ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICE

This Wednesday we'll be having an Ash Wednesday service here at New Life beginning at 7pm. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and occurs forty-six days (forty days not counting Sundays) before Easter. It is a day when we focus on repentance and identifying with Christ in His suffering for us on the cross (Philippians 3:10-11). It is a time to remember how Christ suffered and died for us. During an Ash Wednesday service, there is a time for confession, reflection, and commitment.

Our service is very interactive. Part of the service is a community celebration. We'll sing together, share in God's Word together, and take communion together. But another part of our service allows you to design your own personal experience. We'll have four stations set up for you to participate in individually. You can participate in as many stations as you like or none at all. At one station you can write down a commitment to deny yourself (in essence fasting) something during the Lent season in order to better reflect upon what Jesus sacrificed for us on the cross. At another station you'll reflect on confession, repentance, and forgiveness of sin in your life. Another station will be a graffiti wall where you can write a prayer alongside the prayers of others for what you want God to do in your life during Lent. At another station we'll have the imposition ashes as a sign of humility. And when you get done doing stations or if you don't want to do any of the stations at all, there will be music and scriptures on the wall playing to help you focus on Christ.

I hope you'll join us for our service. It will be about 45 to 60 minutes long. We have activities planned for children from birth to 3rd grade in our children's area. Make plans now to be a part of this worship experience. One heads up: be thinking about what indulgence you might be willing to give up until Easter in order to help you better focus on the sacrifice Christ has made for you.