*This year, we will be having both a morning and evening service for Ash Wednesday.
Join us at 7:30am or 7pm!
A good spiritual life connects to where we come from, even in the midst of where we are now. It gives us roots. It ties us to the past in a way that enables us to know who we are, and where we are, in the present. But it also grounds us in the expectation of our future hope as we consider the certainty that comes with our mortality. This is perhaps no more prevalent than in the Service of Ash we will celebrate on February 14th.
Every year, Ash Wednesday calls us back to the paths from which we have strayed, refocuses our attention on both the way and the goal of our journey through life. It is a continuing reminder across the centuries that life is transient, that change is immanent, and therefore also urgent. Ash Wednesday invites us to get back in touch with the nexus between the eternal God and our finite condition.
Ash Wednesday is therefore, at its core, an invitation to hear and respond to the Gospel one more time. It is the night when we consider again the words of Jesus: "The time promised by God has come at last!” he announced. “The Kingdom of God is near! Repent of your sins and believe the Good News!” Together, we turn our eyes towards Jerusalem and diligently, deliberately, move to the Cross and onward through death to the Hope of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
We’ll be hearing a special homily from Suz Skinner, Spiritual Formation Associate at Leadership Transformations!
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Emmaus Faculty, Abide Faculty, & Spiritual Formation Associate
Suz received her degree in Art Education from Pennsylvania State University, received theological education from Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary through CCO and IVCF campus ministries, and completed the Selah Certificate Program in Spiritual Direction. After serving in campus ministry, Suz has also served on church staff teams, in both youth ministry and adult discipleship ministry. In addition, Suz has worked as a visual arts instructor, for over two decades. Currently, Suz serves LTI at the Pierce Center for Disciple-Building at Gordon Conwell Theological Seminary and on the faculty team for the Emmaus: Certificate in Formational Leadership. As both an artist and a spiritual director, Suz offers creative soul care and spiritual direction in her art studio. Five clever grandkids, along with their loving parents, continually bless Suz and her husband, Joel. Suz loves to fill her kitchen with friends and good conversation and is always refreshed by an oceanside walk. “God continues to use the grace-filled people and the attentive spaciousness of LTI to shape me for Christ’s Kingdom.“