March 6,2019 @6:30
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"WHAT IS SHROVE TUESDAY?" “WHAT IS ASH WEDNESDAY?” ALTHOUGH FAR LESS WIDELY KNOWN THAN FAT TUESDAY/MARDI IN WESTERN CHRISTIANITY, ASH WEDNESDAY MARKS THE FIRST GRAS, THE TUESDAY IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY IS ALSO DAY, OR THE START OF THE SEASON OF LENT, WHICH BEGINS 40 DAYS KNOWN AS SHROVE TUESDAY. ASH WEDNESDAY MARKS THE PRIOR TO EASTER (SUNDAYS ARE NOT INCLUDED IN THE COUNT). BEGINNING OF LENT, WHICH IS SOMETIMES REFERRED TO AS LENT IS A TIME WHEN MANY CHRISTIANS PREPARE FOR EASTER BY "SHROVETIDE" IN ENGLAND. OBSERVANCE OF SHROVE TUESDAY CAN OBSERVING A PERIOD OF FASTING, REPENTANCE, MODERATION AND BE TRACED BACK TO AT LEAST AD 1000 AND WAS ORIGINALLY SPIRITUAL DISCIPLINE. DURING SOME ASH WEDNESDAY SERVICES, THE OBSERVED AS A DAY OF CONFESSION AND PENITENCE IN PREPARATION MINISTER WILL LIGHTLY RUB THE SIGN OF THE CROSS WITH ASHES ONTO FOR ASH WEDNESDAY AND LENT. TODAY, SHROVE TUESDAY IS THE FOREHEADS OF WORSHIPERS. PRIMARILY OBSERVED AMONG CATHOLICS, EPISCOPALIANS, NOT ALL CHRISTIAN CHURCHES OBSERVE ASH WEDNESDAY OR LUTHERANS, AND METHODISTS. THE WORD SHROVE IS PAST TENSE OF LENT. THEY ARE MOSTLY OBSERVED BY THE LUTHERAN, METHODIST, SHRIVE, A VERB MEANING “TO GO TO CONFESSION AND GET ABSOLVED PRESBYTERIAN AND ANGLICAN DENOMINATIONS, AND ALSO BY ROMAN OF SIN.” CATHOLICS. EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES OBSERVE LENT OR GREAT IN THE PAST FEW CENTURIES, THOUGH, SHROVE TUESDAY HAS LENT, DURING THE 6 WEEKS OR 40 DAYS PRECEDING PALM SUNDAY TURNED INTO MORE OF A DAY OF FEASTING IN PREPARATION FOR THE WITH FASTING CONTINUING DURING THE HOLY WEEK OF ORTHODOX FASTING THAT IS TO OCCUR DURING LENT. THE FEASTING ASPECT OF EASTER. LENT FOR EASTERN ORTHODOX CHURCHES BEGINS ON MONDAY SHROVE TUESDAY ORIGINATED DUE TO THE NEED TO GET RID OF THE (CALLED CLEAN MONDAY) AND ASH WEDNESDAY IS NOT OBSERVED. FOODS/INGREDIENTS THAT ARE RESTRICTED DURING THE LENTEN THE BIBLE DOES NOT MENTION ASH WEDNESDAY OR THE CUSTOM FASTING, SUCH AS SUGAR, LEAVENED FLOUR, EGGS, ETC. THE NEED TO OF LENT, HOWEVER, THE PRACTICE OF REPENTANCE AND MOURNING IN USE UP THESE INGREDIENTS HAS RESULTED IN SHROVE TUESDAY ALSO ASHES IS FOUND IN 2 SAMUEL 13:19; ESTHER 4:1; JOB 2:8; DANIEL BECOMING KNOWN AS PANCAKE TUESDAY, OR, MORE SIMPLY, 9:3; AND MATTHEW 11:21. PANCAKE DAY. WHAT DOES THE BIBLE SAY ABOUT SHROVE TUESDAY? SHOULD CHRISTIANS OBSERVE SHROVE TUESDAY? CONSIDERING THE BIBLE LENTEN STUDY: MARCH 10 THRU APRIL 14 @ 8:45 A.M. WESLEY CAFÉ. DOES NOT EVEN MENTION ASH WEDNESDAY OR THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, STUDY ENTITLED: “NO WONDER THEY CRUCIFIED HIM.” OPEN TO ALL, SHROVE TUESDAY IS NOT A BIBLICAL OBSERVANCE, EITHER. THERE IS JOIN US @ 8:45 A.M. CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH CHRISTIANS EATING PANCAKES ON MARCH 6, 2019 @ 6:30 P.M. SHROVE TUESDAY, OR ANY OTHER TUESDAY FOR THAT MATTER. SHOULD A CHRISTIAN FEEL LED OF THE LORD TO OBSERVE LENT IN SOME UNITED METHODIST CHURCH FASHION, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING WRONG WITH OBSERVING A MAXWELL, IA FEAST THE DAY BEFORE THE 40 DAYS OF LENT. WHAT MUST BE UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, IS THAT SHROVE TUESDAY, ASH WEDNESDAY, LENT, ETC., ARE NOT OBSERVANCES GOD REQUIRES OF HRISTIANS BSERVANCE OF THESE DAYS IS ENTIRELY A MATTER OF C . O PERSONAL CONVICTION. SCRIPTURE. MATTHEW 6:20-21 (NIV) THANKSGIVING OVER THE ASHES 20 MAXWELL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH BUT STORE UP FOR YOURSELVES TREASURES IN HEAVEN, WHERE MOTHS PASTOR: THE LORD BE WITH YOU. AND VERMIN DO NOT DESTROY, AND WHERE THIEVES DO NOT BREAK IN AND PEOPLE: AND ALSO WITH YOU. PASTOR JERRY SWANBERG STEAL. 