Ash Wednesday

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent in the Episcopal Church. On this day, the Church gathers for a solemn liturgy that includes the Imposition of Ashes, where ashes—traditionally made from the burned palms of the previous year’s Palm Sunday—are placed on the forehead in the shape of a cross with the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Ash Wednesday sets a penitential tone, calling the faithful to honesty about our human frailty, mortality, and the need for God’s mercy. It speaks directly to the reality of life and death and our dependence on God.

Lent is important in the Episcopal Church because it is a season of intentional preparation for Easter, lasting forty days (excluding Sundays), echoing Jesus’ forty days in the wilderness. During Lent, Episcopalians are invited to engage more deeply in self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting, and acts of service, as named in the Ash Wednesday liturgy in the Book of Common Prayer.

Lent is not about self-improvement for its own sake, but about turning again toward God, clearing away distractions, and making space for spiritual renewal. By walking through Lent, the Church prepares to proclaim with integrity the joy and hope of Christ’s resurrection at Easter.

Service Times

12:15 pm – Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes

7:00 pm – Holy Eucharist and Imposition of Ashes with hymns