Ash Wednesday - A

When Charlie Atlas was a teenager his parents purchased for him a dresser mirror that he placed in his bedroom. Before this, whenever Charlie needed to use a mirror, he went to the bathroom, but there he was only able to see his head and possibly his shoulders. When he got dressed up he used his parents' full-length mirror in their bedroom. Charlie was happy with his new mirror; he spent many hours in front of it.

There is a strange belief abroad in our land at the present time, the belief that we cannot know God. Such a belief rises partly from a feeling of awe before the divine -- the feeling that God is so unfathomable, so other, so beyond our feeble understanding that we cannot possibly experience who he truly is in all of his fullness and perfection. And perhaps that is the reason that the Athenians have erected that idol "to an unknown God" that Paul encounters when he visits their city. They know that there is a god beyond them, but they cannot define him or name him.

(See Proper 23/Pentecost 21/Ordinary Time 28, Cycle C, for an alternative approach to vv. 1-12.)

Psalm 66 is a song of communal thanksgiving, probably composed to celebrate some national deliverance. Because of the personal language of verses 13-20, there is some speculation that this psalm was originally two hymns, but as it stands, it contains a combination of corporate and personal prayers, both appropriate in worship.

BRIEF COMMENTARY ON THE LESSONS

Lesson 1: Acts 17:22--31 (C, E, L)

Are you one of those people who always has a backup plan? Do you make your commitments and focus your energies on one thing, but have an alternative in mind just in case things don't work out with the first one? You might call it "Plan B" or something else, but basically you're hedging your bets and covering yourself in case the situation goes south.

Jesus was still in the middle of his farewell discourse to his disciples. He was trying to comfort the despair that they were feeling when they had first heard the news (during the last supper) that Jesus would be leaving them (John 13:21, 33; 14:1). He had comforted them with the good news that he was on the way to God the Father, that in associating with Jesus, the disciples had been in fellowship with the Father (John 14:6-11). Whoever believed in him, Jesus said, would be able to do the works that he had done, even greater works (John 14:12).

Here are two statements about the world. Tell me if both of them ring true for you. The first of them is this: "The world is a beautiful place." And the second statement is this: "The world is a terrible and dangerous place." Both statements are true - don't you agree? - and yet, ironically, they seem to say the exact opposite thing. How much easier it would be to affirm one statement or the other, but not both.

The name Robert Stroud is not one commonly heard in ordinary conversation, but this man's contribution to humanity will live on in the minds of many under a different title, "The Birdman of Alcatraz." By nature, Robert Stroud was not a congenial man. As a youth he was always getting into fights, disagreements, and various altercations. When he was only nineteen he killed a man in a barroom brawl, was convicted of second--degree murder, and was sentenced to the Federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas, since the crime was committed on Federal land.

In a large stone cathedral in Europe there was a grand, magnificent pipe organ. On a particular Saturday afternoon, the sexton was making one final check of the choir and organ loft high in the balcony at the back of the church. As he was making his inspection, he was startled to hear footsteps echoing up the stone stairway behind him. He thought the doors were all locked and that no one else was in the church. He turned to see a man in slightly tattered traveling clothes coming toward him.

First Lesson: Acts 17:22-31
Theme: To A Known God

Call To Worship
Leader: God is a known God who continually gives us evidence of presence.
People: God is a knowable God who extends to us the hand of hope.
All: Come, let us worship God. Amen.

Collect

Hymns
Our Cities Cry To You, O God (PH437)
Love Divine, All Loves Excelling (PH376, UM384, LBW315, NCH43)
Holy Spirit, Truth Divine (PH321, UM465)
There's A Sweet, Sweet Spirit (PH398, UM334)
Thy Holy Wings, O Savior (UM502)
Come Down, O Love Divine (LBW508, NCH289, PH313)
O Master, Let Me Walk With Thee (OBW492, NCH502, PH357)
My Song Is Love Unknown (LBW94, NCH222, PH76)

Anthems
Praise The Lord, Service Music, Hal Hopson, CGA, Unison 2--part

For May 10, 2026:

• When the Unknown God Comes Near: From Athens to the Promise of the Advocate by Nazish Naseem based on Acts 17:22-31.
• Second Thoughts: The Day to Day by Katy Stenta based on John 14:15-21.
• Sermon illustrations by Tom Willadsen, Mary Austin.
• Worship resources by George Reed.

Contents
"Reason for Hope" by John Fitzgerald

Reason for Hope
by John Fitzgerald
1 Peter 3:13-22

Laura Ingalls Wilder, author of the classic Little House on the Prairie series neared an end to her
life. At this juncture she penned an essay about hope in face of the constant current of change. Here is an excerpt from that writing: 

Contents
What's Up This Week
"Always Be Ready" by Frank Ramirez
"Looking for God" by Peter Andrew Smith
"A Gentle Profession" by Peter Andrew Smith


What's Up This Week

The lessons for the Sixth Sunday of Easter direct us to sermons on the great things God’s love does, appreciating in two cases this love’s cosmic character (especially leading to a stress on justification by grace). This is an appropriate theme with the festival of the Ascension in view, which celebrates Christ’s almighty power and cosmic vindication. 

Acts 17:22-31

In Garret Kreizer's novel, God of Beer (2002), the high school social studies teacher tells the class about Gandhi's assertion that if God ever came to India, he'd have to come as bread, in order to get the attention of the starving peasants. The teacher then asks the class what form God would have to take in order to get the attention of their high school. "Beer," says one student. "Yeah," another chimes in, "it's the only thing to do around here."

Prayers usually include these concerns and may follow this sequence:

The Church of Christ

Creation, human society, the Sovereign and those in authority

The local community

Those who suffer

The communion of saints


These responses may be used:


Lord, in your mercy
Hear our prayer
Lord, hear us.
Lord, graciously hear us.

Hi there, boys and girls! How many of you have rules that you have to follow at home? (show of hands) What are some of the rules you have? (let them tell you) What about at school? Do you have rules there? What are they? (let them tell you)

Why should we even have rules? (see what they think) I think we have rules because it makes it easier for us to be together. If we are all kind to each other, we will all be happier. If there are rules, then maybe people will fight less.