Ash Wednesday Special Event

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church

205 E. Pecan

Mt Pleasant, TX

RE: Rev. Ethel Channon, 903-277-7790

St. Mark’s Episcopal Church will offer a drive-through imposition of ashes from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. Ash Wednesday, Feb 22. Those wishing to receive ashes marked on their forehead may enter the church parking lot through the circle drive at the south entrance. First, a priest will offer a short prayer. Then, he will pray for those stopping by before marking their foreheads with ashes in the cross sign.

Ash Wednesday marks the 40-day season of Lent that precedes Easter. It is a time of repentance, special prayer and study, fasting, almsgiving, and other forms of self-sacrifice. So Christians have observed since they formed the early Church as indicated by the following appeal of the Book of Common Prayer used in the Episcopal Church.

Dear People of God: The first Christians observed with great devotion the days of our Lord’s passion and resurrection. Audit became the custom of the Church o prepare for them through a season of repentance and fasting. This season of Lent, we provided a time when the convert to the faith prepared for Holy Baptism. Notorious sins were separated from the body and reconciled through repentance and forgiveness. They restored to the fellowship of the Church. It reminded the congregation of the message of pardon and absolution set forth in the Gospel of our Savior and the need that all Christians continually have to renew their repentance and faith.

In the name of the Church, we invite people to observe a holy Lent. It includes self-examination and repentance, prayer, fasting, self-denial, and reading and meditating on scripture. The ashes are an outward sign of intention to keep Lent.

For those interested, St. Mark’s/San Maros will offer Ash Wednesday Holy Communion with the imposition of ashes the same day at 5:00 pm in Spanish and 7:00 pm in English.