I. Brief Historical Overview of Ash Wednesday
The use of ashes in the church left only a few records in the first millennium of Church history. The first Ash Wednesday that provides for sprinkling ashes in community rather than the individual acknowledgment of repentance occurred somewhere around 960.
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Father we pray for every person that is infected and affected by HIV/AIDS, that you would grant comfort, grace and healing. We pray that compassion and love would abound and be greater than stigma and fear, and that you would be a balm to every wound and scar that HIV/AIDS has left on your people and communities around the
world.
The Balm In Gilead, one of the country’s pioneering organizations in leading a multi-faith community in the fight against HIV/AIDS, announces the 22nd Annual National Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS (originally the Black Church Week of Prayer for the Healing of AIDS) March 6-12, 2011. The Week engages people of all faith to unite in prayer for the eradication of HIV/AIDS.
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