• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Building Faith

Building Faith

A Ministry of Virginia Theological Seminary

  • HOME
  • ABOUT US
    • Who We Are
    • Our Writers
    • FAQs
    • Contact Us
    • Subscribe
  • ARTICLES
    • ARTICLES BY TOPIC
    • MOST RECENT ARTICLES
  • WEBINARS
  • RESOURCES
    • Choosing Curriculum
    • Vacation Bible School
    • Signs of Life
    • Meeting Jesus in the Gospel of John
    • 5 Marks of Love
    • Growing a Rule of Life
    • It’s Time To…
    • #AdventWord
  • Show Search
Hide Search
Home/Lent/Ash Wednesday Invitation to a Holy Lent

Ash Wednesday Invitation to a Holy Lent

“It became the custom of the church to prepare… by a season of penitence and fasting.”

 

Beginning the Lenten Journey

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent: a time set apart; a holy time; a time to reach deeper into Christ’s love. How do we begin such a journey? In the Episcopal tradition, we turn to the Book of Common Prayer for grounding.  For the Ash Wednesday service the prayer book includes a beautiful and powerful “Invitation to a Holy Lent.” The text begins:

“Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection, and it became the custom of the Church to prepare for them by a season of penitence and fasting.”

Hear an Audio Invitation to a Holy Lent

As a way of sharing this special invitation with the Building Faith audience, Matthew Kozlowski and Charlotte Hand Greeson have recorded the text together. Have a listen… and more importantly, have a blessed Lent.

 

Invitation to Holy Lent: Click to Listen

 


Matthew Kozlowski and Charlotte Hand Greeson are co-editors of Building Faith, and members of the team at the Center for the Ministry of Teaching at Virginia Theological Seminary.

Text from the Book of Common Prayer, page 264. The music, used with permission, is “Moonlight Dance” by Jason Ptaff.

Featured photo “Illumination” taken at Cathedral of St. John the Divine, by Amir Jina, used with permission via Flickr (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)

 

Print PDF

March 5, 2014 By Matthew Kozlowski Leave a Comment

Filed Under: Lent Tagged With: Christian, church, Invitation, Jesus, journey, Lent, religion

About Matthew Kozlowski

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • RSS

Subscribe to Building Faith

You’ll get new articles, plus free weekly updates in your inbox.

We respect your privacy. View our privacy policy here.

Search our site

Search by Topic

New Articles

Pandemic Ministry Burnout

Being human over the last eleven months has been challenging in unprecedented ways. Ways that were …

Continue Reading about Pandemic Ministry Burnout

Video Blessings: An Idea for COVID & Beyond

The practice of giving blessings is an important one theologically and for our community life …

Continue Reading about Video Blessings: An Idea for COVID & Beyond

Starting a New Ministry Position: Five Things I Wish I Had Known

First and foremost, you are here to live freely into the Grace of God and fully manifest the love of …

Continue Reading about Starting a New Ministry Position: Five Things I Wish I Had Known

Footer

Keep In Touch

  • Email
  • Facebook

Upcoming Webinars

Eventbrite Registration

Building Faith

Lifelong Learning, Virginia Theological Seminary
3737 Seminary Rd.
Alexandria, VA 22304

Copyright © 2021 · Building Faith · A Ministry of Virginia Theological Seminary

Design by Blue+Pine Creative, Inc.

Subscribe to Building Faith

Get Articles and Resources by Email

Privacy Policy