the cleansing of our hearts

may these forty days
not be a time on the waters
as Noah wandering in the ark
or a time in the desert
as Christ in the time of his temptation
more like the time when Elijah
heard your still small voice
drawing him to you
to service for you

may these forty days
be a time of discerning
of reading your word
down from the time on Mt. Sinai
when you first gave you law
commandments for our lives
and all the word, the prophets
all that was written down
all your love for us

may these forty days
lead us back to you
the repentance of all of our sin
and the cleansing of our hearts
all that is the way being forever cast off
that we may hear that voice yet
and follow Christ’s example
being your light, your love,
messages for your world

February 25, 2012
Worship Theme – “Ash Wednesday”
Prelude
Unison Prayer
Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 (CEB)
Joel 2:12-17a (CEB)
Prayer of Confession (Psalm 51:3)
Pastoral Prayer
Word of Assurance (GBOD 2012)
The Great Thanksgiving for Early Lent
(The Book of Worship, pages 60-61)
Thanksgiving over the ashes
Distribution of the Ashes
hymn, “Sunday’s Palms Are Wednesday’s Ashes” TFWS #2138
and Ash Wednesday Meditation,
“The Math of Lent”
by Pastor Ruth Foss
http://www.facebook.com/pastorruthfoss
http://www.ahandmaidenofthelord.blogspot.com
http://pastorruth.posterous.com/
A Handmaiden of the Lord
http://www.suncookumc.org
Suncook United Methodist Church
http://facebook.com/groups/136632035559/
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Suncook-United-Methodist-Church/102221356487965
Suncook, NH
Ash Wednesday
February 22, 2012

All of my poems are copyrighted by Raymond A. Foss, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012. All rights reserved. Contact me at Ray Foss for usage. See all 16,100+ of my poems at http://www.raymondafoss.blogspot.com Poetry Where You Live