LENT BEGINS WITH ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 6.
Our Lenten journey of preparation for the celebration of Easter will begin with Ash Wednesday on February 6th.
As a bit of trivia: Ash Wednesday may fall anytime from February 3 to March 10 and Easter will fall on the Sunday after the first full moon after March 21. The word Lent comes from the Anglo-Saxon "lencten," which means "spring," the time of the lengthening of days. At first Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism on Easter Eve. Eventually Lent became a time of reflection and self-examination for all Christians. In our busy everyday lives, Lent is a time of renewal, a time to remember Jesus and to walk with Christ in study, prayer, worship and service to others.
Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter. Lent lasts 40 days, not counting Sundays. Sundays are not counted because Sunday is considered a "little Easter." Ash Wednesday worship focuses on the themes of sin and death in the light of God's redeeming love made known in Jesus Christ.
In our Ash Wednesday worship, we will share in the sacrament of Holy Communion and share in the imposition of ashes. What do the Ashes mean on Ash Wednesday? Scripture refers to ashes both as a sign of mortality and a sign of repentance. The imposition of ashes means that the mark of the cross will be made on your forehead in the sign of the cross and the words, "Repent and believe the Gospel."
Join us for a Lenten Study: We will share in a Lenten Bible Study on Wednesdays during Lent from noon to 12:50 pm at the church. The dates for the study will be February 13, 20, 27, March 5, 12, and 19. Bring a sack lunch and your Bible. This Bible study will look at the Lectionary Scriptures for each week during Lent. The Lectionary is prescribed Scripture readings for each week of the year that is used by United Methodists and other Christian denominations. The Lectionary follows a three-year cycle and each week's readings include Scripture from the Old Testament, Gospels, Epistles and Psalms. The Lenten Lectionary Scriptures will also be read and preached from in Sunday worship during Lent. If you are unable to join us for the Lenten study, please read the Scriptures each week in preparation for worship.
The Lenten Scriptures include:
Week of February 13: Genesis 12:1-4a; Psalm 121; Romans 4:1-5, 13-17; John 3:1-17.
Week of February 20: Exodus 17:1-7; Psalm 95; Romans 5:1-11; John 4:5-42
Week of February 27: Samuel 16:1-13; Psalm 23; Ephesians 5:8-14; John 9:1-41
Week of March 5: Ezekiel 37:1-14; Psalm 130; Romans 8:6-11; John 11:1-45
Week of March 12: Matthew 21:1-11; Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29
Week of March 19: Acts 10:34-43; Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24; Colossians 3:1-4; John 20:
Holy Week Services: Maundy Thursday, March 20, 7:00 pm.
We will share in Holy Communion and anointing with oil at this service. Good Friday, March 21. We will share in worship with our Circuit churches at Wesley United Methodist Church in La Crosse at 1:00 pm.