February 22 – Ash Wednesday – 1 p.m.

Welcome to Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ. On this Ash Wednesday, we begin a 40-day sacred journey; a holy pilgrimage leading to Resurrection Day.

Our Ash Wednesday service begins at 1 p.m. in our sanctuary at 620 N. Woods Mill Road in Chesterfield. We will post a link here and on our Facebook page once the live worship once the service begins.

PRELUDE – A Hymn of Penitence – Reger

*CALL TO WORSHIP – Inspired by Psalm 51
One: Have mercy upon us, O Holy One, according to your unfailing love.
All: Refresh and renew us in your righteousness.
One: Have mercy upon us, O Holy One, according to your unfailing love.
All: Sensitize our hearts to the brokenness of this world.
One: Have mercy upon us, O Holy One, according to your unfailing love.
All: Revive us again with a new and right spirit.
One: We come to remember that God is our Creator and that God gives
the breath of life to everything that breathes!
All: We gather this Ash Wednesday to praise God.

*HYMN – I Need Thee Every Hour –#169

I need Thee every hour, Most gracious Lord
No tender voice like Thine Can peace afford

Refrain:
I need Thee oh I need Thee
Every hour I need Thee
Oh bless me now, my Savior,
I come to Thee

I need Thee every hour, Stay Thou nearby
Temptations lose their power When Thou art nigh

I need Thee every hour In joy or pain
Come quickly and abide Or life is vain

I need Thee every hour, Most Holy One
Oh make me Thine indeed, Thou blessed son

*PRAYER OF INVOCATION
God of Grace, we gather together in your name. Today begins a 40-day Lenten journey of spiritual devotion and discovery. As we embark on this fresh, new journey; our hearts long to be touched and changed, O God. Our spirits rise in anticipation of receiving your life-giving Word. Open our mouths to declare your praises. Open our minds to learn your ways. Open every ounce of our being that we may become your community, following in your footsteps, Christ Jesus.
We turn to you now, Forgiving God. Lead us to accept your extravagant grace, we pray. May the manner in which we live please you and welcome all people to your reconciling love. Amen.

GOD’S WORD – Joel 2:1-6, 10-13

CALL TO CONFESSION
One: God is merciful to all who confess their sins.
All: God is summoning us tonight, “Return to me with all your heart.”
One: The Spirit of God is calling, “Turn away from evil. Turn toward me.”
All: So then, let us turn to God and confess our sins.

PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Merciful God, we confess our need of you. Our shortcomings confront us, and our disconnections from you and from our neighbors diminish us. We even cause harm to ourselves by living outside of your hope for us. Draw us near to you, so that we may accept your forgiveness and be renewed; in Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.

SILENCE – Pastor Dan

*ASSURANCE OF PARDON – Pastor Dan

*RESPONSE – Change My Heart, O God – worship booklet, p. 33

Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.

You are the potter, I am the clay,
Mold me and make me, this is what I pray.

Change my heart Oh God, make it ever true.
Change my heart Oh God, may I be like You.

THE IMPOSITION OF ASHES

SPECIAL MUSIC – Jesus Paid It All – arr. Hamilton

GOD’S WORD – Psalm 51:1-4, 6-12 – Pastor Dan

*HYMN – We Come As Guests Invited – #258

We come as guests invited When Jesus bids us dine,
HIs friends on earth united To share the bread and wine;
The bread of life is broken, The wine is freely poured
For us, in solemn token Of Christ our dying Lord.

We eat and drink, receiving From Christ the grace we need,
An in our hearts believing On Him by faith we feed;
With wonder and thanksgiving For love that knows no end,
We find in Jesus living OUr ever present friend.

One bread is ours for sharing, One single, fruited vine,
Our fellowship declaring Renewed in bread and wine-
Renewed, sustained and given By token, sing and word,
The pledge and seal of heaven, The love of Christ our Lord.

THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
All who desire to receive are welcome to receive the bread and the cup at Christ’s Table.

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH – Pastor Dan

*HYMN – Abide with Me – #577

Abide with me: fast falls the eventide;
The darkness deepens; Lord, with me abide.
When other helpers fail and comforts flee,
Help of the helpless, O abide with me.

Swift to its close ebbs out life’s little day;
Earth’s joys grow dim, its glories pass away.
Change and decay in all around I see.
O thou who changest not, abide with me.

I need Thy presence every passing hour.
What but Thy grace can foil the tempter’s power?
Who like Thyself my guide and strength can be?
Through cloud and sunshine, Lord abide with me.

I fear no foe with Thee at hand to bless,
Ills have no weight, and tears no bitterness.
Where is death’s sting? Where, grave, thy victory?
I triumph still, if Thou abide with me.

Hold Thou Thy cross before my closing eyes.
Shine through the gloom and point me to the skies.
Heaven’s morning breaks and earth’s vain shadows flee;
In life, in death, O Lord, abide with me.

