Ash Wednesday, Day 1: "Cheers, Facebook and a Loaf of Bread"

Ash Wednesday Worship and Communion, 7pm

Begin your Lenten journey tonight!

The scripture reading is from Mark's Gospel, chapter 8 beginning at verse 14:

Mark 8:14   Now the disciples had forgotten to bring any bread; and they had only one loaf with them in the boat.  15 And he cautioned them, saying, “Watch out—beware of the yeast of the Pharisees and the yeast of Herod.”  16 They said to one another, “It is because we have no bread.”  17 And becoming aware of it, Jesus said to them, “Why are you talking about having no bread? Do you still not perceive or understand? Are your hearts hardened?  18 Do you have eyes, and fail to see? Do you have ears, and fail to hear? And do you not remember?  19 When I broke the five loaves for the five thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” They said to him, “Twelve.”  20 “And the seven for the four thousand, how many baskets full of broken pieces did you collect?” And they said to him, “Seven.”  21 Then he said to them, “Do you not yet understand?” 

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

Questions for Personal Reflection from Steve Sweet

1) For what do you hunger and thirst?

2) How do you fill your need for for God and for community?

Prayer:  God of all seasons, in your pattern of things 

there is a time for keeping and a time for losing,
a time for building up and a time for pulling down.
In this season of Lent as I journey with you to the cross, 
help me to discern in my life
what I must lay down and what I must take up,
what I must end and what I must begin.
Give me grace to lead a disciplined life,
in glad faithfulness and with the joy that comes 
from walking face to face with you, Lord and Christ. Amen.