Sivin Kit's Garden

Ash Wednesday @ The Father's House

BLC has our first Ash Wednesday Communion Service tonight. It's pretty historical for us as we've gradually come full circle (at least for people like me) in incorporating (innovatively) ancient Christian practices.

Before the event at 8pm ... I went through a heavy downpour with Elysia in the car from Ampang to Petaling Jaya to pick up our guests from USA.

It was not very fancy, a simple service based on ideas I "DJ-ed" from here and here. I used three simple common songs, "Light the fire again", "Be the Centre" and the classic hymn "Savior like a Shepherd lead us" to help weave everything musically.

Rev. Dr. Richard A. Jensen shared from the Gospel of Mark, with the reoccuring theme of how often we like the disciples chose the "glory road" while Christ's way is the way of the cross. And yet ironically, the way of the Cross is how Christ speaks to us, "I am walking with you!" in the circumstances we are in.

It was my first time seeing my preaching mentor speaking in the context of worship. I was thoroughly blessed and could hear the Gospel clearly to me.

The Holy communion/Eucharist was conducted with first the imposition of ashes and then a special planting of some seeds reminding of the hope we have in Christ and the invisible workings of God in this season of our life.

We had one pot where we planted some "proper seeds" but I thought we could relate easily with the green beans too ... and the kids could easily participate as well.

Both Adults and I believe the Children had a meaningful time .. for me, I could pause, confess, receive absolution, hear the Gospel, participate in the nourishing act of the Eucharist, pray and praise, of course, there was some fellowship afterward, all in all for me a very "quietly and gently"moving start for LENT 2006.

Posted by sivinkit at March 2, 2006 12:07 AM