Speak to Me In Ashes

By Karen Crane and Douglas Nolan

A rare find, this anthem fills an important niche in the journey of faith. The piece is a call to quietness, invoking the fundamental lessons of Lent: to listen, learn and live. The melody in minor captures the candlelit qualities of the text and finds its sincerest expression in the ebb and flow of the lyric. Simple in its elements of composition, the emotional effect is profound and ideal for Ash Wednesday.