Lent — Ash Wednesday

Heart of the Matter
Service for Ash
Wednesday

Joel 2:1-2, 12-17; (or Isaiah 58:1-12);
Psalm 51:1-17;
2 Corinthians 5:20b-6:10; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21

“Alleluia” is the song of praise traditionally used by Christians to
celebrate the resurrection of Christ,

his triumph over sin and death.  The Church customarily refrains
from using this form of praise during the 40 days of Lent, as we are invited to
search our hearts to recognize and repent of

the power of sin within our own lives and the life of our world.

 

Prior to worship, with
the order of service, give each attendee a small, smooth stone with the word “Alleluia”
written on it.  They will be giving up
these stones for Lent as they approach the altar for imposition of ashes. 

 

Call
to Worship
(freely adapted from the Joel reading)

 

ONE:  The Day
of the Lord is coming upon us!

ALL:  O Lord,
we need your mercy and grace!

 

A day of darkness and
gloom, of sorrow and worry,

of grief and shaking
spirits.

O God, sustain us!

 

            A
day of terror and turmoil, of pain and faltering,

of deep sadness and
trembling hearts.

Blow the trumpet! 
Call all the people together!

Bring all the men and women, all the children, all the
elders. 

Raise your voices and sound the alarm!

 

Look, Holy One! 

We gather ourselves
together between the altar and the door! 

We mourn; we weep, we
fast! 

We cannot sing Alleluia
when our voices are broken by tears!

            Most
High, come and save us!  Spare us! 

Do not let them ask, “Where is now their God?”

 

Invocation
or Prayer Before the Burning of Palms

 

God of our Hearts,

not of our outer
garments, nor our church structures,

nor our programs and
human plans,

you are the only one
who can make us pure. 

You are the only one
who can wash us clean of all our sin and guilt. 

You alone can save us
from the terrible Day of the Lord. 

You are the merciful
and just God. 

If we turn, we see
you. 

Help us to turn, O God
of all hearts,

and find you here with
us:

Emmanuel
– the Christ-heart within us all. 

We light
our fires for you, to reflect your shining. 

 

Place dried palms in
flameproof vessel on the altar and ignite.

When the flames die
away, add oil to the ashes and stir

to make the paste for imposition.

 

Litany
of Confession

 

 

ONE:  O God
of Grace, may we not have received you in vain.

When we pray because we
desire others’ good opinion,

ALL:   Forgive
us, Lord.

 

When we give our gifts for
others’ approval,

            Forgive
us, O God.

 

            When
we deny ourselves to get others’ admiration,

            Forgive
us, Merciful One.

 

When we fail to do unto
others as we would like them to do unto us,

            Forgive
us, Spirit of Love.

 

            When
we put our privileged selves first,

before the poor and
needy and disadvantaged of this world,

            Forgive
us, Creator of Truth.

 

            When
we keep for ourselves more than what we need,

            Forgive
us, Give-Away God. 

 

Forgive us our sins and
trespasses and debts. 

Only then can our souls be washed clean and spotless.

Only then can we be your true servants.

Only then will we reach the pure heart of the matter.

 

Assurance
of Pardon

For
the heart of the matter is that we can find our treasures in heaven,

and also on earth, so
long as we are forgiven and set free of our burdens and sin. 

Bless God who frees us and lights up our
heart-shadows with the fire of agape
— love.

 

Response
Hymn
              Many
Are the Lightbeams

(verse 1)                     TNCH 163

 

Offertory
Invitation

As
Christ has given to each of us a loving heart and a generous spirit,

let
us testify for him in the giving of our tithes and offerings. 

 

Offertory
Dedication

God
of the Heart-of-the-Matter,

we
have given you back a small portion of your bounty to us. 

May
it bless the hearts of all who come to our church and partake of its love. 

 

Invitation
to Imposition of Ashes

(Invite all to bring
their “Alleluia” stone to the altar to give it up as a Lenten gesture.)

 

And
so now, come, giving away your stone “alleluias”

for
the next forty days. 

Accept
instead the ashes of humility and the oil of repentance;

be
illumined within your heart,

knowing
that you are forgiven and “alleluia” will return.

 

Benediction—Prayer
after Imposition

So,
you have come in the struggle of your lives

to
acknowledge Jesus and his life and death. 

While
you wear the symbol of all death on your foreheads,

still,
know in your hearts that this is not all there is.

 “Ashes to ashes and dust to dust” is the stuff
of our little lives. 

But
the heart of the matter is the alleluia –

faith
in the God within you and the fire of Christ’s love in your life and work. 

Go
in peace and hope, and gather your true purpose about you! 

You
will sing “Alleluia” once again!  Amen.

 

Hymn Suggestions

Gathering:  Draw
us in the Spirit’s Tether
– TNCH 337

Doxology:
Give Me a Clean Heart — TNCH 188

Benediction
Response: Peace I Leave with You My
Friends

(chorus only) – TNCH 249

Other
Hymns:  Beneath the Cross of Jesus – TNCH 190;

Dust and Ashes – TNCH 186;  

Pues
si vivimos
– TNCH 499;

Lord I Want
to be a Christian in My Heart
– TNCH 454; 
 

If I Have Been the Source of
Pain, O God
– TNCH 544.

 




Heart of the Matter:
Service Prayers for Ash Wednesday, Year A
was written
by The Rev. Marilyn K. Levine, a United Church of Christ pastor serving New
Town United Church of Christ and Parshall Memorial Congregational Church on the
Fort Berthold Reservation at Lake Sakakawea in northwest North Dakota.

Copyright 2011 Local Church Ministries,
Congregational Vitality and Discipleship Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this
material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.