February 26, 2020 Ash Wednesday Worship guide by St. Luke's UMC

LENTEN SERIES

THE

PASSION PLAY LIVING THE STORY OF CHRISTâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S LAST DAYS

Based on the book by

REV. ROB FUQUAY Ash Wednesday | February 26, 2020

WELCOME! WE’RE GLAD YOU’RE HERE! Thank you for signing the attendance pad with at least one piece of contact information when it is passed. New guests: learn more about us in our “New Here” brochure in the pew backs and find a gift for you at the Welcome Center. CONNECT HERE Stop by the GROW-GO kiosks in the West Passage for information on small groups, classes and ways to grow and serve. PRAYER CONCERNS Share prayer concerns on the Prayer Request cards in your pew pockets and place them in the offering plate – or find the “Prayer Request” link at stlukesumc.com. Pastors are available for prayer after each service. HOSPITALIZED? HAVE A NEW BABY? Call Laura Marine at 317-846-3404 or send an email to stlukescares@stlukesumc.com, so we can care for you. If you have a medical emergency after hours and need a pastor, call the church office and follow instructions. RESTLESS CHILD AREA Enjoy our live services at the east end of the Gathering Area or in the Central Passage, if your child needs a break during worship. PARENTS OF YOUNG CHILDREN Today, childcare is provided at noon in room E124. At 7PM, childcare for infants will be provided in E125 and toddlers and up can be taken to E124. LEARN MORE For more information on classes and activities, pick up a copy of our Winter/Spring Ministry catalog or visit stlukesumc.com.

order of worship A S H W E D N E S D AY | F E B R U A RY 2 6, 2020 PRELUDE Who am I? | Mark Hall Matt Bays, Lauren Walawender, vocals; Dr. Jeff Rogers, guitar

WELCOME Rev. Jevon Caldwell-Gross

* HYMN Lord, Who Throughout These Forty Days | No. 269 Sung to “Amazing Grace”; My Chains Are Gone

CALL TO REPENTANCE & UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION, MOMENT OF SILENCE Rev. Nicole Caldwell-Gross (12PM) Rev. Eric Burton-Krieger (7PM) People: God, we acknowledge today that your story continues to unfold around us. While you are a God that knows and sees all, you still choose to act in our lives. Yet we come to you today humbly acknowledging our sins and realizing we all fall short. When you spoke, we didn’t always listen. When you moved, we didn’t always respond. When you wanted to use our lives as a stage, we didn’t seize the moment. God we thought you could use anybody, but not us. So, forgive us for being spectators when you were calling us to play our part. Forgive us for limiting the roles of others based on our standards. Forgive us for wanting the spotlight and not pointing people to you. For all the moments when we tried to play a part that was never designed for us, forgive us. So today we bring to you our complete selves and our entire stories knowing that you are slow to anger and always quick to forgive. Amen.

* standing, as able

WORDS of ASSURANCE and PARDON

PASSING the PEACE of CHRIST

* PRAYER of CONSECRATION with PASTORAL PRAYER Mindie Moore

SONG of REFLECTION My Story | Mike Weaver and Jason Ingram Matt Bays & Lauren Walawender, vocalists

SCRIPTURE READING | Mark 14:3-9 Rev. Regina Proctor

MESSAGE | PASSION PLAY: The Story We Tell Rev. Rob Fuquay

IMPOSITION of ASHES LENTEN CHARGE POSTLUDE

The Meaning of Lent and this Year’s Theme Lent comes from an old Anglo-Saxon word meaning lengthen, referencing the lengthening of the days as spring approaches. The season originated as a 40 hour observance prior to daybreak Easter morning marking the period Jesus’ body lay in the tomb. Eventually it became a six day observance recalling the events of Jesus’ passion (coming from the Latin word for suffering). These days became known as Holy Week, the days between Palm Sunday and Easter Day. Over the centuries the six days of Lent evolved into 36 days, or a tithe (onetenth) of the year, to devote to spiritual practices that help us reflect on the significance of Jesus’ suffering and death. These practices included prayer, scripture reading, giving to special needs and fasting. The last one has been particularly associated with Lent as Christians emphasize giving-up certain things during this time. Many fast from eating one day a week or giving up indulgences like chocolate. In medieval Germany Christians used up excess lard and dough prior to Lent by making items like twisted dough rings that resembled arms folded in prayer called Bretzels, or pretzels. This is also where pancakes originated, which is how the day prior to Ash Wednesday, the official start of Lent known as Mardi Gras, is also called “Pancake Day.” Eventually four days were added to the beginning of the season, so that Lent started on Wednesday, in order to keep with the significance of the number 40 in the Bible such as the 40 days and nights it rained when Noah and his family were in the ark; the 40 years the Israelites wandered in the wilderness; and the 40 days Jesus was tested in the wilderness. Of course, if you count all the days between Ash Wednesday and Lent you get 46. That’s because the Sundays are not counted as part of the season. They are days to worship and break from fasting and self-denial practices. This why we refer to these as the Sundays in Lent rather than of Lent. Ash Wednesday gets its name because of the ritual of marking our foreheads with ashes and being reminded that, “From ashes we came and to ashes we shall return.” While serving as a somber reminder of our mortality, the season begins this way to remind us that we are more than mortal creatures. We are spiritual beings and this is a time to devote attention to the care of our souls. The ashes used come from the burned palm fronds used the previous Palm Sunday. Our theme this Lent at St. Luke’s is based on The Passion Play in Oberammergau, Germany, a village of 5,000 people who host the world’s longest running passion play. Because of a tragedy, which we will learn about in this series, the people vowed to God to put on a passion play on the first year of each decade. The play is performed entirely by residents in the village and over half a million people will attend this 6-hour performance between May and October. Pastor Rob was asked in 2018 to write a Lenten study for churches based on themes from this play. We will use this study for our Lenten focus and encourage people to join a small group that will follow the book and use a DVD, filmed on location, to start discussions each week. To find out more information on groups you can stop by the GROW-GO kiosks in the West Passage or contact Mindie Moore at moorem@stlukesumc.com. Welcome to Lent.

ST. LUKE’S at WORSHIP TRADITIONAL | 8:15, 9:30 & 11AM | Sanctuary CONTEMPORARY | 9:30 & 11AM | Chapel CONTEMPLATIVE TAIZÉ SERVICE | 5PM Third Sunday | Chapel CONTACT US 100 West 86th Street, Indianapolis, IN 46260 stlukesumc.com • 317-846-3404 info@stlukesumc.com Rev. Rob Fuquay • Rev. Eric Burton-Krieger Rev. Jevon Caldwell-Gross • Rev. Nicole Caldwell-Gross Rev. Regina Proctor Pastors in Formation: Kevin Davis and Mindie Moore

LENT at ST. LUKE’S MID-DAY SPIRITUAL PAUSE | Feb. 27 – April 9 11:45AM – Noon | Prayer Chapel

LABYRINTH RETREAT | March 7 9:30 – 11AM | Fellowship Hall

CHILDREN’S EASTER CELEBRATION | April 4 10AM | Great Hall, Fellowship Hall, Chapel

STATIONS of the CROSS | April 6 – 10 When church is open | Fellowship Hall

MAUNDY THURSDAY | April 9 7PM | Sanctuary

GOOD FRIDAY | April 10 Noon & 7PM | Sanctuary