Ash Wednesday March 6, :00 Noon and 5:00 pm

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1 Ash Wednesday March 6, :00 Noon and 5:00 pm Lord of Life Lutheran Church A caring congregation in a special ministry Worship 5:00 pm Saturday 8:30 and 10:30 am Sunday Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) We welcome all as we begin our yearly Lenten Journey. Today we offer the Imposition of Ashes, a traditional ritual for Ash Wednesday, which reminds us of our mortality and our need for God s mercy. We encourage all to participate in this time-honored worship experience. Hearing devices are available during worship; obtain one from an usher. Please see an usher if you would benefit from a large print worship bulletin.

2 Ash Wednesday Worship Silence for reflection and meditation (please turn off cell phones) Prelude Adagio in A minor Bach Psalm (read responsively) Psalm 51:1-17 Have mercy on me, O God, according to your loving kindness; in your great compassion blot out my offenses. Wash me through and through from my wickedness, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight. And so you are justified when you speak and upright in your judgment. Indeed, I have been wicked from my birth, a sinner from my mother s womb. For behold, you look for truth deep within me, and will make me understand wisdom secretly. Purge me from my sin, and I shall be pure; wash me, and I shall be clean indeed. Make me hear of joy and gladness that the body you have broken may rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. Give me the joy of your saving help again and sustain me with your bountiful Spirit. I shall teach your ways to the wicked, and sinners shall return to you. Deliver me from death, O God, and my tongue shall sing of your righteousness, O God of my salvation. Open my lips, O Lord, and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. Had you desired it, I would have offered sacrifice, but you take no delight in burntofferings. The sacrifice of God is a troubled spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Prayer of the Day 2

3 Special Music Noon The Wonderful Cross Sue Pedersen, Jan Afdahl 5:00 At This Table, Make Us One Celebration Choir Mason/Tomlin/Reeves/Walt/ Arr. Larson Bach/Purifoy/Stewart Gospel Matthew 6:1-6, The Holy Gospel according to Matthew, the 6 th Chapter. Glory to you, O Lord. In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commends almsgiving, prayer, and fasting, but emphasizes that spiritual devotion must not be done for show. [Jesus said to the disciples:] "Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 3 But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 5 "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 6 But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 16 "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. 17 But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, 18 so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. 19 "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; 20 but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. 21 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." The Gospel of the Lord Praise to you, O Christ Sermon Pastor Ron Pechauer 3

4 Hymn of the Day We Are Called ELW 720 Come! Live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God. Refrain We are called to act with justice, we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God. Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear! We are called to be hope for the hopeless so hatred and blindness will be no more. Refrain Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one! God will reign, and we'll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love. Refrain Offering Offertory O Love, How Deep Manz Exhortation Brothers and Sisters: God created us to experience joy in communion with the Creator, to love all humanity, and to live in harmony with all of God s creation. But sin separates us from God, our neighbors, and creation, and so we do not enjoy the life our Creator intended for us. Also, by our sin we grieve our Creator, who does not desire us to come under judgment, but to turn to God and live. As disciples of the Lord Jesus we are called to struggle against everything that leads us away from love of God and neighbor. Repentance, fasting, prayer, and works of love the discipline of Lent help us to wage our spiritual warfare. I invite you, therefore, to commit yourselves to this struggle and confess your sins, asking God for strength to persevere in your Lenten discipline. Silence for reflection and self-examination precedes the confession. Confession Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another. Silence is kept for reflection. 4

5 Holy God, holy and mighty, holy and immortal, have mercy on us. For self-centered living, and for failing to walk with humility and gentleness: For longing to have what is not ours, and for hearts that are not at rest with ourselves: For misuse of human relationships, and for unwillingness to see the image of God in others: For jealousies that divide families and nations, and for rivalries that create strife and warfare: For reluctance in sharing the gifts of God, and for carelessness with the fruits of creation: For hurtful words that condemn, and for angry deeds that harm: For idleness in witnessing to Jesus Christ, and for squandering the gifts of love and grace: In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us, and for his sake God forgives us all our sins. Through the Holy Spirit God cleanses us and gives us the power to proclaim the mighty acts of the one who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light. As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ, and by his authority, I therefore declare to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen 5

