ash wednesday services | Area churches plan Lenten programs

This is a listing of services for Ash Wednesday, Feb. 22, and Lenten programs planned at area churches. This marks the beginning of Lent, a season of spiritual renewal.

CATHOLIC

Blessed Sacrament, 3020 Reeves Road NE, Warren: Ash Wednesday Services of Word with ashes at 7 a.m. and noon and Masses with ashes at 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m. “Experience Prayer” is the theme of an adult education series for Lent. Sessions start with regis- tration at 6:45 p.m. Feb. 28 on the topic, “The Spirituality of Liturgical Ministers” by the Rev. Jim Korda, pastoral director of Catholic Telecommunication Network for the Diocese of Youngstown. All sessions will be at 7 p.m. They are March 6 in Holy Family Hall, “Stations of the Cross: A Journey of Life” by Pat Campbell; March 13, “Lectio Divina” by Matt Abramowski in the hall; March 20, communal reconciliation in the church; March 27, Taize prayer in the hall; and April 3, “The Three Days in Song and Scripture” with Campbell and Sammi Lewis.

Holy Apostles Parish: Ash Wednesday Mass at 5 p.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul Croatian Catholic Church, 421 Covington St., Youngstown; and Mass at noon and ecumenical service at 7 p.m. St. Stephen of Hungary/Our Lady of Hungary, 854 Wilson Ave., Youngstown. A prayer and video series will be at 6:30 p.m. Mondays during Lent at St. Stephen. Stations of the Cross will be at 5:45 p.m. Fridays during Lent at Sts. Peter and Paul. A penance service will be March 13 at 11 a.m. at Sts. Peter and Paul and 7 p.m. at St. Stephen. ”Fully Human, Fully Alive” presentations will be from 5 to 6 p.m. March 16, 23 and 30 at Sts. Peter and Paul with speakers the Rev. Matthew Albright, Sister Ruthmary Powers and the Rev. Bob Bonnot. An outdoor Mass, “Iron Curtain Stations,” will be at 12:30 p.m. March 25 at Shrine of Our Lady, Comforter of the Afflicted, South Belle Vista Avenue.

Queen of the Holy Rosary Parish, 291 Scoville Drive, Vienna: Blessing of ashes and distribution before Ash Wednesday Masses at 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. Stations of the Cross will be at 7 p.m. Fridays during Lent.

St. Charles Borromeo Church, 7345 Westview Drive, Boardman: Ash Wednesday Masses at 7 and 8:30 a.m., 12:10 and 7 p.m. A Lenten Taize service will be at 7 p.m. April 2; evensong, an evening prayer, at 7 p.m. April 3; and tenebrae service at 7 p.m. April 4.

St. Christine Church, 3165 S. Schenley Ave., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday Masses at 7 and 9 a.m. and 5:30 and services with ashes at noon and 7 p.m. A parish mission, “No Greater Love: Reflections on the Last Seven Words of Jesus,” will be from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Feb. 26-28 with Friar Johnpaul Cafiero, retreat director, preacher, teacher and counselor.

St. Columba Cathedral, 154 W. Wood St., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday Masses at 7:45 a.m., 12:10 and 5:30 p.m.

St. Dominic Church, 76 E. Lucius Ave., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday Masses at 6:30 and 8 a.m., noon and 5:30 p.m.

Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church, 343 Via Mount Carmel, Youngstown: Ash Wednesday Masses at 7 a.m., noon and 7 p.m.

St. Patrick Church, 1420 Oak Hill Ave., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday Masses at 8:30 a.m. and 7 p.m.

St. Patrick Church, 357 N. Main St., Hubbard: Ash Wedesday Masses at 6:30 and 8:30 a.m., noon and 7 p.m.

DISCIPLES OF CHRIST

Canfield Christian Church, 123 S. Broad St., Canfield: Lenten breakfasts from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. Wednesday through April 4 in fellowship hall. Breakfasts are free but a free-will offering will be accepted. A senior stretch will follow.

Disciples Christian Church, 565 Boardman-Canfield Road, Boardman: A prayer vigil is planned from 12:01 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. Ash Wednesday. Members are asked to sign up for half hour to hour slots; members will pray at their homes or at the church from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Lenten worship is planned Feb. 29-March 28. A light dinner will be at 5:30 p.m. followed by a service at 6 featuring “3:16 The Number of Hope” video series by Max Lucado. There will be programming for children.

