Many Christians in Canada mark Ash Wednesday as the first day of Lent. It is the beginning of the Lenten fast and is the day after Shrove Tuesday. Many churches in Canada hold special Ash Wednesday services for their congregations. It is a time when people who seek penitence for their wrongdoings are marked with the sign of the cross, from blessed ashes, on their forehead. This symbolic occasion reminds people of their mortality and sorrow for sins, as well as the will for change and the hope of forgiveness. Ash Wednesday, a day of fasting, is the first day of Lent in Western Christianity. It occurs 46 days (40 weekdays plus 6 Sundays) before Easter and can fall as early as 4 February or as late as 10 March. According to the gospels of Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus Christ spent 40 days fasting in the desert, where he endured temptation  by Satan. Lent originated as a mirroring of this, fasting 40 days as preparation for Easter. Every Sunday was seen as a commemoration of the Sunday of Christ’s resurrection and so as a feast day on which fasting was inappropriate. Accordingly, Christians fasted from Monday to Saturday (6 days) during 6 weeks and from Wednesday to Saturday (4 days) in the preceding week, thus making up the number of 40 days. Ash Wednesday derives its name from the practice of blessing ashes made from palm branches blessed on the previous year Palm Sunday, and placing them on the heads of participants to the accompaniment of the words “Repent, and believe in the Gospel” or “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return”.  

 

• At the annual meeting on Sunday, February 8, 2015, members of the congregation approved the following slate of candidates to form the Unity United  Church  Leadership Team for 2015
• Past Chair – Brian Stanley
• Chair – Carol Galbraith
• Vice Chair – George Dawson
• Secretary – Elaine Jones
• Treasurer – Gerrit van der Weg
• Member at large – Cindy Pearson
• M & P – Bruce Wood

Two members of Unity United Church, Laura Wood and Christine van der Weg took part in the POLAR BEAR DIP at Winterfest held in Midland on January 31.  Laura and Christine were raising funds to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of North Simcoe – Midland.  Christine is in her wedding dress and holding Laura’s hand.