Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Psalm 51:10-12
The season of Lent is the forty days before Easter (not including Sundays). It is a season of the church year which developed into a season of fasting and penitence by the sixth century. It is a season of reflecting on Jesus’ path to the cross on Good Friday. This series is based on a book by Amy Jill Levine called “Entering the Passion: A Beginner’s Guide to Holy Week.” We will explore Jesus’ experiences from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday each Sunday during worship. We will enter into the Passion of Jesus through “freeze-framing” particular moments in his last days. We will frame his story with art from various artists throughout history, and consider how his story intersects with our own. Ultimately Jesus gives up his life on the cross, and it leads us to consider what our lives are worth. What is worth dying for? What is worth living for? What are we willing to risk as we follow Jesus and his teachings?
Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent on Wednesday, February 26, 2020. In our worship together, we will prepare ourselves for this Lenten journey by preparing the canvas of our lives, applying a base coat on which to create new works of art and new ways of seeing both Jesus’ story and our own.
Since 2017, Pikes Peak MCC has participated in “Glitter+Ash Wednesday,” a movement created by Parity, a nonprofit organization that celebrates the spirituality and religious expression of LGBTQIA people of faith. Glitter+Ash Wednesday promotes the visibility of progressive, queer positive Christians and the loving God we worship. Pastor Alycia will be offering Glitter+Ashes to anyone stopping by Pikes Peak MCC tomorrow between 1-5 pm and during the Ash Wednesday service at 7 pm.
What is Glitter+Ash Wednesday?
- Ash Wednesday is a day when Christians receive the mark of the cross on their foreheads to begin the 40 days of reflection and repentance in preparation for Easter.
- Glitter Ashes lets the world know that we are LGBTQI-affirming Christians. We are in the pews, in the pulpits and giving glitter ashes in the street to those who either may not have time to go to a church—or may have been rejected by a church.
Why are you doing this?
- The public face of Christianity is often a face of intolerance — especially toward LGBTQI people.
- There are millions of Christians who believe that the Gospel commands us to love, not hate. Glitter ashes are a witness to an inclusive Christian message.
- It is commonly believed that the God of Christianity condemns LGBTQI people. This is Christian “fake news” not the Good News of Jesus.
- Christian condemnation is toxic, doing vast damage to queer people, especially to queer youth—and to their families who are told they should reject their children.
- By becoming visible, we show our faith in God who empowers us and wants us to repent of hurting each other. We want people to see how important our faith is to us.
