"WHAT IS ?" “WHAT IS ?” ALTHOUGH FAR LESS WIDELY KNOWN THAN FAT TUESDAY/MARDI IN WESTERN , ASH WEDNESDAY MARKS THE FIRST GRAS, THE TUESDAY IMMEDIATELY BEFORE ASH WEDNESDAY IS ALSO DAY, OR THE START OF THE SEASON OF , WHICH BEGINS 40 DAYS KNOWN AS SHROVE TUESDAY. ASH WEDNESDAY MARKS THE PRIOR TO (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 "" IN ENGLAND. OBSERVANCE OF SHROVE TUESDAY CAN OBSERVING A PERIOD OF , 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 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 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: SUNDAYS MARCH 1 THRU MARCH 29 @ 8:30 AM IN DOES NOT EVEN MENTION ASH WEDNESDAY OR THE 40 DAYS OF LENT, WESLEY CAFÉ. BASED ON THE MOVIE: “OVERCOMER.” SHROVE TUESDAY IS NOT A BIBLICAL OBSERVANCE, EITHER. THERE IS CERTAINLY NOTHING WRONG WITH CHRISTIANS EATING PANCAKES ON SHROVE TUESDAY, OR ANY OTHER TUESDAY FOR THAT MATTER. SHOULD A CHRISTIAN FEEL LED OF THE LORD TO OBSERVE LENT IN SOME FEBRUARY 26, 2020 @ 6:30 P.M. FASHION, THERE WOULD BE NOTHING WRONG WITH OBSERVING A FEAST THE DAY BEFORE THE 40 DAYS OF LENT. WHAT MUST BE UNITED METHODIST CHURCH UNDERSTOOD, HOWEVER, IS THAT SHROVE TUESDAY, ASH MAXWELL, IA WEDNESDAY, LENT, ETC., ARE NOT OBSERVANCES GOD REQUIRES OF CHRISTIANS. OBSERVANCE OF THESE DAYS IS ENTIRELY A MATTER OF PERSONAL CONVICTION.

MESSAGE. . .“RETURNING TO GOD’S HEART” . . PASTOR JERRY SWANBERG PASTOR: WE HAVE FELT HIS BLOOD APPLIED, SO GO FORTH INTO THE MAXWELL UNITED METHODIST CHURCH WORLD IN THE STRENGTH OF GOD’S MERCY, TO LIVE AND UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION TO SERVE IN NEWNESS OF LIFE. MAY JESUS CHRIST, THE PASTOR JERRY SWANBERG WE ARE RELIGIOUS PEOPLE, FATHER, OTHERWISE WE WOULD NOT BE HERE BREAD OF HEAVEN, BLESS AND KEEP YOU. PIANIST: DEB MITCHELL ON THIS SPECIAL DAY. BUT MUCH OF OUR RELIGION IS EXPRESSED IN RITUAL PEOPLE: AMEN. ASH WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 26, 2020 RATHER THAN IN RIGHTEOUSNESS. FORGIVE US FOR OUR SINFULNESS, AND PASTOR: MAY THE LAMB OF GOD WHO LAID DOWN HIS LIFE FOR ALL, FOR OUR PIOUS WAYS OF IGNORING OUR SINS. KEEP OUR HEARTS IN TUNE GRACIOUSLY SMILE UPON YOU. WITH YOU, THAT WE MAY ALWAYS BE IN THE SPIRIT OF TRUE REPENTANCE. IN PEOPLE: AMEN. PRELUDE OUR SAVIOR’S NAME WE PRAY. AMEN. PASTOR: MAY THE LORD GOD ORDER ALL YOUR DAYS AND DEEDS IN PEACE. CALL TO WORSHIP SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION PEOPLE: AMEN, THANKS BE TO GOD. LEADER: WE STAND BEFORE A VERY HOLY GOD WHO CALLS US INTO A LIFE OF HOLINESS. WORDS OF ASSURANCE (PASTOR) *POSTLUDE PEOPLE: BUT WE ARE UNHOLY. EVEN OUR RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION, A TIME FOR PURITY AND KINDNESS AND DO NOT CLEANSE US OF OUR SINS. LOVE. GOD IS CREATING A NEW WHOLENESS WITHIN AND AMONG US, THAT EXIT TO SERVE LEADER: GOD WANTS US TO BE TRULY PENITENT IN OUR HEARTS, WE MIGHT SERVE TRUTHFULLY AND POWERFULLY AMID THE AFFLICTIONS AND MORE THAN HE WANTS OUR RELIGIOUS CEREMONIES. THEN HARDSHIPS OF THIS WORLD. RECEIVE THE JOY THAT COMES WITH THE HE WILL CLEANSE US OF OUR SINS. RICHNESS OF GOD’S GRACE. ACCEPT YOUR NEW LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS. PEOPLE: MAY OUR WORSHIP BE AN HONEST EXPRESSION OF REPENTANCE AND RETURNING TO GOD. CONSECRATION OF THE ELEMENTS

*OPENING SONG OF PRAISE……... “INTO MY HEART”……… TFWS #2160 THANKSGIVING OVER THE ASHES PASTOR: THE LORD BE WITH YOU. INVOCATION (IN UNISON) PEOPLE: AND ALSO WITH YOU. HOLY FATHER, WHO IS GRIEVED BY OUR SINFULNESS, AND YET STILL OFFERS PASTOR: LET US PRAY TOGETHER: FORGIVENESS TO THE PENITENT: HEAR, THE CRIES OF OUR HEARTS AS WE ALL: ALMIGHTY GOD, YOU HAVE CREATED US OUT OF THE DUST REPENT OF OUR SINS, THAT YOUR FORGIVENESS MAY RESTORE US IN OF THE EARTH: GRANT THAT THESE ASHES MAY BE TO US A FELLOWSHIP WITH YOU. WE PRAY THROUGH CHRIST OUR LORD. AMEN. SIGN OF OUR MORTALITY AND PENITENCE, SO WE MAY

REMEMBER THAT ONLY BY YOUR GRACIOUS GIFT ARE WE SCRIPTURE...... JOEL 2:12-13 (NIV) GIVEN EVERY-LASTING LIFE: THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR 12 “Even now,” declares the LORD, SAVIOR. AMEN. “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning.” IMPOSITION OF ASHES 13 Rend your heart and not your garments. SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION Return to the LORD your God, (PLEASE BRING YOUR OFFERING FORWARD AS YOU COME FOR COMMUNION) for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love, *HYMN OF DEDICATION “WHAT WONDROUS LOVE IS THIS”. .UMH#292 and he relents from sending calamity. *BLESSING