Lent is a liturgical season that begins on Ash Wednesday and continues for approximately 40 days before culminating in Easter Sunday. Ash Wednesday is on February 18 this year.
Lent traditionally has been a time of retreat, reflection, and repentance, a time to clear away the distractions of the world and to focus on our relationship with God and with one another. People often choose to give something up for Lent. But there are other ways of observing Lent.
Bishop Rayford B. High, Jr., says of Lent, “Over my years in ministry, I have found spiritual growth and value in using Lent to spend less time worrying about me and instead focusing on others, especially those who have not been given the opportunities I have as an Episcopalian in this country. How about instead of giving something up, think about taking something on, such as giving to some ministry or group who is making a difference in the lives of those less fortunate?”
He suggests using this Lent as a time “to remember and support the life-giving work of Episcopal Relief & Development (ERD).” Go here for more information on ERD Lenten Resources.
Presiding Bishop Katharine Jefferts Schori said in her Lenten Message, “That cross that comes on our foreheads on Ash Wednesday is a reminder of the cross that’s put there at Baptism. You are sealed by the Holy Spirit in Baptism and marked as Christ’s own forever. The cross that comes at Ash Wednesday is a reminder that you are dust and to dust we shall return, that we share that dust with every other human being who has ever walked this planet, that we share that dust with the stars and the planets, that we share that dust with all that has been created. We are made for relationship with creator and creation.”
See the entire Lenten Message.
However you choose to observe Lent, all are welcome at Ash Wednesday services and Lenten programs in the congregations of the diocese.
Arlington
St. Alban’s Episcopal Church
holding services at Theatre Arlington
305 W. Main, Arlington, TX
saintalbansarlington.org
Phone: 817-264-3083
Ash Wednesday service – 7 am
Fort Worth
All Saints’ Episcopal Church
5001 Crestline Road, Fort Worth, TX 76107
asecfw.org
Phone: 817-732-1424
Ash Wednesday services – 7 am, 10 am, 7 pm
Fridays in Lent – 6 pm, Stations of the Cross
St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church
Good Shepherd Chapel, University Christian Church
2720 S. University Dr., Fort Worth, Tx,76109
SaintAndrews.EpiscopalDioceseFortWorth.org
Phone: 817-926-8277
Using the 1928 Prayer Book
Ash Wednesday services:
10:45 am – The Stayton, 2501 Museum Way Fort Worth, 76107, Third Floor Theater
11: 30 a.m. The Stayton Main Auditorium
St. Christopher Episcopal Church
3550 Southwest Loop 820, Fort Worth, TX 76133
stchrisfw.org
Phone: 817-926-8277
Ash Wednesday services – Noon & 7 pm
Ashes to Go – 9 to 11 am – Starbucks, 5000 Trail Lake Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76133 (corner of I-20 and Trail Lake).
St. Elisabeth’s & Christ the King Episcopal Church
5910 Black Oak Lane, Fort Worth, Texas 76114
http://stelisabeths-ctk.weebly.com/
Phone: 817-738-0504
Ash Wednesday services — noon and 6:30 pm
St. Luke’s in the Meadow Episcopal Church
4301 Meadowbrook Drive, Fort Worth, TX 76103
stlukesfw.org
Phone: 817-534-4925
Ash Wednesday Service – 7 pm
Ashes to Go – 7:30 to 8:30 am in front of the church at the corner of Meadowbrook and Somerset Drive
Wednesdays in Lent – 6 pm, Centering Prayer
Fridays in Lent – 6:30 pm, Taize service
Trinity Episcopal Church
3401 Bellaire Drive So., Ft. Worth, TX 76109
fortworthtrinity.org
Phone: 817-926-4631
Ash Wednesday services – 8 am, Noon, and 7 pm
Children’s Ash Wednesday service – 4 pm
Wednesdays in Lent – 6 pm – Soup Supper; 6:30 – Adult and Children program begins; 7:25 Compline; 7:30 – program ends
Fridays in Lent – 12:15 pm – Stations of the Cross
Granbury
Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd
holding services at the Seventh Day Adventist Church
2016 Acton Hwy (FM 4), Granbury
goodshepherdgranbury.org/
Ash Wednesday service – 7 pm
Hamilton
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
The Episcopal Church of Hamilton County
1101 S. Rice (Hwy. 281 South), Hamilton, TX 76531
Drive Thru Ashes – 11 am to 2 pm church parking lot
Ash Wednesday service – 6:00 pm
Hillsboro
St. Mary’s Episcopal Church
200 N. Abbott St., Hillsboro, TX
Ash Wednesday service – noon
Hurst/Mid Cities
St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
StStephensEpiscopal-Hurst.org
463 West Harwood Road, Hurst, TX 76054
Ashes to Go – 11 m. to 1 pm, in the Gazebo in the shopping center 463 West Harwood Road, Hurst
Ash Wednesday service – 6:30 pm
Fridays in Lent – 6:30 pm – Soup Supper, Stations of the Cross, Lenten Study
Keller/Southlake
St. Martin-in-the-Fields Episcopal Church & School
223 S. Pearson Lane, Keller, Texas, 76248
stmartininthefields.org
Phone: 817-431-2396 or 817-431-2689
Drive Thru Ashes – 7:30 to 8:30 am and 5 to 6 pm on the parking lot
Ash Wednesday services – 6:45 am. noon, and 7 pm
Friday Nights in Lent – 7pm Stations of the Cross, 7:30 – 8:30pm simple soup supper and book discussion of Same Kind of Different as Me
Daily Lenten Reflection via email or Facebook
Sunday group discussion after the 10:30 service
Stephenville
St. Luke’s Episcopal Church
595 N. McIlhaney, Stephenville, TX 76401
stlukesstephenville.dreamhosters.com/
Phone: 254-968-6949
Ashes to Go – 9 am, Tarleton State University, outside the Barry B. Thompson Student Center, across from the Dining Hall
Ash Wednesday services – 7 am, 12:10 pm, and 7 pm
Lenten Lecture – 7 p.m. Wednesday, February 25: The Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, Brite Divinity School, The Royal Women of the Bible
Wichita Falls
The Episcopal Church of Wichita Falls:
• All Saints’ Episcopal Church
• The Episcopal Church of the Good Shepherd
• St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church
5023 Lindale, Wichita Falls, TX 76310
wichitafallsaintsepiscopal.com
Ash Wednesday service – 6 pm. followed by book study
Wednesdays in Lent, 5:30 pm, Light meal and book study, The Gifts of Imperfection: Let Go of Who You Think You are and Embrace Who You Are To Be, by Dr. Brene Brown
Fridays in Lent, 5:30 pm, Stations of the Cross