Good Afternoon First Presbyterian Church,
This week’s “Mid Week Meet Up” is coming to you a little earlier than normal, because tomorrow is Ash Wednesday, and we are offering two different options for worship and the imposition of ashes I wanted to make sure you are aware of:
1:30pm Prayer Service with Ash Imposition in the Chapel
(The Chapel is located on the second floor above the main lobby)
7:00pm Worship Service with Ash Imposition in the Sanctuary*
*this service will also be live-streamed at www.pittsfordpres.org/live
*we will be worshipping with our brothers and sisters in Christ from the United Church of Pittsford and Christ Clarion Presbyterian Church at this service.
Our church family has come to faith here at FPC Pittsford on many different paths, some of which did not include observing Lent. Our Presbyterian Book of Common Worship offers a brief, but helpful explanation of Lent:
“Lent” comes from an old English word for springtime, perhaps connected with the lengthening of days this time of year in the Northern Hemisphere. The season of Lent is time for growth in faith — through prayer, spiritual discipline, and self-examination in preparation for the commemoration of the dying and rising of the Lord Jesus Christ. In ancient Christian practice, Lent was a time of preparation for the celebration of Baptism at Easter. In many churches it remains a time to equip and nurture candidates for Baptism or confirmation, and for the whole community of faith to reflect deeply on the theme of baptismal discipleship. Reconciliation is a key theme in the season of Lent — reconciliation with God and with one another through the grace of Jesus Christ.
Lent is a period of forty days — like the flood of Genesis, Moses’ sojourn at Sinai, Elijah’s journey to Mount Horeb, Jonah’s call of repentance to Ninevah, and Jesus’ time of testing in the wilderness. The Sundays in Lent are not counted among the forty days, as every Lord’s Day is a celebration of Christ’s resurrection. Lent begins with Ash Wednesday and concludes at sunset on Holy Saturday, at the start of the Great Vigil of Easter.
(PCUSA, Book of Common Worship (c) 2018)
May this season of Lent give all of us a sacred space to focus on discipleship and reconciliation through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ.
In Christ’s Love,
Pastor Erin