Ash Wednesday: Where Your Treasure Is: In Secret

Wednesday, February 18, 2026
6:15 PM 7:15 PM 18:15 19:15

Union Presbyterian Church 200 E Main St Endicott, NY, 13760 United States (map)

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Ash Wednesday ushers in the season of Lent with the very message Jesus shared in his preaching: Repent, and believe the Good News! In this season when we focus more intently on our faith, our prayer, and our practices of righteousness, Jesus has some advice for us: Do it in secret. What does this mean? And what does the sign of the ashes have to do with it, public as it can be?

We invite you to join us for a simple supper in our Fellowship Hall at 5:30 pm and Lenten Evening prayer at 6:15 in our beautiful Sanctuary at 200 East Main Street, Endicott, NY. Or, you can join us online here for our livestream (by clicking on the Youtube video), throughout both the Wednesdays and Sundays (10:30 AM) of Lent. UPC: always joyful, always welcoming.

Ash Wednesday

Where Your Treasure Is: In Secret

Psalm 90:1-10, 12; Matthew 6:1-6, 16-17

Union Presbyterian Church

February 18, 2026

Sharing the Light of Christ, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow

Preacher: Rev. Pat Raube

Prelude

“O Come unto the Lord,” (Hymn #416)

Used with permission.

*Service of Light “Holden Evening Prayer: Processional,” Marty Haugen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Jesus Christ, you are the light of the world,

The light no darkness can overcome.

Stay with us now, for it is evening,

And the day is almost over.

Let your light scatter the darkness,

And shine within your people here.

*Hymn # 618 (verses 1, 2, 5)

“O Love, How Deep, How Broad, How High,” Alfred V. Fedak

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

O love, how deep, how broad, how high,
Beyond all thought and fantasy,
That God, the Son of God, should take
Our mortal form for mortals' sake.

For us baptized, for us he bore
His holy fast and hungered sore;
For us temptations sharp he knew,
For us, the tempter overthrew.

All glory to our Lord and God,
For love so deep, so high, so broad:
The Trinity whom we adore
Forever and forevermore.

Psalm Psalm 90:1-10; 12 (Responsive)

Mother of Mountains, you have been our refuge

from one generation to another.

Before the mountains were born,

or you writhed the land and the earth into birth,

from age to age you are God.

You turn mortal flesh back to the dust and say,

“Turn back, you who are woman-born.”

For a thousand years in your sight are like yesterday when it is past

and like a watch in the night.

You sweep them aside; they are an illusion;

In the morning flourishing and in the evening wilting and withering.

In the morning it is green and flourishes;

in the evening it is dried up and withered.

For we are consumed in your displeasure;

we are afraid because of your wrathful indignation.

Our iniquities you have set before you,

and our hidden sins in the light of your countenance.

When you are angry, all our days are gone;

we bring our years to an end like a sigh.

The span of our life is seventy years,

perhaps in strength even eighty;

yet the sum of them is but labor and sorrow,

for they pass away quickly and we are gone.

So teach us to number our days

that we may apply our hearts to Wisdom.

Evening Thanksgiving “Holden Evening Prayer: Evening Thanksgiving,”

Marty Haugen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

May God be with you all.

And also with you.

Let us sing our thanks to God.

It is right to give God thanks and praise.

One: ... you are the light and life of all creation.

Amen.

Scripture Reading Matthew 6:1-6; 16-18

[Jesus said,] “Now, beware of practicing your justness before other people in order to be seen by them; surely, lest you have no reward from your Creator in heaven.

“So when you give alms, do not trumpet before yourself, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, in order that they may be praised by other people. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you give alms, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, in order that your alms may be secret; and your Creator who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you pray, do not be like the hypocrites; for they love to stand and pray in the synagogues and on the street corners, in order that they may be seen by other people. Truly I tell you, they have received their recompense. But whenever you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Creator who is in secret; and your Creator who sees in secret will reward you. “And when you fast, do not be sullen like the hypocrites, for they disfigure their faces in order to show other people that they are fasting. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward. But when you fast, put oil on your head and wash your face, in order that your fasting may be seen, not by others, but by your Creator who is in secret, and your Creator who sees in secret will reward you.

Response We live, not by bread alone,

but by every word that comes from God.

Thanks be to God!

Meditation “In Secret”

Anthem Choir

“A Willing Heart,” Tom Fettke

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.       

Create in me a pure heart,

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a pure heart,

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

May Your Spirit and presence be near me.

And restore unto me,

And restore unto me

The Joy of Your salvation,

And uphold me with Your gracious Spirit.

Create in me a pure heart,

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

And renew a right spirit within me.

Create in me a pure heart,

Create in me a pure heart, O God,

May Your Spirit and presence be near me, O God.

Imposition of the Ashes

Let us pray: Almighty God, you have created us out of the dust of the earth. May these ashes be for us a sign of our mortality and desire for the complete healing and wholeness you offer, for you will love us into new life. We pray in the name of Jesus our brother, our teacher, our Lord. Amen.

Music during Imposition of the Ashes: “Sign Us with Ashes” (Hymn #433)

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Prayers of the People

“Holden Evening Prayer: Litany and Prayers,” Marty Haugen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Response: God of mercy, hold us in love.

Final response:

One: Help us, comfort us, all of our days:

All: Keep us, hold us, gracious God.

The Lord’s Prayer

Our father in heaven,

Hallowed by your name,

Your kingdom come, your will be done,

On earth as in heaven.

Give us today our daily bread.

Forgive our sins

As we forgive those

Who sin against us.

Save us from the time of trial

And deliver us from evil.

For the kingdom, the power,

And the glory are yours,

Now and forever. Amen.

*Hymn  # 215

“What Wondrous Love is This,” Carlton R. Young

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

What wondrous love is this, O my soul, O my soul,
What wondrous love is this, O my soul!
What wondrous love is this that caused the Lord of bliss
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul, for my soul,
To bear the dreadful curse for my soul!

When I was sinking down, sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down, sinking down,
When I was sinking down beneath God's righteous frown,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul, for my soul,
Christ laid aside his crown for my soul!

To God and to the Lamb, I will sing, I will sing,
To God and to the Lamb, I will sing;
To God and to the Lamb who is the great I AM,

While millions join the theme, I will sing, I will sing;
While millions join the theme, I will sing!

And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing on;
And when from death I’m free, I’ll sing and joyful be,
And through eternity, I’ll sing on, I’ll sing on;
And through eternity I’ll sing on.

*Benediction “Holden Evening Prayer: Final Blessing,” Marty Haugen

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

One: Let us bless our God:

All: Praise and thanks to you.

One: ... be our guide and path for all of our days.

All: Amen.

Postlude

“Mercy on This Fallen World,” Larry Olson, Hans Peterson

Reprinted with permission under ONE LICENSE.     

Where an * is indicated, please rise in body and/or in spirit.

Scripture Translations are from A Women’s Lectionary for the Whole Church, Year A, by Wilda C. Gafney, unless otherwise noted.

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Ash Wednesday: Where Your Treasure Is: In Secret