EPISCOPAL

Christ Episcopal Church, 2627 Atlantic St. NE, Warren: Healing service at 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday with ashes.

St. Augustine Episcopal Church, 614 Parmalee Ave., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday service at 5:30 p.m. with distribution of ashes and Eucharist.

St. James Episcopal Church, 7640 Glenwood Ave., Boardman: Ash Wednesday liturgy at 7 p.m. The church will offer a Lenten series focusing on one of Jesus’ directives, that is, to feed the hungry. Programs from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Tuesdays will feature speakers from organizations that address hunger. Sessions will be: Feb. 28, Second Harvest Food Bank; March 6, Ruth Ann Reiner of St. Stephen Church in East Liverpool; March 13, Red Door Cafe of St. John’s Episcopal Church in Youngstown; March 20, Evergreen Seventh-Day Adventist Community Church food pantry; and March 27, Lockwood United Methodist Church community meal.

St. John’s Episcopal Church, 323 Wick Ave., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday liturgy at 11:30 a.m., children and youth service at 5:45 p.m. with imposition of ashes and Eucharist and 7 p.m. liturgy. Prayer group at 4 p.m. Thursdays during Lent, starting next week focused on meditations from “Organic God.” Fridays of Lent will be dinner at 6 p.m., movie at 6:15 followed by discussion. Next week, “Godspell;” March 9, “Son of Man;” March 16, “The Chronicles of Narnia: the Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe;” March 23, “Dogma;” and March 30, The Passion of Christ.” Adult Forum at 9 a.m. in the parlor during Lent will feature: Feb. 26, Chris McKee of Mahoning Valley Organizing Collaborative; March 4, Isabel Seavey, MVOC’s human trafficking core team; March 11, Jennie Dennison-Budak, director of Interfaith Home Maintenance; March 18, Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry; and March 25, Jackie Burley of Protestant Family Services.

LUTHERAN

Bethel Lutheran Church, 425 Crestview Drive, Board-man: Ash Wednesday ser- vices at noon and 6:30 p.m. with potluck supper at 5:45. Lenten programs continue at noon and 6:30 p.m. Wednesdays on the theme, “The Trials of Jesus,” with soup suppers at 5:45. Dates are Feb. 29, “The Voice of Judas;” March 7, “The Voice of Annas’” March 14, “The Voice of Caiaphas;” March 21, “The Voice of Peter;” and March 28, “The Voice of Herrod.”

Good Hope Lutheran Church, 98 Homestead Drive, Boardman: Ash Wed- nesday services at 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. Wednesday night soup suppers will begin Feb. 29. Suppers will start at 6 p.m. hosted by TWIST (Teens Whose Inspiration Shrines Through) youth group to raise funds for the July 1-6 summer mission trip. Donations of soup, bread, dessert appreciated. Worship follows at 7.

Jerusalem Lutheran Church, 415 S. Main St., Columbiana: Ash Wednesday service will be at 7 p.m. and other Wednesdays in Lent at 7 p.m.

Martin Luther Lutheran Church, 420 Clearmount Drive, Youngstown: Ash Wednesday worship with imposition of ashes at noon and 7 p.m. with soup lunch after the noon service. Services will be at noon Wednesdays through Lent with a soup lunch following. Soup is available for take-out at $6 a quart.

Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2985 Center Road, Poland: Ash Wednesday services with imposition of ashes and Holy Communion will be offered at 12:05 and at 7 p.m. On Wednesdays during Lent, starting Feb. 29, a soup supper will be from 6 to 7 p.m. with a worship service following. The sermon series is “At the Foot of the Cross” featuring people who were involved with the Passion of Christ. A Shrove Tuesday pancake and sausage supper will be from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday followed by New Castle Eintracht Maennerchor offering a selection of songs.

Redeemer Lutheran Church, 2305 S. Canfield-Niles Road, Austintown: Ash Wednesday communion service with imposition of ashes at 7 p.m. preceded by dinner at 6. On Wednesdays during Lent, there will be a worship service at 7 p.m. with dinner at 6. All are welcome.

Zion Lutheran Church, 10857 Main St., New Middletown: From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Ash Wednesday, Pastor Larry Klinker will impose ashes in the worship room. Zion will be among hosts for a Lenten series starting at 7:30 p.m. Feb. 29 at Old Springfield United Church of Christ. Also participating are Petersburg Presbyterian and St. John Lutheran.

