Simple Worship for Ash Wednesday
What To Do When You’ve Blown It
Psalm 51
Gathering
Unison Prayer
Spirit of the Living God, fall fresh on us. As we enter this season of reflection and repentance, cleanse us, heal us, lift us, and direct us only toward your will. In moments of joy and in moments of sorrow, in moments of peace and in moments of wars, in moments of abundance and in our moments of need, abide with us. Abide with us. Abide with us. Amen.
Song: How Deep the Father's Love for Us
Responsive Prayer of Confession (based on Psalm 51)
Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love.
Women: You know my transgressions, Righteous God, and so do I.
Men: I have done what is evil in your sight.
Women: Lord, have mercy
Men: Christ, have mercy.
Women: As your people, we have not been as faithful as we could be.
Men: But we do not know how to escape from our sin.
Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love.
Women: We pass judgment on others;
Men: And we forget that judgment is your job, not ours.
Women: Lord, have mercy.
Men: Christ, have mercy
Women: Do not cast me away from you;
Men: Do not take your Holy Spirit from me.
Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love.
Women: Wipe away my wrongdoings, God of Mercy;
Men: Hide your face from my transgressions, God of Love.
Women: Lord, have mercy.
Men: Christ, have mercy.
Women: Create in me a clean heart.
Men: Put a new and right spirit within me.
Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love.
Women: Sustain in me a willing spirit;
Men: And restore to me the joy of your salvation.
Women: Lord, have mercy.
Men: Christ, have mercy.
Women: You desire truth in my inward being;
Men: Therefore, teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
Leader: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love.
Women: Deliver me from bloodshed, God of my salvation,
Men: And my whole self will declare your praise!
Women: Then I will become an example for faithfulness;
Men: And I will help others return to your ways.
All: Have mercy on us, O God, according to your steadfast love. Amen.
Silent Confession / if you wish write down the regrets you have experience / the sin that continues to haunt you.
After everyone has finished, burn the confessions and use ashes mixed with oil for the marking ceremony.
Song: Refiner's Fire
Imposition of Ashes
Leader: “I sign you with the cross and mark you as God’s own forever”
Word of Assurance - say together:
We have this assurance that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor heights, nor depth nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. Amen!
Song: Lead me to Calvary
Benediction
Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Let the memory of your incomplete humanity awaken you to the wonders, joys, sorrows, and pain of life. Let the ashes you wear be the ashes of transformation; of awakening to the beauty and love of seizing the moment and living it to the fullest.
Let it be said of you that here in this little part of eternity that you lived fully, loved extravagantly and helped humanity evolve into all that God dreamed we can be! You are fearfully and wonderfully made in the image of the ONE who is was and ever more shall be Creator, Christ and Spirit ONE, Amen.