an Interactive Worship Experience • February 17, 2021
Thank you for joining us for this unique Ash Wednesday experience. We’ve worked to create an interactive worship service that works for everyone and that features Messiah’s musicians, staff members, and servant leaders.
We are so glad you’re here!
This worship experience has five sections, which you’ll see below — each with music, scripture, a reflection, a prayer, and a time for you to respond through an interactive activity. We distributed materials for these activities in a kit at drive-thru events. If you didn’t pick up a kit, that’s okay! You can still participate fully. A supply list is below, and printed with each activity guide — most supplies are common household items. Gather these items before you begin, or just follow along with the experience.
You can work through these videos whenever and however you want to. Work at your own pace, choose your own order, pause and help children with the activities, or work through the sessions throughout the day or week. We designed this to work for you and your family!
On Wednesday, February 17 we streamed this collection of videos as one whole Ash Wednesday service. If you would rather engage with the experience that way, you can stream the service on demand, as you would a Sunday morning service at www.MessiahChurch.org/live/ondemand.
Ash Wednesday Worship On Demand
More than anything, we hope this time allows you space to rest, reflect, and prepare for the Lenten season before us.
Supplies
In order to fully participate it will be helpful to gather the following supplies, enough for each person participating, before you begin:
- Pen or pencil
- Colored pencils, crayons or markers
- Glue or tape
- Post-It Note or small square of paper
- White yarn
- Band-Aid
- Shoelace
- Ash Wednesday Guide (available as a complete document or individual sections with each video)
- Activity printouts (included in each guide below):
- James 1:19 printout (in the Reconcile Guide)
- Acrostic printout (in the Refocus Guide)
- Psalm 51:10 printout (in the Renew Guide)
Download the complete Ash Wednesday Guide & Activities
This introductory video, featuring Pastor Steve Richards, shares about why we participate in Ash Wednesday and how-to use this unique Ash Wednesday experience:
Repent
In the Bible, the word repent means “to change one’s mind.” It’s not just about feeling remorseful about something we did or said, but about examining how we think so as to have a change of mind. True repentance will result in a change of action. As we enter into this Lenten season, let’s do so with a goal of having a change of mind, leaving our sin behind and making room to love God with a whole and longing heart.
This video features Pastor Tami Luckhardt.
Music: What Wondrous Love is This?, led by the Chancel Choir section leaders
Rest
The Lord is calling us right now to find rest for our souls so we are revitalized to go out and do good works for Him. How can you find pause in this Lenten season?
This video features Director of Worship Joy Ann Harmon.
Music: O Great God, Give Us Rest, led by The Way worship band
Reconcile
Reconciliation is about forgiveness – from God and others. When we say and do things that hurt a relationship, we must work to repair what is broken. How do we do that?
This video features Director of Children’s Ministry Karen Klekner.
Music: Lean On Me, led by the KID Street singers
Refocus
God is always pursuing his people, inviting them to return to him. In this Lenten season, how can we refocus on God and others and persevere with endurance?
This video features Director of Youth Ministries Sami Tierney.
Music: Hosea, led by the Chancel Choir section leaders
Renew
When we find ourselves stuck in a rut, sometimes it is helpful to pick up something new or that you haven’t done in a long time. This video invites you to ask yourself: How might God be inviting me to make a fresh start in my life as a disciple of Jesus Christ?
This video features Director of Community Engagement Kami Pohl.
Music: Kyrie, led by the Handbell Choir
Amen.
Walk the Lenten Path
Since the early Christians observed the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, it became the custom that before the Easter celebration there should be a 40 day season of spiritual preparation. We began that 40 day season called Lent on Ash Wednesday. Lent is a season of self-examination and repentance by prayer, fasting, reading and meditating on Scripture.
Join Messiah Church in walking the Lenten path towards Easter. Each day’s simple activity is based around our worship theme and the traditional pillars of Lent: prayer, fasting, and service/giving. Some days focus on a word, where you can consider how that word is part of your life. We also provide a verse each week upon which to meditate. Set aside fifteen to twenty minutes each day for these activities, as we prepare for Easter.
How to get your Lenten Path 40-day calendar:
- Pick up your “path” in the church atrium during office hours (Monday through Thursday 9 am-3 pm or Friday 9 am-noon). This was also part of your Ash Wednesday Kit, if you happened to pick one up.
- Download a printable version below. A new web browser window will open with a 3-page document. In the upper right corner of your screen, click on the printer icon. The “path” will print to your printer on 8.5″ x 11″ paper. Print page 1 for an 8.5″ x 11″ version. For a larger version, print pages 2 and 3 and tape together.
- Prefer to have the Lenten Path mailed to you? Contact Carolyn Loeffler, in the church office at (763) 473-6968 ext 101 or cloeffler@messiahchurch.org with your request and mailing address.
