I believe Ash Wednesday is the most honest day of the Christian year. It’s the day we speak most clearly about the truth of our earthly lives:

“We are dust, and to dust we shall return.”

Think about it for a moment. It’s a remarkably blunt and honest observation. We are mortal. We are frail. Our bodies, as we age, will start to fail in a number of ways that we will not be able to control. 

The only difference between us and the dirt is this remarkable “breath of life” that moves in and out of us. But, one day, that breath will cease, and our bodies will return to the ground.

Yes, our faith is grounded in a belief that death is *not* the last word on our life. But our faith is also grounded in a realistic honesty about our time HERE….our time on earth.

“We are dust, and to dust we shall return.”

I hope you will prayerfully consider joining us next Wednesday night at 6:30 pm, for our Ash Wednesday worship. We’ll be unpacking these truths more fully. And we’ll be considering the real meaning of Lent.

Lent is not *supposed* to be a time for groveling or feeling bad. It’s a time for “turning in a new direction.” Which is what the word “repent” really, literally, means in the Bible.

Whether we have one day, one week, or twenty years, our earthly time is short. We are dust, and all too soon we shall return to the dust. We remember this so that we might be motivated to “turn in a new way” and turn back toward God.

Whatever time we have left, we still have this breath of life. So USE that time. Live fully into your life in God and your relationships with others. LOVE fully too. 

You should know that your staff will have a busy Ash Wednesday. Our plan is to offer “ashes to go” to the parents of the Kessler School and our PDO Program during the morning. Then, we’ll spend some time in Bishop Arts offering folks the ashes there too, if they want.

Then, as we mentioned, join us at 6:30 for our own worship at Kessler Park. 

Ash Wednesday is a truly important point in our yearly worship cycle. Don’t miss the time to hear the message of honesty and hope:

“We are dust, and to dust we shall return.”

See you Sunday,

EF