Bible. Invite them the previous Sunday to bring their Bibles with them for this purpose.
Read silently, or sing quietly, the hymn, "Forty Days and Forty Nights" (George Hunt Smyttan, 1856; alt. attr. Martin Herbst, 1676).
Give plenty of time for silence. Where appropriate, ask for sentence prayers along the way as people are led by the Spirit.
Dismiss the people with a silent benediction, by raising your hand, and by their raising their hands over one another as they leave the sanctuary.
Meditation
The road to hell is paved not so much with the harmfully obvious for Christians, but with the subtly "unharmful." Our danger is to give first-rate importance and power to second-rate causes.
