Ash Wednesday

Do you ever think about how many people it takes to make just one little thing happen at SJA? I know it takes many, many of them. Ash Wednesday is one of those evenings where so many different groups come together to make it a memorable evening.

The Wednesdays of Lent are special at SJA.  Each Wednesday, staff and parishioners work to create a beautiful new experience of food and liturgy.  Organizers, soup makers, bread bakers and donors, prayer partners and musicians jointly compose a unique combination that makes Lent very special at SJA.

The Soup Supper was the beginning of the Ash Wednesday journey. From Hospitality Hall we went to the church where Steve Kremer played guitar and led us in song until the Ash Wednesday gym service began.

In the gym, Anna Vagle and the SJA Choir greeted us in song. With George Maurer and our SJA musicians, we were taken on a journey that started with the story of Abba and the Leper, pantomimed by Michael Hennessy, and ended with stories told by fellow parishioners, Nancy, Joe and Abby. 

Father DeBruycker said a few words and then the Prayer Partners held the bowls of ashes and facilitated parishioners in the process of blessing each other.

and

Nancy Lynch says, "Joy is being a wife, Mom of fourteen, eight with varying disabilities and living at home, Grandma of thirteen, and Great Grandma of three. Serenity is listening and watching the ocean, alone, at our home on Maui. Passion is friends, photography, reading, swimming and children." Nancy can be reached at nalynch@aol.com.

We ate, we socialized, we sang, we listened, we learned, we began the Lenten journey with our spiritual community. Thanks to ALL of the people, who made this evening an awesome experience.

Ash Wednesday Stories The Story of Abba and the Leper Nancy's Story Joe's Story Abby's Story