Ash Wednesday 7AM & 12PM — Two Lay Servers (2026)

Ash Wednesday**** ****(edited February 16, 2026)

7:00am and 12:00pm Services (with two lay servers)

This service requires a Celebrant, an Acolyte/MC, an EM, a Lector, and a pair of oblation bearers (is this true??) and a sacristan (scheduled ahead of time in the quarterly ROTA).

Wooden candlesticks and glass communion vessels are used for the first time on Ash Wednesday (and then for the duration of Lent).

A bowl of ashes is placed on the Altar, along with the gospel book, before the beginning of the service. The ashes will be blessed with holy water and the prayer on *BCP*, 265 – so, a bowl of water with aspergillum need to be on the credence table before the beginning of the service. An additional bowl of (non-blessed) water, some lemon juice, and cloth hand towels need to be on the credence table as well, for the cleaning of hands after the imposition of ashes. We have learned that the best way to help the ashes adhere to foreheads, is for the person imposing ashes to have a little puddle of oil in the bowl containing ashes; dip thumb in oil then into ashes.

Servers enter from the side door behind the pulpit as at 8:00am on Sundays.(order: MC stopping beyond and to the right of the center of the altar, while facing it; EM to the left of center of Altar; and Celebrant to the middle). The Altar and then the Assembly are reverenced with profound bows. The three ministers remain standing in front of the altar and the Celebrant begins the service with the salutation and collect of the day (no opening acclamation), *BCP*, 264. All are seated at benches (EM to the Celebrant’s left on the front bench; MC right side of back bench.)

After the silence and stillness following the sermon, all stand and the Celebrant and EM move in front of the Altar facing the Assembly; the MC is at the foot of the Altar steps on the credence table side. The Celebrant invites the Assembly to the observance of a holy Lent. A period of silent prayer, kneeling, follows. Then the Celebrant and EM mount the steps up to the Altar; the MC brings the bowl of holy water and aspergillum over from the credence table. The bowl/bowls of ashes, which has/have been set on the altar before the service, is/are blessed with the words on *BCP*, 265 and holy water.

Ashes are imposed. The EM imposes ashes on the Celebrant, then the Celebrant on the EM – this happens up at the Altar. The Celebrant then imposes ashes on the MC who has returned the bowl to the credence table and has taken their normal “communion receiving” position. After receiving ashes, the EM washes hands at the credence table and joins the MC seated at benches. The Celebrant imposes ashes on the Assembly at the communion rail in the center. After ashes have been imposed on all, the Celebrant places bowl of ashes on the credence table and washes their hands, assisted by MC. Celebrant and MC take places at the bottom step of the Altar (out front); the MC on the credence table side (prayers of the people position). Psalm 51 and the Litany of Penitence are recited (said) kneeling.

The Peace is exchanged, and the service continues to Holy Communion.

After the post communion prayer, the Celebrant bids and says the prayer over the people. EM and MC assume a profound bow (rather than kneeling).