Ash Wednesday
Worship
Lectionary Worship Workbook
Series III, Cycle A
Object:
Hymns And Songs
Savior, When In Dust To You -- LBW 91
Your Heart, O God, Is Grieved -- LBW 96
Lord Jesus Think On Me -- LBW 309; PH 301; MBW 764
Lord, Teach Us How To Pray Aright -- LBW 438
Return To The Lord -- WOV 615
O Sun Of Justice -- WOV 659 (alt. tune: ERHALT UNS, HERR)
Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil -- WOV 713
That Priceless Grace -- TFF 68
Bread Of The World -- UMH 624; PH 502
Kind Maker Of The World -- PH 79
Have Mercy On Us, Living Lord -- PH 195
Mighty God, We Humbly Pray -- MBW 586
Savior, Now With Contrite Hearts -- MBW 741
Deep Within -- GATHER 290
Return To God With All Your Heart -- GATHER 283
Return To The Lord Your God -- GATHER 472
Turn To Me -- G&P 342
Psalm Settings
Psalm 51: Create In Me -- GATHER 54; G&P 209
Psalm 51: Misericordia, Senor -- G&P 211
Choral Music
"A Clean Heart" -- Benjamin Harlan (Glory Sound/Shawnee Press)
"Be Merciful Unto Me" -- G. F. Handel arr. Robert S. Hines (Elkan-Vogel)
"Dust And Ashes" -- David Haas (GIA)
"Nkosi! Nkosi!" (Lord, Have Mercy) -- Mziwamadoda Joseph Singiswa, tr. David Dargie in HALLE, HALLE: We Sing The World Round (Choristers Guild)
"Return To God" -- Marty Haugen (GIA)
Service Notes
This is a day for the solemnity of ancient prayers. LBW and BCP provide the necessary structure and language. Of utmost importance are the times allotted for silence. Make sure that your sanctuary is open for silent prayer before the service as well. Keep the lighting to a minimum. For people to enter into the depth of confession requires a certain degree of safety, and if they've been holding their sins for a long time, they may not be ready to begin their confession in the brightness of the light.
Liturgical Art And Community Activities For Lent
Following Shrove Tuesday, Lincoln's Birthday, and the celebration of the Chinese New Year, we begin our Lenten journeys of self-examination, prayer, fasting, alms giving, and pre-Baptismal preparations. Many churches refrain from baptizing during Lent, so purple flowers may be floated in the font during this interim. Traditionally, the ashes from the burned palm branches of last year's Palm/Passion Sunday are used to place a cross on the foreheads of members at the Ash Wednesday Service. On a second altar or a table in the chancel area, a display of two piles of ashes, separated by upright logs, entwined with a long purple ribbon, can represent our birth, life, and death as the "ashes to ashes" from Ecclesiastes 3:20, "all come from dust, and to dust all return." A congregation may also bury their "Alleluia" banners and refrain from using this word during Lent.
(illustrations in book)
To encourage alms giving, a barrel adorned with socks, a blanket and a jacket can be placed in the narthex. If quilts are made at your church for charity, a purple-toned one might be used for your altar parament. To encourage prayers, purple cards might be available on a table in the narthex on which members can write. These can be placed in a large ceramic bowl filled with water. Later this paper, ink, and water can be mixed, mulched, and dried into a wreath to adorn the processional cross at Easter.
After Ash Wednesday, the second altar or table might hold a pile of eucalyptus bark representing the chaos of life. Let it be entwined with a long purple ribbon that is replaced each week with a lighter shade of purple as Lent progresses.
On the last Sunday in February, Saint Matthias can be commemorated as the disciple who replaced Judas and who traveled to Ethiopia and Greece. A symbol of the world might be displayed. On Saint Patrick's Day, the story of the saint who returned to Ireland to preach after being imprisoned there and who connected the shamrock with the Trinity, can be honored with a display of this green plant.
If Wednesday Lenten services are held, artists from within the congregation (including teenagers and children) might be asked to create visual art to illustrate the lessons. An abbreviated version of the "stations of the cross" can be imagined.
Passion/Palm Sunday could also commemorate the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated in 1980 while celebrating mass in El Salvador. This martyr who cared for the poor has become a symbol of Christ's compassion in our day. The processional cross might be adorned with palms and a woven Latin American stole. To remember Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, clothes and palm branches may be laid in the central aisle of the sanctuary. Traditionally, small palm branches or woven palm crosses are given to members, and large palm branches adorn the doors and pillars of the church. The paraments for this day are scarlet.
Savior, When In Dust To You -- LBW 91
Your Heart, O God, Is Grieved -- LBW 96
Lord Jesus Think On Me -- LBW 309; PH 301; MBW 764
Lord, Teach Us How To Pray Aright -- LBW 438
Return To The Lord -- WOV 615
O Sun Of Justice -- WOV 659 (alt. tune: ERHALT UNS, HERR)
Lord, Let My Heart Be Good Soil -- WOV 713
That Priceless Grace -- TFF 68
Bread Of The World -- UMH 624; PH 502
Kind Maker Of The World -- PH 79
Have Mercy On Us, Living Lord -- PH 195
Mighty God, We Humbly Pray -- MBW 586
Savior, Now With Contrite Hearts -- MBW 741
Deep Within -- GATHER 290
Return To God With All Your Heart -- GATHER 283
Return To The Lord Your God -- GATHER 472
Turn To Me -- G&P 342
Psalm Settings
Psalm 51: Create In Me -- GATHER 54; G&P 209
Psalm 51: Misericordia, Senor -- G&P 211
Choral Music
"A Clean Heart" -- Benjamin Harlan (Glory Sound/Shawnee Press)
"Be Merciful Unto Me" -- G. F. Handel arr. Robert S. Hines (Elkan-Vogel)
"Dust And Ashes" -- David Haas (GIA)
"Nkosi! Nkosi!" (Lord, Have Mercy) -- Mziwamadoda Joseph Singiswa, tr. David Dargie in HALLE, HALLE: We Sing The World Round (Choristers Guild)
"Return To God" -- Marty Haugen (GIA)
Service Notes
This is a day for the solemnity of ancient prayers. LBW and BCP provide the necessary structure and language. Of utmost importance are the times allotted for silence. Make sure that your sanctuary is open for silent prayer before the service as well. Keep the lighting to a minimum. For people to enter into the depth of confession requires a certain degree of safety, and if they've been holding their sins for a long time, they may not be ready to begin their confession in the brightness of the light.
Liturgical Art And Community Activities For Lent
Following Shrove Tuesday, Lincoln's Birthday, and the celebration of the Chinese New Year, we begin our Lenten journeys of self-examination, prayer, fasting, alms giving, and pre-Baptismal preparations. Many churches refrain from baptizing during Lent, so purple flowers may be floated in the font during this interim. Traditionally, the ashes from the burned palm branches of last year's Palm/Passion Sunday are used to place a cross on the foreheads of members at the Ash Wednesday Service. On a second altar or a table in the chancel area, a display of two piles of ashes, separated by upright logs, entwined with a long purple ribbon, can represent our birth, life, and death as the "ashes to ashes" from Ecclesiastes 3:20, "all come from dust, and to dust all return." A congregation may also bury their "Alleluia" banners and refrain from using this word during Lent.
(illustrations in book)
To encourage alms giving, a barrel adorned with socks, a blanket and a jacket can be placed in the narthex. If quilts are made at your church for charity, a purple-toned one might be used for your altar parament. To encourage prayers, purple cards might be available on a table in the narthex on which members can write. These can be placed in a large ceramic bowl filled with water. Later this paper, ink, and water can be mixed, mulched, and dried into a wreath to adorn the processional cross at Easter.
After Ash Wednesday, the second altar or table might hold a pile of eucalyptus bark representing the chaos of life. Let it be entwined with a long purple ribbon that is replaced each week with a lighter shade of purple as Lent progresses.
On the last Sunday in February, Saint Matthias can be commemorated as the disciple who replaced Judas and who traveled to Ethiopia and Greece. A symbol of the world might be displayed. On Saint Patrick's Day, the story of the saint who returned to Ireland to preach after being imprisoned there and who connected the shamrock with the Trinity, can be honored with a display of this green plant.
If Wednesday Lenten services are held, artists from within the congregation (including teenagers and children) might be asked to create visual art to illustrate the lessons. An abbreviated version of the "stations of the cross" can be imagined.
Passion/Palm Sunday could also commemorate the life of Archbishop Oscar Romero who was assassinated in 1980 while celebrating mass in El Salvador. This martyr who cared for the poor has become a symbol of Christ's compassion in our day. The processional cross might be adorned with palms and a woven Latin American stole. To remember Jesus' entrance into Jerusalem, clothes and palm branches may be laid in the central aisle of the sanctuary. Traditionally, small palm branches or woven palm crosses are given to members, and large palm branches adorn the doors and pillars of the church. The paraments for this day are scarlet.
