On this Ash Wednesday, we begin our Lenten journey with Psalm 51 and the honest prayer, “Create in me a clean heart, O God.” Rather than bargaining with God or hiding our brokenness, we learn to lean fully on God’s steadfast love, the love that makes repentance possible and begins its work even in the dust. As we enter a season called Love Made Visible, we trust that God is slowly, faithfully creating something new within us, layer by layer.

To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

In this final message of the Awakened to Grace series, we reflect on how ordinary practices (prayer, scripture, silence, fasting, Sabbath, and service) create space for God’s transforming grace. Drawing on Matthew 25, we see that grace opens not only our eyes but also our hands.

Scripture is read by Kim Maxwell.

Sermon by Rev. Beth Demme

To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.

In this sermon, Pastor Beth explores Sabbath as a gift of grace looking at Genesis, Jesus’ teaching in Matthew, and the wisdom of John Greenleaf Whittier. Through story, hymn, and Scripture, we discover that Sabbath is not about doing less perfectly, but about trusting that the world—and our lives—are already held by God. This message invites us to pause, rest, and see what Sabbath awakens in us when we stop striving and dare to call life good.

To access the bulletin for this service, visit www.graymumc.org/bulletins.