Ash Wednesday Photos

Almighty and everlasting God, you hate nothing you have made and forgive the sins of all who are penitent: Create and make in us new and contrite hearts, that we, worthily lamenting our sins and acknowledging our wretchedness, may obtain of you, the God of all mercy, perfect remission and forgiveness; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.

Prepare Now for the Joy of Easter

The season of preparation for Easter, known as Lent, begins tomorrow. Lent is the forty days plus the six Sundays before Easter. For centuries, it has been observed as a special time of self examination and penitence. Lent is a time for concentration on fundamental values and priorities, and is not a time for self punishment.

If you have found yourself away from church and wondered about it another try, Lent is the perfect time. For centuries, Lent has offered a chance to try the fellowship of the church one more time. In fact, Lent developed as a way to receive people back into church. If you are questioning your own faith and wondering what you believe, this could be the perfect time to come back to church.

To learn more about this season, we offer the following links:

Keeping a Holy Lent
A web page with more information and a complete schedule of King of Peace's own Lenten schedule for 2010.

Keeping a Holy Lent Booklet
This has information on Lent as a printable booklet, which does not contain information on King of Peace's schedule and so is ready to be used by any other church with our blessing. Our logo is on the front, but you can paste your church's information over the logo and print up brochures for your congregation.

Prepare for Easter's Joy
A religion column for our local newspaper that tells about Lent for an readership assumed to largely not be familiar with the practices of the season.

Shrove Tuesday
Today is Shrove Tuesday. The day is named for the "shriving" or confessing that was traditional on this day before beginning Lent. This day is also known as Mardi Gras, or "Fat Tuesday," because it was a time for eating the things from which one would abstain during Lent. Pancake suppers are traditional as they were a way of using up some of the ingredients not needed during Lent. King of Peace will have a pancake supper tonight beginning at 6:00 p.m. The food is donated and so the meal is free. We will also have bingo for prizes following the meal.

Ash Wednesday
The first day of Lent is marked with a special liturgy. The theme for the day, though not for all of Lent, is that we stand as sinners condemned to die, but for God’s grace. This is symbolized by the imposition of ashes on the forehead, with the words, "You are dust and to dust you shall return." In the Old Testament, ashes were a sign of penitence (feeling regretful at offenses) and mourning. We will host the Ash Wednesday service (on February 17, 2010) at 2 p.m. in the chapel of the hospital and a second joint service with St. Mark's, Woodbine will be held at King of Peace at 7 p.m.

A Note on Fasting
Ash Wednesday is one of two days of special observance (the other being Good Friday) for which fasting is particularly recommended. While this usually refers going without food for the entire day, this practice is not practical for all persons, including, but not limited to, diabetics. Use your own discretion in determining how you can best observe this day, but do consider some form of fasting as you observe Ash Wednesday.

Ash Wednesday Photos

Ash Wednesday

Today is Ash Wednesday, the first day of the season of Lent. The chairs for our worship are set up choir style as pictured above. The pulpit is at the door to the church, the baptismal font is at the middle and halfway between the font and the altar is a copper bowl for burning sins in our confession this evening (pictured below). We move down the aisle of the church from pulpit and hearing the Gospel, to the font of baptism, to the fire which will consume the sins we confess, to communion at the altar.

This shows visibly how we move from hearing God's Word proclaimed to our response in coming forward for baptism and then when we sin we return to God and ask for forgiveness, having done so we move back to the altar to experience God's presence once more in the Eucharist. Come experience this tonight at 7 p.m. in our Ash Wednesday liturgy where we will be marked with the sign of the cross and reminded to, "Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return." It is a moving worship service and a fitting start to our season of Lent.

Remember that you are dust...

The sin burning during our Ash Wednesday worship.

Camden County's Episcopal clergy all served at the evening service

They are the Revs. Dick Casto, John Rogers,
(Deacon) Jennifer Highsmith, Frank Logue, and Linda McCloud.

Beauty for ashes

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

When sorrow seems to surround you
When suffering hangs heavy oer your head
Know that tomorrow brings
Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

When what youve done keeps you from moving on
When fear wants to make itself at home in your heart
Know that forgiveness brings
Wholeness and healing
God knows your need
Just believe what He said

I once was lost but God has found me
Though I was bound Ive been set free
Ive been made righteous in His sight
A display of His splendor all can see

He gives beauty for ashes
Strength for fear
Gladness for mourning
Peace for despair

—by Crystal Lewis

Today is Ash Wednesday, which begins the Season of Lent, a time of preparation for Easter. We will hold a 12 noon worship service at Christ Church in St. Marys and a 7 p.m. worship service this evening at King of Peace.

At King of Peace we also allow, as part of confession, an opportunity for sin burning. A smokeless fire (made of rubbing alcohol soaked rock salt) is lit and the congregation can consign to the consuming flames whatever anyone wishes to write down on paper, leaving behind those things that separate us from God as we begin the season of preparation for Easter. Though confession of sins is a traditional part of Ash Wednesday, the "sing burning" is not. It was adapted from something done at a middle school retreat to be added to worship at King of Peace.

Please join us as we begin our journey toward the cross and the empty tomb.