Join us on February 14th as we celebrate Ash Wednesday. We will be offering the following options:

7:30 AM - 9:00 AM: Drive-Up Ashes & Prayer + Communion

6:00 PM - 7:30 PM: Come & Go Ashes + Communion

• Free cookies and hot cocoa will be available in the Coffee Bar during the Come & Go Ashes from 6:00-7:30 PM.

What is Ash Wednesday? It’s the first day of Lent, which is the forty-day time period leading up to Easter. For centuries, it’s been a special time for followers of Jesus to take care of some spiritual business that sometimes doesn’t get taken care of during the rest of the year.

Why ashes? Ashes are an ancient symbol to remind us of two things: First, our mortality (from dust you came and to dust you return). Knowing this reminds us to make the most of our days by living out the great commandment and great commission—Love God, love people, and share the Good News of Jesus in all we say and do.

Secondly, ashes remind us to repent. The idea is to use the days between Ash Wednesday and Easter to do some spiritual housekeeping--a spiritual spring cleaning. Just like with your home, you take time to clean all the dirty nooks and crannies, the closets where junk accumulates, and the spare room where stuff gets dumped. Spiritually speaking, we tend to collect habits, hurts, and hang-ups that cloud our lives, impede our relationships, smudge our minds, and distract our souls. We should do some clean-up work with God’s grace and guidance so that Easter can be a new, fresh, and clean beginning.