ASH WEDNESDAY
ASH WEDNESDAY MARCH 9, 2011
The first day of Lent in the West is between February 4 and March 10. For 14 centuries the season of Lent has been a time for self-examination and penitence in preparation for Easter. The name comes from the Saxon lengten-tide, referring to the lengthening of the days and the coming of spring. This 40-day period of abstinence recalls the fasts of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, all of which—according to scripture—lasted 40 days. It was originally begun in the Western Church on a Sunday. But since Sundays were feast days, in the latter part of the sixth century Pope Gregory I moved the beginning of Lent ahead four days.
Gregory is also credited with having introduced the ceremony that gives this day its name. When public penitents came to the church for forgiveness, the priest would take some ash (made by burning the palms used on Palm Sunday of the previous year) and mark their foreheads with the sign of the cross as a reminder that they were but ashes and dust. Eventually the practice was extended to include all who wished to receive ashes.
In the East, ashes are not used, and Lent begins on the Monday before Ash Wednesday.
On Ash Wednesday in Iceland, children try to hook small bags of ashes or stones to the back of people's clothing.
Some children's seasonal games used traditionally to begin on this date, notably marbles. In Sussex, Hampshire, and Middlesex up to the 1950s, children brought an ash-twig with a black bud on it to school; any who were caught without one would be pinched or stamped on by the others, up until noon. Some maintained that it must then be thrown away at once (Vickery, 1995: 17). This must be related to the Catholic ritual of blackening one's brow with ashes, but whether as parody or as misunderstanding of the word ‘ash’ is impossible to say. Don't forget to check the calender and join us Wednesday Night at 7PM for our Service
The first day of Lent in the West is between February 4 and March 10. For 14 centuries the season of Lent has been a time for self-examination and penitence in preparation for Easter. The name comes from the Saxon lengten-tide, referring to the lengthening of the days and the coming of spring. This 40-day period of abstinence recalls the fasts of Moses, Elijah, and Jesus, all of which—according to scripture—lasted 40 days. It was originally begun in the Western Church on a Sunday. But since Sundays were feast days, in the latter part of the sixth century Pope Gregory I moved the beginning of Lent ahead four days.
Gregory is also credited with having introduced the ceremony that gives this day its name. When public penitents came to the church for forgiveness, the priest would take some ash (made by burning the palms used on Palm Sunday of the previous year) and mark their foreheads with the sign of the cross as a reminder that they were but ashes and dust. Eventually the practice was extended to include all who wished to receive ashes.
In the East, ashes are not used, and Lent begins on the Monday before Ash Wednesday.
On Ash Wednesday in Iceland, children try to hook small bags of ashes or stones to the back of people's clothing.
Some children's seasonal games used traditionally to begin on this date, notably marbles. In Sussex, Hampshire, and Middlesex up to the 1950s, children brought an ash-twig with a black bud on it to school; any who were caught without one would be pinched or stamped on by the others, up until noon. Some maintained that it must then be thrown away at once (Vickery, 1995: 17). This must be related to the Catholic ritual of blackening one's brow with ashes, but whether as parody or as misunderstanding of the word ‘ash’ is impossible to say. Don't forget to check the calender and join us Wednesday Night at 7PM for our Service
Our Sin Is Offended...
I read a blog called "The Pursuit Blog" It is by a young Methodist in seminary and its purpose is to help its reader's "Pursue God". I recently read a post that struck me through the conscious. Here is an excerpt. for the full post follow the link at the bottom.
The truth hurts because your sin is offended. If you get rid of the sin you get rid of the offense.
This phrase sits heavy on my heart as of late. At the root of of this phrase lies a call to repentance. Repentance is a tough word that people refrain from using frequently. How many churches hear this word preached regularly? Christians by and large in America posses a low view of sin. We use a gradient scale for sin, always with “our” sin being on the low end of the badness spectrum. But to God, all sin remains detestable.
