The Fountains United Methodist Church is celebrating the kick-off of Lent in a different way this year.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent and begins the 40 days leading up to Easter. Typically ashes are smudged on churchgoers’ foreheads to remind them that we all must die.

But lurking behind Ash Wednesday’s reputation of self-reflection and penance is a celebration of life and fire.

According to organizers, Christians need to be careful about Ash Wednesday.

“Taken superficially, the gloomy ‘ashes to ashes, dust to dust’ language can become a misguided downer of spiritual confessions of the ‘woe is me’ variety,” reads an announcement from the church. “It’s been used from time immemorial to convince earnest Christians of the need to spend 40 days in denial and self-loathing to prepare for Easter.”

There is another take on Ash Wednesday, however, one that goes back to its ancient roots in the early church.

The Fountains marks Ash Wednesday as the ancient Christians may have done: outside, around a bonfire.

As participants take the dried palm branches that were waved on the previous year’s Palm Sunday and place them on the fire to be consumed, they’re reminded how fleeting praise and glory is — and how quickly life can turn to ashes.

“Dramatic and visceral, we’re reminded of the ultimate reality we struggle against, our mortality,” reads the announcement. “We are reminded, both by the words we say and the burned palms imposed on our foreheads that we will die.

“Every moment is precious before the looming fact that we only have so much time as short-lived expressions of the spirit. In that brief time we are tasked to love, serve and live fully – before returning to dust.

“Join us for this unique ritual that takes our mortal existence seriously but also celebrates the extraordinary and fleeting gift of being alive.”

Look for the bonfire in the Memorial Garden at 7 p.m. on Feb. 26 at The Fountains, located at 15300 N. Fountain Hills Blvd. Plan to bring a flashlight to see lyrics and prayer responses. Limited seating will be provided and all are welcome to bring a folding chair.

For more information, visit weputlovefirst.org or call 480-837-7627.