Ash Wednesday is a day set aside to prepare church members to better appreciate the death and resurrection of Christ through self-examination, repentance, prayer, fasting (optional), and self-denial.

Ashes from the burned palms of the preceding year's Palm Sunday are blessed. With these ashes, the pastor forms a cross on the foreheads of worshipers, saying, "Remember, man, that dust thou art, and unto dust thou shalt return" (Genesis 3:19 KJV). 

Ash Wednesday is not specifically mentioned in the Bible, however, from Biblical times, sprinkling oneself with ashes has been a mark of sorrow for sin. Several times the Bible mentions people repenting in dust and ashes; for example: Mordecai (Esther 4:1), Job (Job 42:6), the inhabitants of Nineveh (Jonah 3:5-6), and Daniel (Daniel 9:3-4). Repentance in dust and ashes often was accompanied with fasting during Bible times. 

Ash Wednesday begins the season of Lent. At Lord of the Lakes we gather for Worship at 7pm.