재의수요일예배 Ash Wednesday Service

By Kangwon Lee

Play sacred music or a hymn to reflect on the suffering of Jesus.

CALL TO WORSHIP

Tear your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and relents from punishing. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.

(Joel 2:13; John 4:24)

INVOCATION

God, who sent your only Son to forgive the sins of humanity and grant salvation to the believers through the blood of the cross: On this first day of the Lenten season, Ash Wednesday, we come before you with humble hearts. We come relying only on the cross of Jesus. Instead of tearing the clothing that covers our bodies, we tear our hearts and humbly bow before you, wearing ashes instead of crowns. Have mercy on us and pour your grace upon us. Please accept our worship on this Ash Wednesday and grant us the grace of forgiveness and the joy of salvation. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.

HYMN

“Just As I Am, Without One Plea”
(United Methodist Hymnal, 357)

RESPONSIVE READING

Psalm 27

Leader: The Lord is my light and my salvation; whom shall I fear?

Congregation: The Lord is the stronghold of my life; of whom shall I be afraid?

Leader: When evildoers assail me to devour my flesh,

Congregation: My adversaries and foes—they shall stumble and fall.

Leader: Though an army encamp against me, my heart shall not fear;

Congregation: Though war rise up against me, yet I will be confident.

Leader: One thing I asked of the Lord, that I will seek after: to live in the house of the Lord all the days of my life,

Congregation: To behold the beauty of the Lord, and to inquire in his temple.

Leader: For he will hide me in his shelter in the day of trouble;

Congregation: He will conceal me under the cover of his tent; he will set me high on a rock.

Leader: Now my head is lifted up above my enemies all around me,

Congregation: And I will offer in his tent sacrifices with shouts of joy; I will sing and make melody to the Lord. (Psalm 27:1–6)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God, who sees the heart of humanity! We confess and repent of all the sins hidden deep within our hearts. We remember the people of Nineveh during Jonah’s time, who repented from the king to the livestock without exception. Like them, we sit in ashes and repent of our sins. Though we claimed with our mouths to rely on you, our hearts relied on material wealth, health, and honor, consumed by greed and desire. Outwardly, we claimed to follow you, but in reality, we followed false idols. Lord, with sincere hearts, we repent of all our sins and the hardened, stubborn lives we have lived. Grant us the grace of forgiveness. Lord, create in me a clean heart and renew a right spirit within me. We pray this prayer of confession in the name of Jesus, who bore the cross for us. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS

Listen to the word of God for those who truly confess and repent of their sins with all their hearts, relying on the merit of the blood of Jesus Christ:

“To those who mourn in Zion, he will give a garland instead of ashes, the oil of gladness instead of mourning, the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit. They will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.” (Isaiah 61:3)

SCRIPTURE READING

Genesis 3:17–19

Recommended additional readings:

Psalm 103:8–14, 2 Corinthians 5:20–6:10, Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21

SPECIAL MUSIC

SERMON

THANKSGIVING OVER THE ASHES

God, who created us from the dust, may this ash remind us that we are mortal and fill us with a repentant heart. Help us to remember that eternal life is given only by your grace. We pray in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen.

IMPOSITION OF ASHES

The officiant places ashes on the forehead while saying:

Leader: Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:19)

Congregation: Amen.

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Lord, we confess that we are dust.
O Lord, help us never forget.
We confess that we are ashes.
O Lord, help us never forget.
We confess that we are but a handful of earth.
O Lord, help us never forget.
We came from the dust; teach us to cherish our flesh and material things.
We came from the dust; teach us to value this earthly life.
We came from the dust; teach us to cherish our fellow creatures made from the same dust.
Since we came from dust and will return to dust, remove our pride.
Since we came from dust and will return to dust, remove our greed.
Since we came from dust and will return to dust, remove our anger.
Do not let us merely end as dust.
Breathe into our nostrils the breath of life.
Do not let us merely end as dust.
"Breathe on us the Holy Spirit," as you did when you said, "Receive the Holy Spirit."
Do not let us merely end as dust.
May our lives blend the earth and spirit, heaven and earth. (Adapted from "Mystery and Resistance," an Ash Wednesday litany)

*CLOSING HYMN

“Softly and Tenderly Jesus Is Calling”
(United Methodist Hymnal, 348)

*BENEDICTION

Now may the grace of the blood of Jesus Christ, who forgives and saves us, the infinite love of God, who created us from the dust of the earth, and the work of the Holy Spirit, who grants us eternal life and walks with us, be upon all the children of God who have received forgiveness through the cross and resolved to live by God’s grace as they go out into the world, now and forevermore. Amen.

Kangwon Lee wrote this order of Ash Wednesday Service for a bilingual Korean-English congregation. This service may be used when the Korean-speaking and English-speaking members worship together, and it may also be used when each worships separately.

Rev. Dr. Kangwon Lee holds a Bachelor of Arts in Theology from Seoul Theological Seminary and a Th.M. from Methodist Theological Seminary. He earned a Doctor of Ministry from Wesley Theological Seminary in Washington, D.C. He was ordained as an elder in the California-Nevada Conference and currently serves at Jesus Love United Methodist Church in Cupertino.