Lisa Frenz 1997
Meditation Music
Reading: Psalm 51
(spoken over music)
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
Against you, you alone, have I sinned, and done what is evil in your sight, so that you are justified in your sentence and blameless when you pass judgment. Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow. Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice. Hide your face from my sins, and blot out all my iniquities.
Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and sustain in me a willing spirit.
Then I will teach transgressors your ways, and sinners will return to you. Deliver me from bloodshed, O God, O God of my salvation, and my tongue will sing aloud of your deliverance. O Lord, open my lips, and my mouth will declare your praise.
For you have no delight in sacrifice; if I were to give a burnt offering, you would not be pleased. The sacrifice acceptable to God is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. Do good to Zion in your good pleasure; rebuild the walls of Jerusalem,then you will delight in right sacrifices, in burnt offerings and whole burnt offerings; then bulls will be offered on your altar.
(Silence)
P: I have left you behind, O God. I have ignored your Voice, and my soul is a thing of tatters and tears, shredded and ripped by life itself.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence)
P: I have loved only myself: not my family, my friends, my colleagues, much less strangers and those I meet in passing, and my life is a thing of emptiness and despair.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence)
P: I have ignored suffering. I have closed my eyes to the needs of all people, and my love is a thing of hollowness and miserliness.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence).
P: I have taken enjoyment in other peoples misfortune. I have sunk talons of malice into their souls, ripping and tearing them in my anger and frustration, and my joy is a thing misshapen.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence).
P: I have withheld forgiveness to those who have injured me out of spite and meanness, and my spirit is a thing of twisted knots.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence)
P: I have yearned for what the unobtainable, conspiring to get what I do not have, not caring who pays for my pleasure, and my conscience is a thing of murky thoughts and doubtful deeds.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence)
P: I have followed a path of uncaring heedlessness, trampling through your creation as if it were mine to despoil, and my guardianship is a thing of selfishness and corruption.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence)
P: I have wasted my possibilities and talents. I have squandered your gifts and resources, and my potential has faded to a thing of transparency and futility.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
(Silence)
P: I am pierced by pain and cut by sorrow. Only you can heal me, O God. Only you can ease my suffering. Listen to my cries. Grant me the mercy I do not deserve, but so desire and need. Restore me, forgive me, love me.
A: O God, O God hear us now.
C: Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin. Amen.
(Silence).
Hymn: I Lay My Sins on Jesus
Tune: Munich
Text Source: Text: Horatius Bonar, 1808-1889
Music Source: Music: Neu-vermehrtes Gesangbuch, Meiningen, 1693
I lay my sins on Jesus, the spotless Lamb of God;
He bears them all and frees us from the accursed load.
I bring my guilt to Jesus to wash my crimson stains
Clean in his blood most precious till not a spot remains.
I rest my soul on Jesus, this weary soul of mine;
His right hand me embraces; I on his breast recline.
I love the name of Jesus, Immanuel, Christ, the Lord;
Like fragrance on the breezes His name abroad is poured.
Reading: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17
Imposition of Ashes
(Sing during Imposition of Ashes until all have returned to their seats.)
Hymn: O Lord, Hear My Prayer
tune: Hear My Prayer
Text Source: Text: Psalm 102:1-2; adapt. Taize Community, 1982
Music Source: Music: Jacques Berthier, 1923-1994
O Lord, hear my prayer, . . . come and listen to me.
P: (during the Imposition of Ashes) Remember that you are dust, and to dust you will return.
P: Lord be with you. (after all have returned to their seats)
C: And also with you.
P: Let us pray:
C: Gracious God, you love all creation, all things awesome and all things modest. Create in us clean hearts, minds, souls, and bodies that we may worship and serve you in all we do and say, all we are and can be. We ask this in the name of Jesus the Christ, who is our salvation. Amen.
P: God has spoken to all people.
C: We heed the Word of God.
P: God has spoken words of wisdom.
C: We are glad to learn God’s law.
P; God has sent to all the message.
C: We open our hearts to receive it.
P: Hear the word of God and live it!
C: We ask God’s help and guidance. Amen.
Anthem
Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20b - 6:10
Hymn: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying
Tune: Children Praying
Text Source: Text: Ken Medema, b. 1943
Music Source: Music: Ken Medema, b. 1943
Lord, listen to your children praying, . . . send us pow’r, send us grace.
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“Beware... will reward you.
Hymn: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“And whenever... will reward you.
Hymn: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“And whenever... will reward you.
Hymn: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying
Gospel: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21
“Do not store up... your heart will be also.
Hymn: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying
Homily
Offering
Anthem
Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Hymn: O Light Whose Splendor Thrills
Tune: St. Clement
Text Source: Text: Greek hymn, 3rd cent.; para. Carl P. Daw Jr., b. 1944
Music Source: Music: Clement Scholefield, 1839-1904
O Light whose splendor thrills and gladdens . . . O Jesus, blest Anointed One.
As twilight hovers near at sunset, . . . to Father, Spirit, Son, one God.
In all life’s brilliant, timeless moments, . . . whose glory lightens endless days.
The Blessing
P: Remember, God is with you always, during the times of love, times of hate, times of joy and times of sorrow. This is your treasure that will never fade, never decay. No one can steal God from you for you are secured in God’s love through the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Wherever you are, God is: restoring, healing and loving you.
C: Amen.
Recessional Music
Postlude