While Ruth cooked up a mess of Shrove Tuesday pancakes last evening I was in the backyard making like an Ash Wednesday pyromaniac. I have been creating havoc with palm branches for decades now, taking the previous year's branches and burning them to create the ashes for the worship service on Wednesday evening. I use an old enamelled bowl which belonged to Ruth's mother for the burning and it is charred after all these fires, the only task it fulfills from one year to the next. I have to give credit to our custodian Edna who tucks the branches safely away after the Palm Sunday service in anticipation of my request ten months later.
I have burned the palms in virtual blizzards on occasion and once inadvertently filled the Halifax church I served with acrid smoke by leaving the doors open while the branches were ablaze. Sometimes I'm not in the best of moods fulfilling this task, but it was a pleasant evening yesterday, and I wasn't madly trying to get them burned down to ash shortly before the event, so I won't complain. Now I will complete the recipe by adding some olive oil. It's such an odd yet meaningful tradition.
Anyone attending an Ash Wednesday service today? Anything planned for the season of Lent to bring the season into focus? God bless your resolve.
3 comments:
At the risk of sounding like a *comprehensive* idiot, I had no idea that was the process.
That's fascinating.
Unfortunately we will miss the service tonight, our daughter is in her school talent show, we have to be there. I always find the Ash Wednesday service to be very meaningful.
As a family we are going to think about water, as per the Sunday School initiative, and I have talked our tween into giving up electronics for one night a week. She's chosen a week night, and we will do the same as a family. It will be interesting to see how we all manage.
I have just started writing on a whiteboard at the entrance into my office, events or a sayings each day. Today I have written,"Today is Ash Wednesday on the Christian Calendar." Already I have had a discussion with a student as to what Ash Wednesday is and there are two students standing reading the sign as I type and having a discussion. I am curious to see what other discussions come up when I put up other events on other religious calendars. Interestingly enough, no discussions came out of yesterday's message, "Today is International Woman's Day".
Yes, I will be leading an Ash Wednesday service this evening. I also had the opportunity to lead a service with a nursing home this afternoon. I don't think they have had this ritual done there in a while and many of the staff wondered what their residents had on their forehead.
We will combine our pancake Tuesday with our Ash Wednesday service this evening. As a way of getting more people to come, we offer a pancake supper before the service. It does help.
I recognized "International Women's Day" yesterday. I think there are those who don't believe it's necessary anymore, but there are still so many issues that need to be faced by women. Did you know it was the 100th anniversary of this day?
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