Ash Wednesday

Grant us, Lord, the grace to begin this time of Christian service with a holy fast, that, as we struggle against the spirit of evil, we may be strengthened by the practice of self-discipline. We ask this through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Give ear to my words, O Lord;

    consider my groaning.

2 Give attention to the sound of my cry,

    my King and my God, for to you do I pray.

3 O Lord, in the morning you hear my voice;

    in the morning I prepare a sacrifice for you[a] and watch.

4 For you are not a God who delights in wickedness;

    evil may not dwell with you.

5 The boastful shall not stand before your eyes;

    you hate all evildoers.

6 You destroy those who speak lies;

    the Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.

7 But I, through the abundance of your steadfast love,

    will enter your house.

   I will bow down toward your holy temple

    in the fear of you.

Psalm 5 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Amos 5:6-15 – Hebrews 12:1-14 – Luke 18:9-14

Shrove Tuesday

Mercifully hear our prayers, O Lord, and spare all those who confess their sins unto you; that they, whose consciences by sin are accused, by your merciful pardon may be absolved; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

5 Be exalted, O God, above the heavens!

   Let your glory be over all the earth!

6 That your beloved ones may be delivered,

   give salvation by your right hand and answer me!

7 God has promised in his holiness:

   "With exultation I will divide up Shechem

    and portion out the Valley of Succoth.

12 Oh grant us help against the foe,

    for vain is the salvation of man!

13 With God we shall do valiantly;

    it is he who will tread down our foes.

Psalm 108 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Proverbs 30:1-33 – Philippians 3:1-11 – John 18:28-38

John and Charles Wesley

Lord God, who inspired your servants John and Charles Wesley with burning zeal for the sanctification of souls, and endowed them with eloquence in speech and song: Kindle in your Church, we entreat you, such fervor, that those whose faith has cooled may be warmed, and those who have not known Christ may turn to him and be saved; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen

1 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and all that is within me,

    bless his holy name!

2 Bless the Lord, O my soul,

    and forget not all his benefits,

3 who forgives all your iniquity,

    who heals all your diseases,

4 who redeems your life from the pit,

    who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy,

5 who satisfies you with good

    so that your youth is renewed like the eagle's.

Psalm 103 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Proverbs 27:1-12 – Philippians 2:1-13 – John 18:15-27

George Herbert

Our God and King, who called your servant George Herbert from the pursuit of worldly honors to be a pastor of souls, a poet, and a priest in your temple: Give us grace, we pray, joyfully to perform the tasks you give us to do, knowing that nothing is menial or common that is done for your sake; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen

1 Blessed is the one who does not walk in step with the wicked

   or stand in the way that sinners take or sit in the company of mockers,

2 but whose delight is in the law of the LORD,

   and who meditates on his law day and night.

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season

   and whose leaf does not wither— whatever they do prospers.

4 Not so the wicked!

   They are like chaff that the wind blows away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,

   nor sinners in the assembly of the righteous.

6 For the LORD watches over the way of the righteous,

   but the way of the wicked leads to destruction.

Psalm 1 – New International Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Proverbs 8:1-21 – Philemon 1-25 – John 12:9-19

Lord our God, you are the one God and there is no other. Give us grace to hear and heed the great commandment of your kingdom, that we may love you with all our heart and love our neighbor as ourselves. We make our prayer through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son, who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God for ever and ever. Amen

1 I love the Lord, because he has heard

    my voice and my pleas for mercy.

2 Because he inclined his ear to me,

    therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

3 The snares of death encompassed me;

    the pangs of Sheol laid hold on me;

    I suffered distress and anguish.

4 Then I called on the name of the Lord:

    “O Lord, I pray, deliver my soul!”

5 Gracious is the Lord, and righteous;

    our God is merciful.

6 The Lord preserves the simple;

    when I was brought low, he saved me.

7 Return, O my soul, to your rest;

    for the Lord has dealt bountifully with you.

Psalm 116 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Proverbs 7:1-27 – 1 John 5:13-21 – John 11:55-12:8

Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg

We praise you, O Lord, for the examples of your servants Bartholomaeus, Christian, Hans, and Thomas, whom you called to preach the Gospel in India and elsewhere. Raise up, we pray, in this and every land, heralds and evangelists of your kingdom, that all may come to know the unsearchable riches of Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever.

1 Oh sing to the Lord a new song, for he has done marvelous things!

   His right hand and his holy arm have worked salvation for him.

2 The Lord has made known his salvation;

    he has revealed his righteousness in the sight of the nations.

3 He has remembered his steadfast love and faithfulness to the house of Israel.

   All the ends of the earth have seen the salvation of our God.

4 Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth;

    break forth into joyous song and sing praises!

5 Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre,

    with the lyre and the sound of melody!

6 With trumpets and the sound of the horn

    make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord!

7 Let the sea roar, and all that fills it;

    the world and those who dwell in it!

8 Let the rivers clap their hands;

    let the hills sing for joy together

9 before the Lord, for he comes to judge the earth.

   He will judge the world with righteousness, and the peoples with equity.

Psalm 98 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Proverbs 6:1-19 – 1 John 5:1-12 – John 11:45-54

Elizabeth Fedde, Deaconess

Holy and righteous God, you created us in your image: grant us grace to contend fearlessly against evil and to make no peace with oppression. Help us, like your servant Elizabeth Fedde to use our Christian freedom to make manifest your justice among people and nations, to the glory of your name; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

(Lutheran Book of Worship – RWR)

9 He who planted the ear, does he not hear?

   He who formed the eye, does he not see?

10He who disciplines the nations, does he not rebuke?

    He who teaches man knowledge—

11 the LORD—knows the thoughts of man,

    that they are but a breath.

12 Blessed is the man whom you discipline, O LORD,

    and whom you teach out of your law,

13to give him rest from days of trouble,

    until a pit is dug for the wicked.

14 For the LORD will not forsake his people;

    he will not abandon his heritage;

15for justice will return to the righteous,

    and all the upright in heart will follow it.

Psalm 94 – English Standard Version

Readings for today from the Daily Lectionary

(click on underlined link to go directly to the reading)

Proverbs 4:1-27 – 1 John 4:7-21 – John 11:30-44