Wednesday, March 5, is Ash Wednesday, the beginning of the Holy Season of Lent.  Each year our preparation to celebrate the Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ on Easter begins with 40 days of preparation through prayer, fasting, acts of penitence and other spiritual disciplines.   Ash Wednesday is the special fast day which begins the season of Lent.  Join Church of the Messiah for this special service, Ash Wednesday night at 7 o’clock for a special Eucharistic service which includes the Imposition of Ashes and Litany of Penitence.  It will be an amazing time of prayerful worship.  Although this is not our usual Wednesday night service, child-care will be provided for the service.

The next Wednesday night, March 12, our regular Wednesday Night Bible Studies resume with the start of our newest Bible Study “A Peek Inside the Devil’s Playbook: A Lenten Bible Study Based on The Screwtape Letters by C. S. Lewis.”  As Fr. Melanson mentioned in his sermon last Sunday, participation in the Wednesday night Bible Study is an excellent discipline to take on throughout the season of Lent.  For anyone wanting to get started with The Screwtape Letters, Fr. Looker has prepared An Introduction to the Devil’s Playbook which you can download to help you get started as well as a Reading Schedule for anyone who wishes to read along (although this is not necessary to participate in the Bible Study).  “The Devil’s Playbook” will be each Wednesday night from March 12 through April 9, beginning at 7 o’clock.  The service includes a time of praise & worship, Bible Study, and intercessory prayer.  Child-care is provided and the service always dismissed prior to 8:30 so that everyone can be home in time to prepare for work and school the next day.