This year, we have the peculiar concurrence of Valentine’s Day and Ash Wednesday, which resulted in a repartee between my wife and me. “Valentine’s Day should trump Ash Wednesday,” she declares and earnestly believes. She plans to prepare a festive dinner for the occasion in celebration of love. However, I will lead the 6:00 p.m….
The Liturgical Home: Ash Wednesday
The following is adapted from Ashley Tumlin Wallace’s new book with Anglican Compass, The Liturgical Home: Lent, available in paperback and Kindle editions, exclusively through Amazon. As Christians, we believe that the death and resurrection of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, is the most important thing to ever happen to us (or to the world, for…
10 Ways to Preach on Ash Wednesday
In David Roseberry’s ongoing series of posts on 10 Ways to Preach Liturgical Events, we come to Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the season of Lent. If a congregation gathers to observe Ash Wednesday, it will likely include these dramatic liturgical moments: It is a deep and profound service; as you can see, it can…
Ash Wednesday Excerpt: Giving Up
In Giving Up, I relate a moment from a particularly memorable Ash Wednesday. Other memories of this solemn service have been more somber, but none more soberly illustrates our ‘selfie culture’ or the need we have for this Lenten season that can draw us out of ourselves—if only we will let it. A few years ago,…
Ash Wednesday, A Collect Reflection
This post is part of a series on the Collects of the Christian Year (ACNA), called “Collect Reflections.” If you’re just jumping in, make sure to check out the introductory post, “Announcing Collect Reflections.” All Collect Reflection posts can be found here. Ash Wednesday Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the…
How to Lent and Why: Questions for an Anglican Priest
Lent is about to kick us in the seats of our pants soon, when it darkens our foreheads, and then takes away our chocolates. Not to mention causing us to face our privilege by helping others and then making us read the Church Fathers in the original Latin or Greek. (I made that last part…
Are we really only dust in the wind?
Reposted from a previous year. Also, check out LeaderWorks where the author blogs. On Wednesday clergy around the world will draw a cross-shaped smudge of dark black ashes on the foreheads of millions of people. It is the ancient rite of The Imposition of Ashes which signals the start of Lent. The words that accompany…
Epiphany: A Bridge to the Season of Lent
Next week, Christians worldwide will turn their hearts and minds—and foreheads—to Ash Wednesday. People have begun pondering and discussing what their Lenten practices will be this year. Worship pastors and musicians select hymns and worship songs to ensure we have plenty of ‘alleluias’ before that word is silenced for forty days. Your weekend grocery shopping…
Last Minute Instructions for Lent
Lent is drawing near! The word “Lent” comes from the Old English lencten, meaning spring-time, when the days lengthen. You’ve probably already noticed that! Lent covers the 40 days, excluding Sundays, before the great Paschal Feast of Easter, which is always celebrated in the Western Church on the First Sunday after the first full moon…
Ash Wednesday: Are You Really Only Dust in the Wind?
On Ash Wednesday, clergy around the world will draw a cross-shaped smudge of dark black ashes on the foreheads of millions of people. It is the ancient rite of The Imposition of Ashes which signals the start of Lent. The words that accompany the ‘imposition’ on Ash Wednesday are simple, sober, and true. Over the years I…
