The First Presbyterian Church of Cazenovia in conjunction with the
Morrisville Community Church will hold a Service of Divine Worship on
Ash Wednesday February 22nd at 7:30 pm at the Morrisville Church. The
Morrisville Church is located on 3824 Swamp Road. The service will
include readings from the Old and New Testament, the Imposition of
Ashes, a Responsive Litany of Penitence, and a Lord’s Prayer Litany.
The Meditation “All Our Treasure” will be given by Rev. Steve Thomas,
pastor of the Cazenovia Presbyterian Church.
Combined choirs from Cazenovia and Morrisville will sing the anthem
Just As I Am arranged by John Carter. Catharine Wheat, Director of
Music for the Cazenovia church will lead the choirs and accompany them
on the organ.
A fully staffed nursery will be available for infants, toddlers and
pre-school children.
In Western Christianity, Ash Wednesday marks the first day, or the
start of the season of Lent, which begins 40 days prior to Easter
(Sundays are not included in the count). Lent is a time when many
Christians prepare for Easter by observing a period of fasting,
repentance, moderation and spiritual discipline.
The name “Ash Wednesday” is derived from the custom of marking
foreheads of the faithful with blessed ashes as a sign of penitence
and humility. The Lent season has been a time for self-examination
and penitence prior to Easter for many centuries. The Lent season
comes from the Saxon lengten-tide, referring to the days and the
coming of spring in the northern hemisphere.
This 40-day period of abstinence recalls the fasts of Moses, Elijah
and Jesus, all of which lasted for 40 days according to the Christian
scripture.
Ashes were used in ancient times, according to the Bible, to express
mourning. Dusting oneself with ashes was the penitent’s way of
expressing sorrow for sins and faults. The ashes that are used on
Ash Wednesday usually come from the remains of burned palms that were
blessed on the previous year’s Palm Sunday. They symbolize death,
mortality and sorrow for sin. The marking of ashes on foreheads in
form of a cross also symbolizes that sins are forgiven through Jesus’
death and resurrection.
