February 18th, 2026 (Ash Wednesday) (Pastor Daniel Schroeder) Zechariah 1:1-6
It Is Finished! — Return to Me!
“Return to Me!”
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Service Focus:
For over 1000 years, Ash Wednesday has been observed as the solemn beginning of the penitential season, Lent. It began as a stand-alone Wednesday service, much like Ascension is a stand-alone Thursday service. Tonight the Lord speaks the same words he once spoke through the prophet Zechariah: “Return to me, and I will return to you.” Ash Wednesday begins our Lenten journey with that gracious invitation. We come marked by sin and mortality, yet called back by mercy. Our God does not push us away—he calls us home in Christ.
This evening’s service included the Imposition of Ashes. This rite is an ancient Christian practice rooted in Scripture. In the Bible, ashes are a visible sign of repentance, humility, and sorrow over sin. From the early church, Ash Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent—a season of reflection and preparation for Easter. The ashes remind us of our mortality and our need for the Savior who took our sin and death to the cross.
For the video link of the service, click here or below
