02/18/2026
Ashless Wednesday Service at 6:30pm
This evening we will gather together in repentance and prayer, placing ourselves under God's word--calling upon the Lord, humbling ourselves before Him, and seeking His face—for forgiveness and healing. Our desire is for the Spirit's renewal, deepening our love for God and strengthening our calling to be salt and light in the world.
In Deuteronomy 6, God calls His people to love Him with our whole being—both materially and immaterially. We are commanded diligently to teach His Word and covenant to our children so that the next generation, too, might love Him with undivided hearts. In Matthew 5, Jesus then calls us to embody the countercultural values of His kingdom in the Beatitudes, which equip us to live out our vocation as salt and light in a world marked by decay and darkness. Whether in the Old Testament or the New Testament, we are urged to practice this discipline of love so that we do not grow complacent in our faith—taking God’s blessings for granted or allowing ourselves to be shaped by the very culture we are called to season with salt and illuminate with light. Repentance, therefore, is always needed. Not just individually, but corporately.
But sometimes repentance is needed more than others. I would humbly suggest that we are in one of those periods. I would suggest that The Church does not seem to be very salty or illuminating right now. I would suggest that The Church is in need of taking a step back and praying, corporately, Psalm 139.23-24, "Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!" This prayer can be scary, but we pray it through a heavenly high priest that provides us with confident access to the throne of grace where we receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.
