Saint Luke’s Lutheran Church
Colorado Springs, Colorado

Ash Wednesday is my favorite liturgy of the church year here at Saint Luke’s. As I will talk about tonight, the powerful message from that little prophetic book of Joel stirs me to my very soul. Those words from the prophet, “Return to the Lord” have been echoing in my head since I woke up this morning. To return to God explicitly points to the fact that we are currently facing somewhere else. Our sinful selves keep pulling us away from what God desires for us. In a lot of ways, contemplating this day can be dark, and even depressing. That, however, is what one of the uses of the law is. We are convicted of our sin. In doing this we hold on to hope. A hope that God will once again relent from punishment and because of his character of steadfast love, forgive us for all of our iniquities.

Pastor Josh

Today is Ash Wednesday. Please remember that we have a full service of Word and Sacrament with imposition of ashes tonight at 7pm. Nursery is available.

Choir meets at 6:30pm every Thursday night. All those high school age and older are welcome.

Strive will meet this Friday, at 6:15pm at the church. Childcare and a meal are provided. We will be worshipping with Holden Evening prayer at 7:30pm. This is the liturgy we are using for Lenten Mid-week services. The congregation is invited to attend!

This Sunday Feb. 26 at 2pm Habitat for Humanity will have a ground blessing for the home that we will be building this year. All of St. Luke's is invited to come and meet the Family! The address for the site is 7624 Crestone Peak Trail. Look for further information in the coming month on volunteer opportunities with Habitat.

Visits with Pastor Josh is Monday, February 27th. We have two time slots available at 6pm and 6:30pm. Call the church office to sign up, or sign up in the atrium.

Handbell Choir meets on Mondays during Lent at 6pm.

Lively Seniors luncheon is Tuesday, February 28th at noon. They are meeting at My Big Fat Greek Restaurant. If you wish to carpool, meet at the church at 11:30am. Please sign up on the sheet in the atrium. The address for the restaurant is 7605 N. Academy.

Women’s Faith Study is Tuesday, February 28th at 6pm here at the church. Each lesson stands alone, all are welcome.

Lenten soup suppers will begin next Wednesday, February 29th. They begin at 6pm. Please sign up if you plan on participating.

Women’s coffee will be Saturday, March 3rd at 8am at Panera on N. Academy. All are welcome to this hour of fellowship.

Go to our Parish Website! Our website is at www.saintlukes-cs.org You can now view sermons in video by linking to them from our website, or go to www.vimeo.com.

First Reading: Joel 2:1–2, 12–17

Blow the trumpet in Zion ;
sound the alarm on my holy mountain!
Let all the inhabitants of the land tremble,
for the day of the LORD is coming, it is near —
[2] a day of darkness and gloom,
a day of clouds and thick darkness!
Like blackness spread upon the mountains
a great and powerful army comes;
their like has never been from of old,
nor will be again after them
in ages to come.
[12] Yet even now, says the LORD,
return to me with all your heart,
with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning;
[13] rend your hearts and not your clothing.
Return to the LORD, your God,
for he is gracious and merciful,
slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love,
and relents from punishing.
[14] Who knows whether he will not turn and relent,
and leave a blessing behind him,
a grain offering and a drink offering
for the LORD, your God?
[15] Blow the trumpet in Zion ;
sanctify a fast;
call a solemn assembly;
[16] gather the people.
Sanctify the congregation;
assemble the aged;
gather the children,
even infants at the breast.
Let the bridegroom leave his room,
and the bride her canopy.
[17] Between the vestibule and the altar
let the priests, the ministers of the LORD, weep.
Let them say, "Spare your people, O LORD,
and do not make your heritage a mockery,
a byword among the nations.
Why should it be said among the peoples,
'Where is their God?'"

Psalm 51:1–17

[1] Have mercy on me, O God, according to your | steadfast love;
in your great compassion blot out | my offenses.
[2] Wash me through and through | from my wickedness,
and cleanse me | from my sin.
[3] For I know | my offenses,
and my sin is ev- | er before me.
[4] Against you only have I sinned and done what is evil | in your sight;
so you are justified when you speak and right | in your judgment. R
[5] Indeed, I was born | steeped in wickedness,
a sinner from my | mother's womb.
[6] Indeed, you delight in truth | deep within me,
and would have me know wisdom | deep within.
[7] Remove my sins with hyssop, and I | shall be clean;
wash me, and I shall be pur- | er than snow.
[8] Let me hear | joy and gladness;
that the body you have broken | may rejoice. R
[9] Hide your face | from my sins,
and blot out | all my wickedness.
[10] Create in me a clean | heart, O God,
and renew a right spir- | it within me.
[11] Cast me not away | from your presence,
and take not your Holy Spir- | it from me.
[12] Restore to me the joy of | your salvation
and sustain me with your boun- | tiful Spirit. R
[13] Let me teach your ways | to offenders,
and sinners shall be re- | stored to you.
[14] Rescue me from bloodshed, O God of | my salvation,
and my tongue shall sing | of your righteousness.
[15] O Lord, o- | pen my lips,
and my mouth shall pro- | claim your praise.
[16] For you take no delight in sacrifice, or | I would give it.
You are not pleased | with burnt offering.
[17] The sacrifice of God is a | troubled spirit;
a troubled and broken heart, O God, you will | not despise.

Second Reading: 2 Corinthians 5:20b—6:10

Chapter 5

20bWe entreat you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. [21] For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.

Chapter 6

As we work together with him, we urge you also not to accept the grace of God in vain. [2] For he says, "At an acceptable time I have listened to you, and on a day of salvation I have helped you." See, now is the acceptable time; see, now is the day of salvation! [3] We are putting no obstacle in anyone's way, so that no fault may be found with our ministry, [4] but as servants of God we have commended ourselves in every way: through great endurance, in afflictions, hardships, calamities, [5] beatings, imprisonments, riots, labors, sleepless nights, hunger; [6] by purity, knowledge, patience, kindness, holiness of spirit, genuine love, [7] truthful speech, and the power of God; with the weapons of righteousness for the right hand and for the left; [8] in honor and dishonor, in ill repute and good repute. We are treated as impostors, and yet are true; [9] as unknown, and yet are well known; as dying, and see — we are alive; as punished, and yet not killed; [10] as sorrowful, yet always rejoicing; as poor, yet making many rich; as having nothing, and yet possessing everything.

Gospel: Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21

"Beware of practicing your piety before others in order to be seen by them; for then you have no reward from your Father in heaven. [2] "So whenever you give alms, do not sound a trumpet before you, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, so that they may be praised by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. [3] But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, [4] so that your alms may be done in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [5] "And whenever you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and at the street corners, so that they may be seen by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. [6] But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [16] "And whenever you fast, do not look dismal, like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces so as to show others that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. [17] But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, [18] so that your fasting may be seen not by others but by your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. [19] "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust consume and where thieves break in and steal; [20] but store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust consumes and where thieves do not break in and steal. [21] For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.