METHODIST

Boardman United Methodist Church, 6809 Market St., Boardman: Worship at 7 p.m. in the chapel.

Centenary United Methodist Church, 1413 Belmont Ave., Youngstown: Ash Wednesday service at 6 p.m.

First United Methodist Church, 309 N. Park Ave., Warren: The church will host a joint service with Grace United Methodist Church and Grace African Methodist Episcopal Church at 7 p.m. Speaker will be Pastor Gena Thornton of Grace AME and Tod Avenue Choir will sing.

Girard First United Methodist Church, 22 N. Market St., Girard: A communion service at 7 p.m. Ash Wednesday.

Mahoning United Methodist Church, 2214 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown: The church will join with Trinity, Richard Brown and Centenary United Methodist churches for an Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m. with communion and ashes. A potluck supper will be at 6 in the fellowship hall; each family is asked to bring a dish to share and beverages and table service will be provided. The churches will participate in a six-week Wednesday evening Lenten Bible study at 6:30 p.m. starting Feb. 29 at Mahoning UMC. Lay people from the participating churches will lead the studies.

Methodist churches: Sunday evening Lenten worship is scheduled at 7 p.m. from Feb. 26-April 1. The Rev. Don Christensen will preach Feb. 26 at Western Reserve United Methodist Church, 4580 Canfield Road, Canfield; the Rev. David Hill, March 4 at Mahoning United Methodist Church, 2214 Mahoning Ave., Youngstown; the Rev. Ash or Peg Welch, March 11 at Poland United Methodist Church, 1940 Boardman-Poland Road, Poland; the Rev. Russ Adams, March 18 at Lockwood United Methodist Church, 4570 Lockwood Blvd., Youngstown; the Rev. Mike Grant, March 25 at Canfield United Methodist Church, 27 S. Broad St., Canfield; and the Rev. Joyce Lawson, April 1 at Boardman United Methodist Church, 6809 Market St., Boardman.

New Hope United Methodist Church, 21 Fairview Ave., Niles: Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m.

OTHER

Central Christian Church, 2051 E. Market St., Warren: Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m.

Poland churches Lenten series: The ecumenical leadership team of Poland Presbyterian, Poland United Methodist, Heritage Presbyterian, Holy Family and Prince of Peace Evangelical Lutheran is presenting the series on “The Last Seven Words of Jesus.” The schedule is: Feb. 29 with the Rev. Martin Celuch; March 7, Pastor Julianne D. Smith; March 14, the Rev. Kristin Stroble; March 21, the Rev. Michael Grant; March 28, the Rev. Dr. David Gilbert; and April 6, Monsignor William Connell. Presentations will be from noon to 12:15 followed by lunch at Holy Family, 2729 Center Road.

PRESBYTERIAN

First Presbyterian Church, 201 Wick Ave., Youngstown: Vesper service at 7 p.m. preceded by board of deacons’ covered dish dinner at 6 with participation by Butler Memorial and Hungarian Presbyterian churches. A Lenten Bible study will be at 4 p.m. Thursdays in the multipurpose room. The theme is “Walking the Way of the Cross with Paul.” Copies of the background material are available in the office.

First Presbyterian Church, 890 Churchill Road, Girard: Ash Wednesday service is scheduled at 7 p.m. with imposition of ashes.

First Presbyterian Church, 3654 N. Main St., Mineral Ridge: Dinner and fellowship at 6 p.m. then worship with communion and imposition of ashes at 7. On Wednesdays during Lent, Feb. 29-March 28, there will be a dinner and fellowship at 6 p.m. followed by worship and discussion at 7. Via Skype, the church will be in contact with different Presbyterian USA mission workers around the world.

Hubbard Presbyterian Church, 22 Westview Ave., Hubbard: Ash Wednesday service at 7 p.m.

Westminster Presbyterian Church, 119 Stadium Drive, Boardman: Ash Wednesday service will be at 4 p.m. A joint worship service will be at 7 p.m. with Canfield, Poland, Pleasant Grove and Common Ground Presbyterian churches. A Bible study for adults, “Seven Words of the Cross,” led by Brent Baker, will be from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Feb. 26, March 4, 11, 18 and 25 and April 1 and Wednesday sessions led by Ken Brickley from 11 a.m. to noon Feb. 29, March 7, 14, 21 and 28 and April 4.