Lent is a season of forty days, not counting Sundays, which begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on Holy Saturday. Lent is a time of repentance, fasting and preparation for the coming of Easter. It is a time of self-examination and reflection. In the early church, Lent was a time to prepare new converts for baptism. Today, Christians focus on their relationship with God, often choosing to give up something or to volunteer and give of themselves for others. Sundays in Lent are not counted in the forty days because each Sunday represents a “mini-Easter” and the reverent spirit of Lent is tempered with joyful anticipation of the Resurrection.
Ash Wednesday commences this period of spiritual discipline. It is the name given to the first day of the season of Lent, and derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches, and placing them on the heads of congregants. Join us Wednesday, February 26th at 7:00 p.m. for our Ash Wednesday service!