Why Lent? Why Ash Wednesday?

City Church is not your typical non-denominational church. We truly appreciate church history. We aspire to the best practices of the historic Church.

One practice is the recognition of the seasons of the Church’s calendar.

Just around the corner is LENT, a season of self-reflection that helps us reconsider the meaning of our Lord’s great passion and precious death.

This season is characterized by self-denial. Jesus insisted, “If anyone desires to come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.” (Matthew 16:24)

This call to self-denial took place the first time he told his disciples he was going to Jerusalem to die.

If we follow the story from this point, his disciples really struggled to grasp what he was saying. Though he spoke of his suffering multiple times, when the time came they reacted poorly. When he was arrested, they scattered. When challenged, Peter and others denied knowing him. And when he died, with the exception of the beloved disciple, none of them was with him.

I think it’s fair to ask: If the disciples had truly heard and received Jesus’s words foretelling His suffering, what might they have done differently? What might have enabled them not to scatter when He was arrested? What might have helped them to not deny knowing and loving him? What might have enabled them to be by his side during his agony, like His mother Mary and the beloved disciple?

In other words, what might have enabled His disciples to better walk with him to the cross?

This Lent, our Sunday messages will explore these questions Scripturally. The Bible says, we are “heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with Him in order that we may be glorified with Him.” (Romans 8:17). This begins with self-denial.

The best way to have a great Lent is to begin it together, and to embrace it together. It begins Ash Wednesday, March 5. Our service is at 6PM.

On this night, we allow ashes to be placed on our foreheads in the form of a cross.

What is the meaning of wearing ashes and where do they come from?

The ashes used on Ash Wednesday come from the burning of palm branches from the previous year's Palm Sunday celebrations. Ashes remind us that we originally came from the dust of the earth, and to dust our bodies shall return. Ashes are also a sign of grief, as we mourn our sins.

While the ashes remind us that we will die and return to the ground, the sign of the Cross reminds us that if our lives are in Christ, and if we share in his suffering, we will be raised with Him and given glorious new bodies.

Everyone is invited.

Parents are encouraged to bring their children of all ages, introducing them to the themes of Lent from a young age.

What to Give Up for Lent

During Lent, it's common for people to give up certain things as a way to practice self-discipline and grow closer to their faith. You'll hear about people giving up all sorts of things, like sweets, coffee, social media, or habits like gossiping or complaining. The idea is to ‘let go of’ or ‘fast’ from something you enjoy or rely upon, and use that sacrifice to focus more on your identification with Jesus.

But it’s not just about deprivation; it's also about creating space for prayer, reflection, and acts of kindness.