6 Hymn O Lord, throughout These Forty Days ELW 319 O Lord, throughout these forty days you prayed and kept the fast; inspire repentance for our sin, and free us from our past. You strove with Satan, and you won; your faithfulness endured; lend us your nerve, your skill, and trust in God's eternal word. Though parched and hungry, yet you prayed and fixed your mind above; so teach us to deny ourselves that we may know God's love. Be with us through this season, Lord, and all our earthly days, that when the final Easter dawns, we join in heaven's praise. Eucharistic Prayer Lord s Prayer Our Father, which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen Invitation to Communion Imposition of Ashes and Distribution of the Sacrament We will receive the Sacrament by Intinction. You will be ushered to one of the stations at the front of the church. The pastor will first offer the Imposition of Ashes, a communion assistant will then place the bread in your hand, and you may dip the bread in the chalice held by another communion assistant. Feel free to go directly to the person offering Holy Communion if you do not desire the Imposition of Ashes. Your personal meditation may take place as you come forward and as you return to your seat. Hymns During Imposition of Ashes and Communion 6

7 In the Cross of Christ I Glory ELW 324 In the cross of Christ I glory, tow'ring o'er the wrecks of time. All the light of sacred story gathers round its head sublime. When the woes of life o'ertake me, hopes deceive, and fears annoy, never shall the cross forsake me; lo, it glows with peace and joy. When the sun of bliss is beaming light and love upon my way, from the cross the radiance streaming adds more luster to the day. Bane and blessing, pain and pleasure, by the cross are sanctified; peace is there that knows no measure, joys that through all time abide. God Loved the World ELW 323 God loved the world so that he gave his only Son the lost to save, that all who would in him believe should everlasting life receive. Christ Jesus is the ground of faith, who was made flesh and suffered death; all who confide in Christ alone are built on this chief cornerstone. If you are ill, if death draws near, this truth your troubled heart can cheer: Christ Jesus rescues us from death; that is the firmest ground of faith. Be of good cheer, for God's own Son forgives all sins that you have done, and justified by Jesus' blood, your baptism grants the highest good. All glory to the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, Three in One! To you, O blessed Trinity, be praise now and eternally! I Want Jesus to Walk with Me ELW 325 I want Jesus to walk with me; I want Jesus to walk with me; all along my pilgrim journey, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me. In my trials, Lord, walk with me; in my trials, Lord, walk with me; when my heart is almost breaking, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me. When I'm in trouble, Lord, walk with me; when I'm in trouble, Lord, walk with me; when my head is bowed in sorrow, Lord, I want Jesus to walk with me. Merciful God, accompany our journey through these forty days. Renew us in the gift of baptism, that we may provide for those who are poor, pray for those in need, fast 7

8 from self-indulgence, and above all that we may find our treasure in the life of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen God grant you endurance in suffering and the hope of sharing the glory of God. Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, bless and preserve you. Amen Sending Song Beneath the Cross of Jesus ELW 338 Beneath the cross of Jesus I long to take my stand; the shadow of a mighty rock within a weary land, a home within a wilderness, a rest upon the way, from the burning of the noontide heat and burdens of the day. Upon the cross of Jesus, my eye at times can see the very dying form of one who suffered there for me. And from my contrite heart, with tears, two wonders I confess: the wonder of his glorious love and my unworthiness. I take, O cross, your shadow for my abiding place; I ask no other sunshine than the sunshine of his face; content to let the world go by, to know no gain nor loss, my sinful self my only shame, my glory all, the cross. Leave in silence and reflection Music and words printed with permission from CCLI License # , OneLicense.net 3A From sundaysandseasons.com. Copyright 2006 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License # New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Assisting in Worship at noon Communion Assistants Altar Guild Assisting in Worship at 5:00 Communion Assistants Altar Guild Bonnie & Ron Siegel, Laurey & Don Hanson Chris Anderson, Bev Sorensen John Reeber, Karen & Glenn Austad, Buggie Anderson Betty Merwin, Jane Krogh 8