On Ash Wednesday we begin our forty-day journey toward Easter with a day of fasting and repentance. Marking our foreheads with dust, we acknowledge that we die and return to the earth. At the same time, the dust traces the life-giving cross indelibly marked on our foreheads at baptism. While we journey through Lent to return to God, we have already been reconciled to God through Christ. We humbly pray for God to make our hearts clean while we rejoice that “now is the day of salvation.” Returning to our baptismal call, we more intentionally bear the fruits of mercy and justice in the world.
This year we will join with our friends from Conshy United Methodist to worship @ St. Mark's as we celebrate the unity we share across denominational lines. Please plan to join us as begin our journey through Lent. Pastor Karen and I will be sharing the sermon -- so come learn a little bit about how each denomination approaches Ash Wednesday and how our churches have been working to overcome divisions to seek unity over the past few decades.