Ash Wednesday Liturgy 2017Primary School

Slide One: (Project Compassion 2017)

Slide Two: (First Australians)  Didgeridoo Music played as all become quiet, lowered as Leader Calls all to prayer and then rises as the procession takes place.  Reader 1:    As we gather today on Ash Wednesday to celebrate the beginning of the Church’s season of Lent, we acknowledge the traditional owners of this land, the _________ people.  We wish to acknowledge and offer our respect to their continuing culture and the contribution they make to the life of this town/city and this region.   Slide Three: (Smoking Ceremony) 

Incense bearer leads procession to the altar (optional): the Reader holds high the Book of the Gospel, the ministers who will ash the community carry the ashes.   

All precede the Celebrant/ Leader of the Ash Wednesday Liturgy.  Slide Four: (Holy Ground)  Gathering songSong: This is Holy Ground Composer: Christopher Beatty    

Choir or lead class:                                                                                   This is Holy Ground,  We’re standing on Holy Ground, For the Lord is Present  And where God is, is Holy This is Holy Ground, We’re standing on Holy Ground For the Lord is Present  And where God is, is Holy.  All Repeat Verse 1 - Ashes and Book in front of altar are held high and incensed   Slide Five: (Holy hands) 

Choir or lead class: These are holy hands we’re lifting up holy hands; He works through these hands And so these hands are holy These are holy hands, He’s given us holy hands; He works through these hands. And so these hands are Holy.  All repeat Verse 2 

Ash Wednesday Liturgy 2017Primary School

 Slide Six: (Almsgiving, prayer and fasting)  Opening Prayer Leader: Let us begin our liturgy together in the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen. God of Love and Mercy, You created each of us as unique images of you,  Yet you created us as one human family.  Teach us to show love and mercy to each other.  Help us to listen to your word today and hear your call to pray, to go without and to act with kindness and love to all. We ask this in the name of Jesus who forgives any wrong things that we may do.  All: Amen  Slide Seven:  (Project Compassion 2017)  Gospel ReadingLeader:  A reading from the Holy Gospel according to Matthew.  (Matthew 6: 1-4 translation from the Lectionary for Masses with Children)  Leader:     Jesus said to his disciples:   Reader 2: When you do good deeds, don’t try to show off.                    If you do, you won’t get a reward from God in heaven  Reader 1:  When you give to the poor, don’t blow a loud horn.  That’s what showoffs do in the meeting places and on the street corners, because they are always looking for praise.  Leader:      I promise you that they already have their reward.  Reader 2:  When you give to the poor, don’t let anyone know about it. Then your gift will be a secret. God knows what is done in secret and God will reward you.  Leader:       The Gospel of the Lord  All:              Praise to you Lord, Jesus Christ  Slide Eight:  (Smoking Ceremony)  Leader:       Ash Wednesday is the first day of the Christian season of Lent. Lent is a time when we pray, do kind things for other people, give up things we enjoy and give to others, as we prepare to celebrate the great feast of Easter.   For forty days, we accompany Jesus on his journey to Calvary and we see the mercy he shows towards others, despite his suffering. Just as God shows mercy towards us, like Jesus, we try to show mercy to others.   

Ash Wednesday Liturgy 2017Primary School

The ashes that will be placed on your forehead today are a symbol to remind us that during Lent we are trying to grow to be more like Jesus.  The cross is a sign to remind us that just as Jesus gave of himself for others, we need to do the same by loving our neighbours.  Let us Pray: Bless this ash so that we can wear it as a reminder that we want to walk with Jesus this Lent, that we want to say sorry for the times we have hurt others, and so we become more loving as we put others needs before our own. Help us to be fair, peaceful and just as we stand with others in our global family who have little.  Note: Ashes are placed in the form of a cross on the forehead with these words: “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.” Slide Nine: (Project Compassion 2017)  Suggested songs for the distribution of ashes Song: Out of Ashes and/or We Turn to You Composer: Michael Mangan Song: Ashes Composer: Drew Lane  Slide Ten - Fourteen:  (Faces of Project Compassion 2017)  Prayers of Intercession  Leader: Lord, we are marked with the sign of your cross, a symbol of love and total giving of self. As we begin our Lenten journey, we join together in prayer, asking your blessing for our world and all people. 

Reader: For our brothers and sisters throughout the world who experience poverty and injustice as a result of greed and power: That leaders of all nations resist these temptations and commit themselves to the Common Good as they turn to justice and peace for all. As One We Pray…

All: Lord hear our prayer. 

Reader: For our sisters and brothers throughout the world who live with discrimination and rejection: May they experience your healing and transforming love through our actions of acceptance and mercy. As One We Pray…

All: Lord hear our prayer. Reader: For the First Australians, like Uncle Richard, who were taken from their families as children: That all Australians can journey with them together as neighbours in this process of healing. As One We Pray… 

All: Lord hear our prayer. 

Reader: For our school community: That we may be inspired to live like Jesus by helping those in need and showing love for our neighbours.  As One We Pray…

All: Lord hear our prayer. 

Ash Wednesday Liturgy 2017Primary School

Reader: For the work of Caritas Australia: That through our support of Project Compassion, may Caritas help our sisters and brothers around the world who need the love and compassion of a Neighbour. As One We Pray…   All: Lord hear our prayer.  

Leader: God of mercy and love, hear our prayers.  May we come to know our neighbor and learn to help each other and work together to make our world a better place. We ask this through Christ our Lord. 

All: Amen. 

Slide Fifteen: (Mother earth) 

Leader: Let us now pray together in the words that Jesus gave us: Our Father… 

Slide Sixteen: (Faces of Project Compassion 2017)

Sending forthLeader: God of all people, We are asked to fast, pray and give to others during the season of Lent. May we join in the work of Caritas Australia by asking "Who are my neighbours?" and thinking about what we can do through Project Compassion to help our neighbours to have all they need in life.   We ask this through Christ our Lord.  All: Amen  Leader: Let us go forth signed with ash and proclaim the Good News of Jesus.  All: Thanks be to God.  Recessional songSong: Whatever We Do Composer: Michael Mangan Song: We are God’s hands  Composer: Andrew Chinn