Ash Wednesday, March 9, 2011

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• Parent Category: Sunday Bulletins
• Published on Wednesday, 09 March 2011 13:39

ASH WEDNESDAY WORSHIP
March 9, 2011 -- 7:30pm

Meditative Verse: Joel 2:12-13
Yet even now, says the Lord,
Return to me with all your heart,
With fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
Rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to God, for God is gracious and merciful,
Slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.

CALL TO WORSHIP:
One:    We gather in the presence of God, our Creator,
who sets before us the ways of life and death.
Many:    We gather in the presence of Jesus Christ,
who calls us to accept the cost of discipleship that
we may know its joy.
One:    We gather in the presence of the Spirit,
who sustains us in trial and rejoicing.
Many:    In our living and in our dying, we belong to God.
In the shadow of God’s wings, we live our days
and now offer up ourselves in worship.
Hymn # 599              Jesus, Remember Me      (congregation seated)

CLAY:  Jeremiah 18:1-6                                                Michael Smith
Thoughts: Kendrick
Time of Meditation
Unison Penitential Prayer of Ambrose of Milan (339-397)
O Lord, who hast mercy upon all,
Take away from me my sins,
And mercifully kindle in me,
The fire of the Holy Spirit.
Take away from me the heart of stone,
And give me a heart of flesh,
A heart to love and adore Thee,
A heart to delight in Thee
To follow and enjoy Thee, for Christ’s sake, Amen.
Hymn # 301        Lord Jesus, Think on Me    (st. 1 & 2, seated)

WATER:  Psalm 51:1-12                                                      Bill Speed
Thoughts: Kendrick
Time of Meditation
Unison Penitential Prayer of Augustine of Hippo (354-430)
O Lord,
The house of my soul is narrow;
Enlarge it that you may enter in.
It is ruinous, O repair it!
It displeases Your sight.
I confess it, I know.
But who shall cleanse it?
To whom shall I cry out but to you?
Cleanse me from my secret faults, O Lord,
And spare Your servant from strange sins.  Amen.
Hymn # 301             Lord Jesus, Think on Me      (st. 3 & 4, seated)

OIL:  Lamentations 3:19-23                                          Michael Smith
Thoughts: Kendrick
Time of Meditation
Unison Prayer: (Maren C. Tirabassi from Touch Holiness)
Gentle God, we thank you for your Lenten walk through Galilee and our lives. We thank you for healing grace and teaching challenge; we thank you for the miracle that our little gifts are turned into many loaves.  We thank you for the parables that tease us, the supper of Passover and Passion that makes us whole, the cross and tomb and heaven that call us.  Gentle God, we thank you that what is written in the gospels and in our hearts is the story of Jesus of Nazareth. Amen.
Hymn # 394                There is a Balm in Gilead     (seated)

ASHES:  Genesis 3: 19c                                                        Bill Speed
Thoughts: Kendrick
Time of Meditation
Those who wish may come forward to accept a mixture of oil, water and ashes on your forehead or the back of your hand as we speak these words: “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. Remember also that you are loved by God with an unshakable love."
Hymn # 540     God Be With You Till We Meet Again    (seated)

Unison Benediction (Romans 8:38, 39)
I have become absolutely convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels or principalities, neither things present nor things to come, neither powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will ever be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.  Amen.

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Participants:
Dr. Kendrick Norris
Rev. Clare Robert
William Speed, Director of Music Ministries
Deacon Michael Smith
Ushers:  Patty Ann Meyer and Bob Howard

Welcome to First Congregational Church!
We are pleased that you are here to worship with us tonight, and trust that you have found inspiration and fellowship.  If we can be of service to you, please speak with one of us, or contact us by phone at 203-453-5249 or e-mail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

Please join us for worship on Sunday.  There are two services: the first at 8:30am in the Chapel and the second at 10:00am in the Sanctuary.  You are also invited to our Lenten Supper & Program series on Wednesdays, March 16, 23, 30, April 6, and 13 beginning at 6:00pm in Fellowship Hall.  Check the Sunday bulletins for details, or call the Church Office.