Mardi Gras, (also known as Shrove Tuesday) is the final day of Carnival; it falls on the day before the beginning of Lent on Ash Wednesday. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday”, referring to it being the last day of consuming rich, fatty foods, most notably red meat, in preparation for the Christian fasting season of Lent, during which such foods are avoided.

We don’t celebrate Carnival or Mardi Gras here at Geneseo UMC, but for many years we have recognized the season with Jazz Sunday, on the Sunday preceding Ash Wednesday.

This year’s Jazz Sunday Worship Service, February 15th, will feature many of our own musicians, including the Praise Band, Senior Choir, Bell Choir, and a special appearance by Bill Lewis, Tom Porter, and Ayden Szymanski on trombone.

We hope you can join us as we celebrate with Jazz Sunday before we move into the season of Lent, which begins on Wednesday, February 18th with our Ash Wednesday Service at 7:00 pm.