Etch/Ash Wednesday

Etch is this coming Wednesday and it’s going to be a special one! This next Etch falls on the same day as Ash Wednesday. As many of you know, the past several years we’ve taken time to observe this day in the Church Year.

For more information on the Church Year be sure to check out Pastor Matt’s LifeShare video post a few days ago.

This year is no different in observing Ash Wednesday, except that it falls on the same night as Etch. Because of this, we’ve chosen to make Ash Wednesday the focus of Etch that evening. In the past, Ash Wednesday has been a “family-friendly” night where there is something for all ages to experience the heart of this day.

Not only does our observation of this day fall in line with Etch, but it also falls in line with our study on Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount. From Jesus’ comments on the attitudes of a disciple (The Beatitudes) to Jesus’ expression of his fulfillment of the Law and prophets, we see the desperate need for a Savior to do what we are unable to do. We were in need of one to come and remove the sin that separated us from God. We needed to be reconciled, and the ashes placed upon our heads on Ash Wednesday simply remind us of our sinfulness, our humanity, and our need to repent.

Pastor Matt will be posting another video in the next few days to give more background behind Lent and Ash Wednesday.

Here is what to expect whether you are a regular Etch attendee OR you have yet to attend Etch but have been to Ash Wednesday before:

• There will be a meal, but it will be a simple meal of rice and beans. There will be no children’s option. The purpose behind this meal is to support those who begin to fast for Lent, and more importantly to remind us that food sustains this life, but it is Jesus, the Bread of Life, who sustains us for eternity.
• An Experience. We will not be telling you about Ash Wednesday, we want you to experience it! We will be providing you with several ways to experience the heart behind Ash Wednesday.
• There will be an opportunity for the imposition of ashes. More on this from Pastor Matt.

We encourage parents to use this night as an opportunity to teach your children about simplicity, sacrifice, sin, and repentance. We encourage you to put this night on your family’s calendar. It will be a great experience to join with your brothers and sisters in Christ as we launch into the season of Lent together.