*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan

*POSTLUDE – Komm, heiliger Geist, Herre Gott – Zachau

March 2 Livestream – Ash Wednesday

Welcome

Call to Worship and Opening Prayer – Pastor Dan
One: Turn away from evil; and return to your God.
All: God is gracious and merciful;
One: God is slow to anger,
All: And abounding in steadfast love.
One: “Now,” says the Holy One, “return to me with all your heart.”
All: Be still; and know that I am God.
One: Let us pray.
All: God of ever-flowing springs; you are the eternal reservoir from whom all creation
receives life. We enter this sanctuary seeking to return to you, O God.
Bless this time of worship; in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hymn – Lord, I Lift Your Name on High– worship booklet, p. 68
Sing through Two Times
Lord, I lift your name on high:
Lord, I love to sing Your praises.
I’m so glad You’re in my life;
I’m so glad You came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way,
From the earth to the cross, my debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift Your name on high!

Responsive Call to Confession – Pastor Dan
One: Holy God, Maker of all;
All: Jesus Christ, Savior of all;
One: Holy Spirit, breath of life;
All: Have mercy on us. Let us confess our sins.

Prayer of Confession – Pastor Dan
One: Let us pray.
All: God of wisdom and grace; you are acquainted with all our ways.
As we take this first step on a crucial Lenten spiritual journey, we turn to you in prayer. Come, O Holy Spirit; in your cleansing power, breathe on us and fill us with life anew.
God of forgiveness, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word, and action. We confess that we have failed to live by your Gospel of goodness and grace. Forgive us, we pray. From now on, as sinners pardoned and cleansed by you, Jesus; may we faithfully follow in your footsteps of love and compassion. This we pray in your holy name. Amen.

Silence

Assurance of Pardon – Pastor Dan

Hymn – Sanctuary – worship booklet, p. 76
Lord, prepare me to be a Sanctuary,
Pure and holy, tried and true:
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Sanctuary for You.

Lord, prepare me to be a testimony,
Pure and holy, tried and true:
With thanksgiving, I’ll be a living
Testimony for You.

The Imposition of Ashes – Pastor Dan

God’s Word – Psalm 51:1-4, 6-12 – Pastor Dan

The Sacrament of Holy Communion

Prayer of Thanksgiving concluding with The Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors) – Pastor Dan

Hymn – How Beautiful – worship booklet, p. 50
How beautiful the hands that served
The wine and the bread and the sons of the earth
How beautiful the feet that walked
The long dusty roads and the hill to the cross
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

How beautiful the heart that bled
That took all my sin and bore it instead
How beautiful the tender eyes
That choose to forgive and never despise
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

How beautiful the feet that bring
The sound of good news and the love of the King
How beautiful the hands that serve
The wine and the bread and the sons of the Earth
How beautiful, how beautiful, how beautiful
Is the body of Christ

Benediction – Pastor Dan

Feb. 17 Livestream – Ash Wednesday

Join us as we begin the Lenten journey together.

Prelude – Anna DiVesta

Call to Worship and Prayer of Invocation – Pastor Dan
One: Turn away from evil; and return to your God.
All: God is gracious and merciful;
One: God is slow to anger,
All: And abounding in steadfast love.
One: “Now,” says the Holy One, “return to me with all your heart.”
All: Be still; and know that I am God.
One: Let us pray.
All: God of wisdom and grace; you are the reservoir from whom all people receive life.
We come this night seeking to return to you, O God.
Bless this Ash Wednesday worship; we pray, in Jesus’ name. Amen.

Hymn – Jesus, I Come – #369

Responsive Call to Confession – Pastor Dan
One: Holy God, Maker of all;
All: Jesus Christ, Savior of all;
One: Holy Spirit, breath of life;
All: Have mercy on us. Let us confess our sins.

Prayer of Confession – Pastor Dan
One: Let us pray.
All: God of wisdom and grace; you are acquainted with all our ways.
As we take this first step on a crucial Lenten spiritual journey, we turn to you in prayer. Come, O Holy Spirit; in your cleansing power, breathe on us and fill us with life anew. God of forgiveness and grace, we confess that we have sinned in thought, word, and action. We admit that we have failed to live by your Gospel of joy and lovingkindness. Forgive us, we pray.
Lead us to honor you, Jesus, by walking in your way of goodness and compassion. We call on you now, Dear Savior, asking for these blessings:
mend us, fill us,
send us, use us.
This we pray in your holy name, Christ Jesus. Amen.

Silence

Assurance of Pardon – Pastor Dan
We are tempted often to hold on to the past.
But God calls us to leave it behind.

By the grace of our Risen Savior, the past is dead and gone.
The future is open! Let us live in the freedom which God offers.

Through our Savior Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Thanks be to God! Amen!

Response – Change My Heart, O God – worship booklet, p. 33

Scripture Reading – Joel 2:1-5, 10, 12-13 – Pastor Dan

The Imposition of Ashes – Pastor Dan

Special Music– The Old Rugged Cross – Anna DiVesta and Aaron DiVesta

Scripture Reading – Psalm 51:1-4, 6-12 – Pastor Dan

The Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors) – Pastor Dan

Hymn – More Love to Thee – #428

Benediction – Pastor Dan

Postlude – Anna DiVesta