Ash Wednesday - the beginning of Lent - is traditionally a time of repentance and reflection but with our church currently closed for public worship we wanted to ensure you were able to take part in the traditional "ashing" that usually takes place at a church service in your homes.

The Church of England has issued guidance to help you prepare your ashes - whether you want to impose the ashes on yourself or family members during one of our two services on Ash Wednesday or do it in a quiet and prayerful moment at some other time.

The official advice shows how to burn last year's palm crosses to make the ash, though in fact you may prefer to use ordinary ashes from your your own grate symbolically, or even use some dry earth from the garden. Using oil is not compulsory and may even make things a bit messy! 

We will have a 10am Ash Wednesday Communion service using the traditional language of the Book of Common Prayer and an 8pm livestreamed Communion in contemporary language. Both will include a time for you to "ash" yourself or others in the household and also to share in an act of Spiritual Communion. These will appear on our website http://www.stbartholomews.co.uk/

The guidance from the Church is attached.