Ash Wednesday Worship
Wednesday, February 18, 2026 • 6:00 PM
TOLLING OF THE BELL
CALL TO WORSHIP (based on Joel 2:12-13)
Rev. Jeremiah Hamby
“Even now,” declares the LORD, “return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning. Rend your hearts, and not your garments.”
Return to the LORD your God, for He is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and filled with compassion and love.
INVOCATION
Rev. Hamby
God of our Hearts, not our outer garments, nor our church structures, nor our programs and human plans, You are the only one who can make us pure. You are the only one who can wash us clean of all our sin and guilt. You alone can save us from the terrible Day of the Lord. You are the merciful and just God. If we turn, we see You. Help us to turn, O God of all hearts, and find You here with us. Amen.
PSALM 51:1-12
Rev. Ruth Perkins Lee
1Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; according to your abundant mercy blot out my transgressions.
2Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity and cleanse me from my sin.
3For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.
4Against 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.
5Indeed, I was born guilty, a sinner when my mother conceived me.
6You desire truth in the inward being; therefore teach me wisdom in my secret heart.
7Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.
8Let me hear joy and gladness; let the bones that you have crushed rejoice.
9Hide your face from my sins and blot out all my iniquities.
10Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.
11Do not cast me away from your presence, and do not take your holy spirit from me.
12Restore to me the joy of your salvation and sustain in me a willing spirit.
For the word of God in scripture, for the word of God among us, for the word of God within us, Thanks be to God!
PRAYER OF CONFESSION Rev. Mitzi Eth ridge-Cantrell
Have mercy on me O God in your great kindness: in the fullness of your mercy blot out my offences. Wash away all my guilt: and cleanse me from my sin.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
For I acknowledge my faults: and my sin is always before me. Against you only have I sinned and done evil in your sight.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Create in me a clean heart O God: and renew a right spirit within me. Do not cast me away from your presence: do not take your holy spirit from me.
Create in me a clean heart, O God.
Give me the joy of your help again: and strengthen me with a willing spirit.
O Lord open my lips: and my mouth shall proclaim your praise. Create in me a clean heart, O God.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Rev. Ethridge-Cantrell
O Lord, open our lips, and our mouths will declare your praise. The Lord creates in us clean hearts; God puts new and right spirits within us. We are not cast away from the presence of the Holy One, and the Holy Spirit is not taken from us. In Christ, we are restored to the joy of God’s salvation; and by God’s grace, our spirits are remade to follow God’s will. Thanks be to God!
HOMILY
IMPOSITION OF ASHES
BENEDICTION
Dr. Chris George
Rev. Bart McNiel
Remember that you are dust and to dust you shall return. Let the memory of your incomplete humanity awaken you to the wonders, joys, sorrows, and pain of life. Let the ashes you wear be the ashes of transformation; of awakening to the beauty and love of seizing the moment and living it to the fullest.
Let it be said of you that here in this little part of eternity , you lived fully, loved extravagantly and helped humanity evolve into all that God dreamed we can be! You are fearfully and wonderfully made. In the image of the ONE who is, was and ever more shall be Creator, Christ and Spirit. Amen.
Invocation written by Rev. Marilyn K. Levine
Prayer of Confession based on Psalm 51, written by Rev. Bosco Peters
Benediction written by Pastor Dawn
