Two Ash Wednesday Services to be Offered

Ash Wednesday is coming up on February 18. The Manchester Area Ministerial Association will host two Ash Wednesday worship opportunities this year:

Emanuel Church – 324 West Main Street
Ash Wednesday Service of Ashes & Holy Communion begins at Noon

An Ash Wednesday soup luncheon will be served at 11:15 a.m. Homemade chicken noodle soup and warm bread will be served in Emanuel’s Fellowship Hall before worship.

and

Bethel Church – 10425 Bethel Church Road
Ash Wednesday Service of Ashes & Holy Communion at 7:30 p.m

The Ministerial Association decided to offer two Ash Wednesday services this year to encourage those who don’t drive at night to come for noon worship. The added bonus of the noon service includes soup and bread at 11:15 in the fellowship hall. The Rev. Peter Harris will proclaim the Gospel at both services. The Revs. David Bucholtz, Aaron Kesson,  Tina Zimmerman, and Dr. David Williams will share in the worship leadership of the services.

More about Ash Wednesday and its significance written by Rev. Dr. David Williams:

Ash Wednesday 

by Dr. David Williams, Pastor of Emanuel Church, Manchester

Ash Wednesday begins the 40-day period in the church year called Lent. It was during the fourth century A.D. that the Western church had set as practice the Lenten period of fasting and spiritual renewal to relate to the forty days Jesus fasted in the wilderness [Matthew 4:2]. The 40-day period which begins on Ash Wednesday does not include the six Sundays of this period. Each Sunday of Lent is to be a “feast” that celebrates Jesus’ resurrection victory over sin and death.

The purpose of Ash Wednesday is to remind us of our mortality, sinfulness, and need for a savior. The liturgy quotes Genesis 3:19 – from dust you are and to dust you will return. The service will invite us to renew our commitment to daily repentance and to remember with confidence and thankfulness that Jesus Christ has conquered death and sin. Ash Wednesday is a day filled with Gospel truth. It is a witness to the power and beauty that Christ has died, Christ is risen, and Christ will come again.

On Ash Wednesday, worshippers have the opportunity to receive the imposition of ashes. Ashes have a biblical history for they remind us of our frailty or death [Genesis 18:27], sadness or mourning [Esther 4:3], judgment [Lamentations 3:16], and repentance [Jonah 3:6]. When we receive the ashes on Ash Wednesday we are reminded that we are to express sorrow and repentance for our sins and rededicate ourselves to “taking up our crosses and following Jesus Christ.”

The Pastors of Manchester invite you to observe a Holy Lent – with repentance and ashes! Join us for worship at Emanuel Church at 12 noon or at Bethel Church at 7:30 p.m.

Stained glass window in the front door of Emanuel Church.

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by Sara Swanson

Sara Swanson is an editor, writer and founder of the Manchester Mirror.