February 18, 2026 Ash Wednesday
Ash Wednesday invites us into a sacred tension: we are dust, and we are deeply loved.
As we began the season of Lent at New Hope, we were reminded of both our fragility and our hope. We were formed from dust. Our lives are not guaranteed. Yet God, in His mercy, breathes His Spirit into us and calls us His own.
You can watch the full service or listen through the audio player to enter into this meaningful time of reflection.
Written in Stone — and Shattered
The reflection centered on God’s covenant with His people. When God gave the Ten Commandments through Moses, they were written in stone — permanent, sacred, unchanging.
But the covenant was quickly broken. The people turned away. The tablets were shattered.
The message for us is clear: the issue is not simply broken commandments. It is broken hearts. We all fall short. We all drift. We all carry guilt, regret, and burdens we were never meant to hold forever.
Lent invites us to stop pretending and start surrendering.
The Stone in Our Hands
Each person held a rough stone — a symbol of sin, shame, and brokenness. We were given a choice: keep holding it, or lay it down at the foot of the cross.
One by one, people came forward in prayer, releasing their stones as an act of repentance and trust.
Ashes were then placed on foreheads with the reminder: “From dust you have come, and to dust you will return.”
It is a sobering truth. Tomorrow is not promised. How we live matters.
A Season to Realign
Ash Wednesday is not about ritual — it is about relationship.
It is a moment to realign our lives with the Lord. To confess. To surrender. To remember that without Christ, we are nothing — but with Him, we have forgiveness and eternal hope.
This is the beginning of Lent. A journey toward the cross. A season to lay down what is heavy and walk more closely with Jesus.
At New Hope, our mission is simple: Know Jesus. Grow Faith. Go Multiply!
We know Jesus when we acknowledge our need for Him.
We grow in faith when we repent and realign.
And we go multiply when we live as people transformed by grace.
If you missed this Ash Wednesday gathering, we invite you to watch or listen and begin this Lenten season with us.
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