Weather Cancellation and Pastor’s Message – February 18, 2026

With the deteriorating weather and road conditions, the Ash Wednesday service scheduled for this evening has been cancelled.

On Sunday, February 22nd during our regular worship service, we will offer imposition of ashes as an alternative, for those who wish to partake.

Dear St. John’s beloved community,

After careful consideration of the heavy snow forecast for this evening, and out of concern for everyone’s safety, we have made the decision to cancel our Ash Wednesday service. I know this may come as a disappointment. Ash Wednesday is a sacred doorway into the season of Lent. A time when we gather to hear again the words, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” and to begin the journey toward the cross and the hope of the resurrection at Easter.

Living where we do, we understand that winter does not always cooperate with our church calendar. Yet even this interruption can remind us of something Ash Wednesday teaches so clearly: we are not in control. We are creatures, not the Creator. We are dependent on weather patterns, on one another, and ultimately on God. In an unexpected way, the snow itself preaches a quiet sermon about humility and our limits.

While we will not gather in person, I invite you to mark the beginning of Lent at home. Take a few moments for prayer. I encourage you to read Matthew 6:1–6, 16–21. If you wish, you may make the sign of the cross on your forehead or hand with a small touch of oil or simply with your thumb, remembering your baptism and God’s enduring mercy. Speak aloud a simple prayer of confession and trust. Lent does not begin only in a sanctuary; it begins in the heart.

Please use caution in the coming storm. Check in on neighbors who may need assistance. Reach out if you find yourself in need. The church is not cancelled, only a service is. We remain the body of Christ for one another, in every season and every forecast.

We will provide ashes on Sunday morning during worship for those who find it meaningful. May this snow-covered beginning to Lent draw us into deeper reflection, steady hope, and renewed trust in the One who walks with us through wilderness and storm alike.

Grace and peace,

Pastor Scott