Ash Wednesday Service February 26, 2020

The Service in PDF format is at: 02-26-2020 – Service

or the service is as follows:

Ash Wednesday

February 26, 2020

Peace Lutheran Church

Pre-Service Music

Welcome

Procession pg. 2

Leader: Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world;

All: the light no darkness can over-come;

Leader: Stay with us now, for it is evening,

All: and the day is almost over.

Leader: Let your light scatter the darkness,

All: and shine within your people here.

Evening Hymn pg. 2-3

All:

Joyous light of heavenly glory, loving glow of God’s own face, you who sing creation’s story, shine on every land and race. Now as evening falls around us we shall raise our songs to you, God of daybreak, God of shadows, come and light our hearts anew.
In the stars that grace the darkness, in the blazing sun of dawn, in the light of peace and wisdom, we can hear your quiet song. Love that fills the night with wonder, love that warms the weary soul, Love that bursts all chains asunder, set us free and make us whole.
You who made the heaven’s splendor, every dancing star of night, make us shine with gentle justice, let us each reflect your light. Mighty God of all creation, gentle Christ who lights our way, Loving Spirit of salvation, lead us on to endless day.

Evening Thanksgiving pg. 3

Leader: May God be with you all,

All: and also with you;

Leader: Let us sing our thanks to God,

All: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Leader: Blessed are you, Creator of the universe – from old you have led your people by night and day. May the light of your Christ make our darkness bright, for your Word and your presence are the light of our pathways, and you are the light and life of all creation.

All: Amen

Psalm 141 pg. 3-6

All: Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

Group One: O God, I call to you, * come to me now; O hear my voice when I call to you, Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. Keep watch within me, God; deep in my heart may the light of your love be burning bright. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you. All praise to the God of all Creator of life; all praise ge to Christ and the Spirit of love. Let my prayer rise up like incense before you, the lifting up of my hands as an offering to you.

* At this point Group two starts

L: May our prayers come before you, O God, as incense, and may your presence surround and fill us, so that in union with all creation, we might sing your praise and your love in our lives.

C: Amen (Silence for meditation)

Reading: Mark 14:1-2, 53-65

It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread. And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him, for they said, “Not during the feast, lest there be an uproar from the people.”

And they led Jesus to the high priest. And all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together. And Peter had followed him at a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest. And he was sitting with the guards and warming himself at the fire.

Now the chief priests and the whole council were seeking testimony against Jesus to put him to death, but they found none. For many bore false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree. And some stood up and bore false witness against him, saying, “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple that is made with hands, and in three days I will build another, not made with hands.’ ” Yet even about this their testimony did not agree.

And the high priest stood up in the midst and asked Jesus, “Have you no answer to make? What is it that these men testify against you?” But he remained silent and made no answer. Again the high priest asked him, “Are you the Christ, the Son of the Blessed?” And Jesus said, “I am, and you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.” And the high priest tore his garments and said, “What further witnesses do we need? You have heard his blasphemy. What is your decision?” And they all condemned him as deserving death. And some began to spit on him and to cover his face and to strike him, saying to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards received him with blows.

L: The Light shines in the darkness

C: and the darkness has not overcome it.

Imposition of Ashes

L: Dear brothers and sisters of our Lord Jesus Christ, on this day the Church begins a holy season of prayerful and penitential reflection. Our attention is especially directed to the holy sufferings and death of our Lord Jesus Christ. From ancient times the season of Lent has been kept as a time of special devotion, self-denial, and humble repentance born of a faithful heart that dwells confidently on His Word and draws from it life and hope.

Let us pray that our dear Father in heaven, for the sake of His beloved Son and in the power of His Holy Spirit, might richly bless this Lententide for us so that we may come to Easter with glad hearts and keep the feast in sincerity and truth.

Silence for reflection

L: O Lord, C: have mercy.

L: O Christ, C: have mercy.

L: O Lord, C: have mercy.

L: O Christ, C: hear us.

