Powder River Examiner -

By Julie Long

The church season of Lent begins on Ash Wednesday and is counted as the 40 days between Ash Wednesday and Easter Sunday (excluding Sundays). This year Ash Wednesday falls on February 26th.

On that day Pastor Julie Long from Our Savior’s Lutheran and Pastor Nick Knoblauch from PR Congregational will provide an opportunity for anyone of any age to come and receive ashes and a brief prayer anytime between Noon and 1:00 P.M.

We will be located outside at the public intersection with the red flashing light. We are offering “Ashes On The Go” because the reminder of need, humility, and healing is offered to everyone and is not confined to a church building or formal worship service.

For those working in town, traveling through, just out and around that day or unable to attend our evening Ash Wednesday services, we invite you to stop by and receive ashes and a blessing.

Author Sarah Miles describes Ash Wednesday this way: “Ashes are an ancient symbol of repentance, grief and brokenness. From the Middle Ages, it became customary to begin the season of Lent by being marked with the sign of the cross. Some find Ash Wednesday depressing, but we are grateful for this annual day of truth telling because, in remembering who we are, we also remember who God is – gracious and merciful, and abounding in steadfast love – we remember what God our Creator can do with dust – and that gives us reason to hope.” Everyone is invited to our Ash Wednesday evening services: 5:45 PM at Our Savior’s Lutheran or 5:30 PM at PR Congregational Church.