Signs Of Repentance

Christians in Newport Beach and Costa Mesa marked the beginning of Lent this week with Ash Wednesday.

Some Christian churches observe the day by placing ashes on adherents’ foreheads as a sign of repentance.

Many local churches will offer special services and classes during Lent this year.

Christ Lutheran Church, 760 Victoria St. in Costa Mesa, will offer a Lenten sermon series called Rescued! at 7 p.m. Wednesdays during Lent.

As part of the series, missionaries David And Barb Anderson will visit the church Wednesday to tell the story of how they survived for an hour clinging to empty gasoline cans in near-freezing waters of the Bering Sea after a plane crash in 1993.

Many Catholics abstain from eating meat on Fridays during Lent.

Our Lady Queen of Angels Catholic Church, 2046 Mar Vista Drive in Newport Beach, will host a fish bake Fridays during Lent after the 5:30 p.m. Mass. The meal will be followed by Stations of the Cross at 7:15 p.m.

St. James Anglican Church, 3209 Via Lido in Newport Beach, will offer a Lenten class called “The Contagious Christian” at 11 a.m. Sundays and 7 p.m. Wednesdays during Lent.

The church also will offer an eight-week course titled ALPHA at 6:30 p.m .Tuesdays beginning next week.

The course will explore the meaning of life and will include meals and small group discussions on Christianity.

— Brianna Bailey