​Our Gospel reading is found in the first chapter of Mark.    This passage is immediately after the first verses of Mark, where we are introduced to John, who is doing the business of baptizing people.  Mark doesn’t tell us what Jesus has been up to this point in his now adult life.  Other Gospel writers tell us Jesus’ earthly parents knew from divine visitations that that was a special baby, the very son of God.  But we are not provided a history of Jesus’ home life or vocation. 

​We can, however, use our theological imagination.  Perhaps Jesus was living with his parents, working in his father’s carpentry business, coming home each night to a nice meal cooked by Mom, spending time with his family and friends, and being a good, observant, young Jewish man.  

Deacon Nancy Emmel-Gunn reads the Gospel (​Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21), and then Bishop Deon Johnson preaches the Ash Wednesday sermon.

If you'd like to watch the entire Ash Wednesday service, it's available on the St. John's Facebook page.

​Bishop Deon Johnson will preside over our St. John's Ash Wednesday service.  The service will be on Zoom; the link to join will be available in the eblast.  Bishop Deon and Deacon Nancy will celebrate the service at St. John's but the readers will interface on Zoom.  We will celebrate both Word and Table. Because of bad weather conditions, we have decided not to open the church after the service for the imposition of ashes as we had originally planned.  We hope you can join us.  But most importantly, be safe and take care!

We will also livestream the service on FB LIve. If you've like to follow along there, go to our Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/towergrovechurch

The service bulletin is available to download below:

​“Then a cloud overshadowed them, and from the cloud there came a voice, “This is my Son, the Beloved; listen to him!” Mark 9:7

​Clouds, mountains, and God.  They go together like coffee and cream, peanut butter and jelly, bread and wine.  In other words, where you find one you will often find the other.  In today’s readings we have what are known as theophanies, visible encounters with God.

After a reading of the Gospel by the Reverend Nancy Emmel, the Reverend Rebecca Ragland preaches on the question "Who belongs in the household of faith?"