L: God the Father in heaven, C: have mercy.

L: God the Son, Redeemer of the world, C: have mercy.

L: God the Holy Spirit, C: have mercy.

L: Be gracious to us. C: Spare us, good Lord.

L: Be gracious to us. C: Help us, good Lord.

L: By the mystery of Your holy incarnation; by Your holy nativity; by Your baptism, fasting, and temptation; by Your agony and bloody sweat; by Your cross and passion; by Your precious death and burial; by Your glorious resurrection and ascension; and by the coming of the Holy Spirit, the Comforter:

C: Help us, good Lord.

L: In all time of our tribulation; in all time of our prosperity; in the hour of death; and in the day of judgment:

C: Help us, good Lord.

L: We poor sinners implore You

C: to hear us, O Lord.

L: To prosper the preaching of Your Word; to bless our prayer and meditation; to strengthen and preserve us in the true faith; and to give heart to our sorrow and strength to our repentance:

C:We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: To draw all to Yourself; to bless those who are instructed in the faith; to watch over and console the poor, the sick, the distressed, the lonely, the forsaken, the abandoned, and all who stand in need of our prayers; to give abundant blessing to all works of mercy; and to have mercy on us all:

C: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: To turn our hearts to You; to turn the hearts of our enemies, persecutors, and slanderers; and graciously to hear our prayers:

C: We implore You to hear us, good Lord.

L: Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God,

C: we implore You to hear us.

L: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

C: have mercy.

L: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

C: have mercy.

P: Christ, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world,

C: grant us Your peace.

P: O Christ,

C: hear us.

P: O Lord,

C: have mercy.

P: O Christ,

C: have mercy.

P: O Lord,

C: have mercy. Amen.

P: O God, You desire not the death of sinners, but rather that they turn from their wickedness and live. We implore You to have compassion on the frailty of our mortal nature, for we acknowledge that we are dust and to dust we shall return. Mercifully pardon our sins that we may obtain the promises You have laid up for those who are repentant; through Jesus Christ, Your Son, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

C:Amen.

All are invited forward to receive ashes on the forehead in the sign of the cross as the words are said:

“Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

Sermon Hymn: “Alas! And Did My Savior Bleed” LBW 98

Alas! And did my Savior bleed,

And did my Sov’reign die?

Would he devote that sacred head

For Sinners such as I?

Was it for sins that I had done

He groaned upon the tree?

Amazing pity, grace unknown,

And love beyond degree!

Well might the sun in darkness hide

And shut its glories in

When God, the mighty maker, died

For his own creatures’ sin.

Thus might I hide my blushing face

While his dear cross appears,

Dissolve my heart in thankfulness,

And melt my eyes to tears.

But tears of grief cannot repay

The debt of love I owe;

Here, Lord, I give myself away;

It’s all that I can do.

Message “Murderous Eyes”

(Stand for prayer if you are able)

The Annunciation pg. 7

Luke 1: 26-28, 30-32, 38

Leader: An angel went from God to a town called Nazareth to a woman whose name was Mary. The angel said to her, “Rejoice, O highly favored, for God is with you. You shall bear a child, and his name sall be Jesus, the Chosen One of God Most High.” And Mary said, “I am the servant of my God, I live to do your will.”

(Immediately to “The Magnificat”)

The Magnificat pg. 7

Luke 1: 46-55

My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in servant here, and blessed be all my life though. Great and mighty are you. O Holy One, strong in your kindness evermore. How you favor the weak and lowly one, humbling the proud of heart.
You have cast the mighty down from their thrones, and uplifted the humble of wondrous things, and left the wealthy no part. Great and mighty are you, O Faithful One, strong is your justice strong your love. As you promised to Sarah and Abraham, Kindness forever more.
My soul proclaims your greatness O God, and my spirit rejoices in servant here, and blessed be all my life though.

Litany and Prayers pg. 8-9

All: (Hum first round then sing) God of mercy, Hold us in love,

Leader: In peace, in Peace, we pray to you: