STEWARTVILLE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH

7:00 p.m.

Ash Wednesday February 14, 2018

The Mission of the United Methodist Church:

“Make disciples of Jesus Christ for the transformation of the world.”

The Motto of the United Methodist Church:

“Open Hearts, Open Minds, Open Doors: The People of the UMC.”

The season of Lent includes the six weeks preceding Easter plus the last four days of the week beginning today, Ash Wednesday. This is a time to make a special spiritual journey. It is a time of self-examination when we look deeply and respond honestly to how we are getting on with the process of transformation into new persons in Jesus Christ.

Prelude Laurie Helmers

Welcome

*Call to Worship

On this Ash Wednesday, let us come together as brothers and sisters in Christ.

For Christ died that we might have eternal salvation.

Let us live in the ways the Lord taught us to live.

And let us set our hearts to choose the ways of Christ each day.

Blessed be the name of the Lord.

*Hymn Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days UMH #269

Tune: Amazing Grace

Prayer

Holy God, as you walked with Jesus, now you walk this walk with us.

We thank you for healing grace and holy challenge;

we thank you for the stories and parables that teach us,

the supper of Passover, the Passion of Jesus that makes us whole,

and the cross, tomb and heaven that beckon us.

We come to you in humility, bowing in our human weakness,

grateful and mystified by your love for us.

In these days of reflection,

bring us to the cross, to our knees in prayer

and help us understand what it means tobe made whole

through the saving work of Jesus. Amen.

Scripture Lesson Always be prepared… 1Peter 3:15-16

*HymnWithout Seeing You FWS # 2206

The Message Living Questionable Lives Pastor Wane

Invitation to the Observe the Lenten Discipline

Thanksgiving over the Ashes

Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth.

May these ashes be for us a sign of our mortality and penitence

so that we may remember that only by your gracious gift

are we given life everlasting, through Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.

Imposition of Ashes

From dust you have come and to dust you shall return.

Repent and believe the Good News.

Litany on Devotion

Isaiah told us that putting on sackcloth and ashes is not a fast acceptable to God.

The fast God chooses is to loose the chains of injustice,

to let the oppressed go free

to feed the hungry and shelter the poor,

to clothe the naked

and not turn away from one’s flesh and blood.

Jeremiah told the people that because of their sins and backsliding,

God would not hear their cries as they fasted nor accept their offerings.

Instead, Jeremiah warned the people that God planned to destroy them

with sword, famine and plague.

Through Zechariah, God questioned the people,

“When you fasted and mourned was it really for me?

When you were eating and drinking were you not just feasting for yourselves?”

This is what I really want, the Lord said.

“Administer justice.

Show mercy and compassion to one another.

Do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the immigrant or the poor.

In your hearts do not think evil of each other.”

Jesus said,

“Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them…”

For then you have no reward from your God in heaven.”

Let us pray.

Almighty God, reform our hearts and redirect our wills.

Set us on a course of true devotion

that will be seen and accepted in the depths of your heart. Amen.

Words of Assurance

God does not rejoice in pain and punishment,

but rejoices when we turn from self

so that we can live a full, abundant and holy life.

God accepts our true turning, forgives our sins

and restores us to newness of life

through Jesus, our Lord.

*Closing Hymn When I Survey the Wondrous Cross(verses 1 & 2) UMH # 298

*Benediction

The blessing of God’s eternal love,

and the guidance of the Spirit in the desert places of our world,

be among you and remain in you forever. Amen.

*Postlude

WORSHIP is over, let the SERVICE begin!

* indicates those who are able may stand

UMH: United Methodist Hymnal FWS: Faith We Sing, Song Book

Three Rules to live by: Do no harm! Do Good! Love God!

The use of ashes as a sign of mortality and repentancehas a long history in Jewish and Christian worship. The imposition of ashes on your forehead or the back of your hand invites you to participatein the call to repentance and reconciliation.The ashes remind us of our mortality, our need for God, calls us to confess our sins and to repent before God.

Stewartville United Methodist Church

900 John Wesley Avenue NW

Stewartville, MN 55976

Ash Wednesday

February 14, 2018

7:00 p.m.

Church Office: 507-533-4625

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