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3 Boardman churches unite for Ash Wednesday service
The Vindicator (Youngstown)
Photo
Allan Mosher previews his dramatic recitation of the Gospel of Mark to clergy involved in an Ash Wednesday service at 5:30 p.m. today at St. James Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave., Boardman. From left in front are the Rev. David Joachim, pastor of Westminster Presbyterian; the Rev. Zeke Coughlin and the Rev. Mary Vidmar of St. James, and back, the Rev. Kelly Marshall, rector, and the Rev. John Wigle, both of St. James, and the Rev. Ash Welch, co-pastor of Boardman United Methodist Church.
By LINDA M. LINONIS
BOARDMAN
An interfaith Ash Wednesday service at St. James Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave., will combine religious traditions, history and literature.
And there will be lentil soup.
The congregations of St. James, Westminster Presbyterian and Boardman United Methodist churches will join to mark the beginning of Lent today with a recitation of the Gospel of Mark at 5:30 p.m. Parishioners will then have a soup and bread supper before the 7:15 p.m. service.
St. James represents the Anglican tradition, Westminster the Scottish Presbyterian and Boardman UMC, John Wesley’s church. They share roots in Great Britain and the Book of Common Prayer.
The Rev. Ash Welch, co-pastor at Boardman UMC, said the denominations chose to have a shared service for three reasons.
“We all believe in one God as the Father of all, we believe there is more that unites us than divides us as denominations, and we want to be open to all who believe in Jesus Christ,” he said. “It’s about being inclusive, not exclusive.”
The Rev. Kelly Marshall, rector of St. James, said, “The idea of being part of service with other Christians makes senses.”
Allan Mosher, professor of music at Dana School of Music at Youngstown State University, will deliver a dramatic recitation of a portion of the Gospel of Mark to begin the event.
The Gospel of Mark, the second in the four Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, relays the ministry of Jesus from being announced by John the Baptist to his crucifixion, death and Resurrection.
An article by Dr. Norman Vincent Peale in Guidepost magazine about Sir Alec McGowen’s presentation of the Gospel of Mark inspired Mosher. (McGowen’s Mark’s Gospel was a Broadway show in the 1970s.)
That was in 1983. Mosher said it took him nine months to memorize the 16 chapters. Mosher said a degree in theater gave him the confidence and skills to move forward.
Mosher, who described himself as a “committed Christian,” said he began offering a “relevant Scripture passage” at a house church he attended at the time. “Word of mouth” is how other churches learned about his presentation.
Mosher said he has usually done three to four presentations; this year he has about 10 booked.
“Telling the story of Christ is a privilege,” he said. He cited the passage from Romans 10:17, “So then faith [cometh] by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
The program and service also celebrate the 400th anniversary of the King James version of the Bible. Both Mr. Welch and Mosher described the King James version as “great literature.”
King James of England asked 47 scholars of the Church of England to do the English translation; the project took from 1604 to 1611. The New Testament was translated from Greek and the Old Testament, from Hebrew text.
“It wasn’t the first English translation but because the king requested it, this became the official translation,” Mr. Welch said.
The scholars struck the right chord with Psalm 23 (“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want”) and the Lord’s Prayer, two passages known to millions of people.
Mr. Welch said the King James version, the Book of Worship of the Church of England and the works of William Shakespeare formed the basis of the English language.