All sin is detestable to God…
…Lying, even the little ones…
…Lust, those seemingly harmless little fantasies…
…Pride, the skewed lens we see others and ourselves through…
…Inaction, the things you simply refuse to do out of laziness or fear…
…And the worst sin we commit in our culture today? The arrogance that our sins don’t matter.
Our Sin Is Offended... - ThePursuitBlog ThePursuitBlog
God Bless.
The truth hurts because your sin is offended. If you get rid of the sin you get rid of the offense.
This phrase sits heavy on my heart as of late. At the root of of this phrase lies a call to repentance. Repentance is a tough word that people refrain from using frequently. How many churches hear this word preached regularly? Christians by and large in America posses a low view of sin. We use a gradient scale for sin, always with “our” sin being on the low end of the badness spectrum. But to God, all sin remains detestable.
All sin is detestable to God…
…Lying, even the little ones…
…Lust, those seemingly harmless little fantasies…
…Pride, the skewed lens we see others and ourselves through…
…Inaction, the things you simply refuse to do out of laziness or fear…
…And the worst sin we commit in our culture today? The arrogance that our sins don’t matter.
Our Sin Is Offended... - ThePursuitBlog ThePursuitBlog
God Bless.
Absolutely amazing! Biblical Temple
Located in Norfolk, Virginia, this retired farmer has this Biblical Temple exhibit in his backyard .. absolutely amazing! He should have been an architect to be able to do something so detailed like this! His work has already attracted many archaeologists. Scroll down to the bottom ..... check out the details.
Alec Garrard, 78, has dedicated a massive 33,000 hours to constructing the ancient Herod's Temple, which measures a whopping 20 foot by 12 foot. The pensioner has hand-baked and painted every clay brick and tile and even sculpted 4,000 tiny human figures to populate the courtyards. But Mr. Garrard, who started the elaborate project in his 40s, says his masterpiece will not be finished in his lifetime.
"I've always loved making models and as I was getting older I started to think about making one big project which would see me through to the end of my life," he said.
"I have an interest in buildings and religion so I thought maybe I could combine the two and I came up with the idea of doing the Temple.
"I'd seen one or two examples of it in Biblical exhibitions, but I thought they were rubbish and I knew I could do better.
"I have been working on it for decades but it will never be finished as I'm always finding something new to add."
Mr. Garrard, from Norfolk, spent more than three years researching the Temple, which was destroyed by the Romans 2000 years ago and deemed to be one of the most remarkable buildings of ancient times.
He then started to construct the amazing 1:100 scale model, which is now housed in a huge building in his back garden.
"Everything is made by hand. I cut plywood frames for the walls and buildings and all the clay bricks and tiles were baked in the oven then stuck together," he said.
Mr. Garrard sculpted and painted 4,000 figures, measuring just half an inch and all wearing their correct costumes.
Visitors come from all over the world to see the model and Mr. Garrard provides binoculars so they can see all the details.
In my exhibit, when Jesus chases the money-changers out of the temple...
I've had a lot of offers from people to buy it, but it's not for sale.
The Temple was located near the site of what is the Dome of the Rock today.
And, finally, here's where the exhibit is housed - In Mr. Garrard's back yard:
Quick Prayer
"God, our Father, walk through my house and take away
all my worries and illnesses and please watch over
all my worries and illnesses and please watch over
and heal my family in Jesus name, Amen."
From the Nurture Committee
God spoke to Solomon in II Chronicles 7:14 saying:
country, our leaders and the church.God gives the same promise to us today. Please pray for our“If my people who are called by my name will humblethemselves, and pray and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.”
BROTHER'S WEEK!
If you have a brother who has made you laugh, punched you, stuck up for you, drove you crazy, annoyed you to no end, hugged you, watched you succeed, seen you fail, picked you back up, cheered you on, made you strong, & is someone you are very proud to have in your life, let him know before its too late.
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