21 FOR WHERE YOUR TREASURE IS, THERE YOUR HEART WILL BE ALSO. PASTOR: LET US PRAY TOGETHER: PIANIST: DEB MITCHELL ALL: ALMIGHTY GOD, YOU HAVE CREATED US OUT OF THE DUST ASH WEDNESDAY, MARCH 6, 2019 MESSAGE. “WHY ASH WEDNESDAY” . .PASTOR JERRY SWANBERG OF THE EARTH: GRANT THAT THESE ASHES MAY BE TO US A SIGN OF OUR MORTALITY AND PENITENCE, SO WE MAY ENTER TO WORSHIP UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION REMEMBER THAT ONLY BY YOUR GRACIOUS GIFT ARE WE HELP US, AWESOME GOD, TO BE HONEST WITH OURSELVES AND WITH YOU. GIVEN EVERY-LASTING LIFE: THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR PRELUDE WE WANT TO CHANGE OUR WASTEFUL, DESTRUCTIVE WAYS. WE WANT TO SAVIOR. AMEN. BE RID OF THE EVIL THAT WEIGHS US DOWN, THE GUILT THAT CRUSHES OUR CALL TO WORSHIP SPIRITS. HAVE MERCY ON US AS WE REMEMBER AND CONFESS OUR SINS IN IMPOSITION OF ASHES LEADER: PUT AWAY YOUR HESITATION TO COME BEFORE GOD; QUIET THESE MOMENTS OF SILENT STRUGGLE. PURGE US OF ALL THE GARBAGE YOUR FEARS AND ANXIETIES, FOR GOD WELCOMES US. FROM OUR PAST. WASH US IN THE FLOWING STREAMS OF YOUR FORGIVING SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION PEOPLE: GOD IS OUR LIGHT AND OUR SALVATION; WHOM SHALL WE LOVE. CREATE IN US CLEAN HEARTS, O GOD, AND FILL OUR LIVES WITH A NEW (PLEASE BRING YOUR OFFERING FORWARD AS YOU COME FOR COMMUNION) FEAR? AND RIGHT SPIRIT. SUSTAIN OUR HEARTS DAY BY DAY IN RENEWED FOCUS OF LEADER: LOOK TO THE HEAVENS FOR INSPIRATION AND ASSURANCE; YOUR STEADFAST LOVE. AMEN. *HYMN OF DEDICATION ”WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS” UMH #292 LOOK AROUND YOU, FOR GOD’S PRESENCE IS EVERYWHERE. PEOPLE: GOD IS THE STRONGHOLD OF OUR LIVES; OF WHOM SHALL SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION *BLESSING WE BE AFRAID? PASTOR: WE HAVE FELT HIS BLOOD APPLIED, SO GO FORTH INTO THE LEADER: LET US WATCH AND WAIT WITH OUR CREATOR; LET US WORDS OF ASSURANCE (PASTOR) WORLD IN THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S MERCY, TO LIVE AND TRUST IN THE ONE WHO GIVES LIFE AND HOPE. NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION, A TIME FOR PURITY AND KINDNESS AND TO SERVE IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. MAY JESUS CHRIST, THE PEOPLE: TEACH US YOUR WAYS, O GOD, AND LEAD US ON A LEVEL LOVE. GOD IS CREATING A NEW WHOLENESS WITHIN AND AMONG US, THAT BREAD OF HEAVEN, BLESS AND KEEP YOU. PATH. WE MIGHT SERVE TRUTHFULLY AND POWERFULLY AMID THE AFFLICTIONS AND PEOPLE: AMEN. HARDSHIPS OF THIS WORLD. RECEIVE THE JOY THAT COMES WITH THE PASTOR: MAY THE LAMB OF GOD WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ALL, *OPENING SONG OF PRAISE….. “MY JESUS, I LOVE THEE”….. UMH #172 RICHNESS OF GOD’S GRACE. ACCEPT YOUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS. GRACIOUSLY SMILE UPON YOU. PEOPLE: AMEN. INVOCATION (IN UNISON) CONSECRATION OF THE ELEMENTS PASTOR: MAY THE LORD GOD ORDER ALL YOUR DAYS AND DEEDS IN PEACE. WITH EAGERNESS, YET TREMBLING, WE RETURN TO YOU, O GOD, NOT JUST PEOPLE: AMEN, THANKS BE TO GOD. AS INDIVIDUALS, BUT AS A FAMILY OF FAITH. IN THIS SEASON OF PERSONAL PIETY, WE WOULD ENTER INTO CORPORATE DISCIPLINES OF PRAYER AND *POSTLUDE PRAISE AND SERVICE. MAY OUR PRAYERS BE HONEST AND FULL OF CARE FOR OTHERS. MAY OUR PRAISE INVOLVE EMOTIONS AS WELL AS INTELLECT. EXIT TO SERVE GUIDE OUR SERVICE, THAT WE MAY INVEST OURSELVES IN WAYS THAT ARE WORTHY OF YOUR INVESTMENT IN US. AMEN. .