As we gathered to begin our Ash Wednesday service, I was concerned.
I had carefully, painstakingly prepared the service. I created the bulletin from scratch. I incorporated elements from different official United Methodist resources and adapted them for our church. I had prepared the ashes, moistening them with anointing oil and placing them in a little pot handcrafted by my friend and colleague Christine. The bread and juice were ready for communion. I filled the altar candles with oil and changed the paraments from white to purple.
And I will confess: I was discouraged a little when I saw how few people had shown up for the service.
But I knew I had prepared a good service. I knew there would be sacred space where the Holy God could be encountered. I trusted in my own craftsmanship with liturgy. I trusted that the Holy Spirit would show up. I knew I had to pour my heart and soul into the service.
And I knew that if the service turned out as special as I hoped, those who gathered would be blessed. I knew that if the service turned out wonderful, those who gathered would tell others, "You missed it! It was great!"
I also knew that if I didn't give it my all, it had the potential to be a flop.
So I put my heart and soul into the service. I said a little prayer inviting God to be in our worship space with us.
And you know what?
It was a wonderful service. If you weren't there, you missed it. The sanctuary was filled with love, grace and Spirit. God showed up in a big way.
And as I came home from the church, I was walking on cloud nine. Ash Wednesday service was a winner.
And I learned my lesson. No matter how many or how few of us gather to worship, God will still be there in a big way if we invite him in and make room for him.
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