Ash Wednesday is coming February 17! It is the first day of the 40 days of Lent. To start off Lent, we put ashes in the shape of a cross on our foreheads to remember “we are dust and to dust we shall return.” Ashes were sometimes used to make a type of soap so they represent cleaning but ashes are often used in the Bible to show remorse and repentance – like in Esther 4:1 or Job 2:8.

We begin Lent remembering we are mortal and make mistakes but we have our eyes firmly set on the Easter promises of forgiveness and renewed life! We need that more than ever this Lent as we try to get COVID under control.

This year, Ash Wednesday worship will be on the First English Facebook page and Youtube channel at 7 pm. If you would like ashes for your household, they are available at the SOUPer Bowl donation time this Sunday, Feb. 7 from 11 am – noon. You don’t need ashes though — if you don’t have ashes, I encourage you to use water to make a cross on your forehead during the Ash Wednesday online service. No matter what, we begin a journey of renewal and cleansing together as a people of Christ.

LENTEN MIDWEEK BOOK STUDY – This Lent, we are doing a Wednesday 7:30 pm midweek book study and worship with several other CLAIM (Coalition of Lutherans Advancing in Mission) churches. To prepare, you may want to start reading Bishop Michael Curry’s new book: Love is the Way: Holding on to Hope in Troubling Times. Please email Pastor Sandy (pastorsandycalexis@gmail.com) for the Zoom link.