On March 5th, CFC came together as a church body to celebrate Ash Wednesday, which marks the beginning of Lent. 

The service began with songs of praise to focus our hearts and minds on our need for God’s mercy and grace and Christ’s sacrifice, followed by a message and music that focused our minds on gratitude for the occasion. The service concluded with believers of all ages receiving a cross on their foreheads using ash. 

Ashes symbolize mortality and penance for sins. Receiving the ashes on our foreheads is an act of penitence harkening back to the old testament practice of sackcloth and ashes as a form of repentance that we see in the examples of Job, Jonah, and Modecai.  The practice began in the New Testament church in AD 601 along with an established start date for Lent 46 days before Easter. Lent was observed even earlier than this in the 4th century, in homage to Christ’s 40 days of fasting in the wilderness at the beginning of his ministry.

During Lent, we focus our hearts on Christ’s ministry, sacrifice, and final resurrection. The period of Lent was traditionally marked by fasting and abstinence from meat for many Christians. Throughout the Lenten season we endeavor to purify our hearts with a renewed attitude of repentance and practices (fasting or giving up something of our choice) in preparation for celebrating Easter.