CHURCH PREPARES FOR ASH WEDNESDAY.

Byline: Holly Andres Staff Writer

CHATSWORTH - With the words ``remember that you are dust and you will return to dust,'' a black smudge of ash will be placed upon the foreheads of many Christians on Wednesday.

Those attending the Ash Wednesday service at Holy Shepherd Lutheran Church in Chatsworth also will receive a more permanent reminder of their faith - a small wooden cross to be worn around the neck.

Holy Shepherd bought the crosses from a Lutheran church in Jackson, Wyo., that is trying to raise money to finish a church construction project.

``We thought it would be meaningful for us to give them out as a reminder of the purpose of the Lenten season and what is to transpire on Easter, which is the Resurrection,'' said LeRoy Nyquist, a retired chemistry professor at California State University, Northridge.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of 40 days of penance and reflection before Easter, which this year falls on April 23. The date of Ash Wednesday depends on Easter's occurrence.

Easter is determined by the first Sunday in spring after the full moon on or after the vernal equinox. Pope Gregory I is credited with establishing Ash Wednesday in the fourth century as the day to begin penance and introspection before the celebration of Easter.

``It's a renewing of baptism vows. We are believers that Christ is God . . . We're renewing that belief on Ash Wednesday. I like to tell people that they are exercising their spiritual muscles during Lent. Lent is a time of self-discipline, and the results can be amazing if you are willing to follow the Christian faith,'' said the Rev. E. Dale Click, who joked that the initial ``E'' stands for ``evangelism.''

Although the Catholic Church has a long tradition of marking the foreheads of the faithful with ashes, Click said the solemn custom has been relatively new to American Lutherans. He said marking with ashes during Lutheran Ash Wednesday services only has been around for the last few decades.

Sacrifice is a practice familiar to Catholics during Lent. But do Lutherans do this as well?

``No, Lutherans don't, not in the sense that Catholics do. We recommend that people give up something, but you don't have to,'' said Bernice Carlson, the worship chairman at Holy Shepherd.

A sad irony for Holy Shepherd this year is that the congregation is giving up its music, at least for the Ash Wednesday service.

``Our organist is ill at this time. So the service is going to be unusual for us because there will be no music. Instead of singing the hymns, we will recite them,'' said Carlson, who has been a member since 1960.

The Ash Wednesday service also will be the first in a series of six ``getting back to the basics'' lessons that is part of what Click calls the ``quintuple discipleship'' plan.

`'This is what I'm challenging the people with: Pray in the morning and the evening; come to the Sunday services; read chapters in the Bible; come to the Wednesday night services during Lent. And the fifth is, join us in fellowship at our soup-and-sandwich dinners before the Wednesday service,'' he said.

``The last one is important, too, because sometimes people are afraid of other people. But they have to go outside of themselves and connect. I guarantee you will grow spiritually and the results will be amazing,'' said Click.

Click plans to discuss the Ten Commandments during six Wednesday night services, which he said will be appropriate for children to follow and respond to. Mindful of children's bedtimes, he promises a service of 45 minutes and ``they will be on their way rejoicing by 8 p.m.''

Reaching out to children's needs for spiritual guidance is a goal and a dream for Polly Vickers, the religion education director at the church.

``I wish all children could say 'This is my church or, this is my temple, and I believe in my faith.' If we can only get all children into a Sunday school class, we might not have these shootings in the schools,'' said Vickers, who teaches a Sunday school class.

Vickers is looking forward to the Ash Wednesday service as a time to study, meditate and reflect on the meaning of Easter.

``Out of all the services during Lent, I don't want to miss this first service. It inspires you to think deeply. it's a very important day to me in order to prepare for the joy of Easter morning.''

CAPTION(S):

photo

Photo: The Rev. E. Dale Click and church members Polly Vickers, LeRoy Nyquist and Bernice Carlson are looking forward to a series of Lenten services leading up to Easter.

John McCoy/Staff Photographer