The Virginian-Pilot
©
NORFOLK
"The rules are: We don't accost anyone," said the Rev. Win Lewis to the Rev. Gillian Barr, as the two Episcopal priests arrived at Starbucks on Wednesday morning.
"Just see if anyone comes," Lewis added, and they took up position on the corner of Baldwin and Colley avenues, next to a sign reading "Welcome. Ashes to go."
At 7:45 a.m. on Ash Wednesday, the first day of Lent in the Christian calendar, Lewis and Barr became part of a growing national movement to meet people halfway in their busy lives by taking the church ritual to the streets.
Ashes to Go began five years ago in an Episcopal church in St. Louis and has spread to at least 19 states this year. The Catholic church, however, will not participate, believing that the ashes should be given within the church during a Mass or liturgical service, according to USA Today.
A young woman in yoga pants stopped to hear a prayer and have ashes smudged on her forehead, a sign of penitence in the 40 days leading up to Easter. It took only a couple of minutes.
"People are busy and they can't get to church," said Lewis, the rector of Christ and St. Luke's Episcopal Church. "We just decided to try it."
They chose Starbucks because it is a place of hospitality, he said, and also because Lewis has, for the past 18 months, been hanging out there every Wednesday morning, with the store's permission, to be accessible to the public.
Several of the people who stopped for ashes attend Christ and St. Luke's; several don't.
"I heard about it on the news this morning," one woman said. "I don't have a local church."
She and her companion walked away with smudges and pamphlets explaining Ashes to Go with the reminder, "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
Church member Caroline Black explained what was going on to curious pedestrians. Drivers rubber-necked at the two priests and their sign, standing quietly on the corner, not accosting anyone.
"The people driving down the street, even if they don't stop, something has registered," Black said. "You'll think about this."
And one man, as he walked away with his blessing and smudge, said over his shoulder: "This is great. This is a great idea."
Diane Tennant, 757-446-2478, diane.tennant@pilotonline.com
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Getting or giving ashes is a form of prayer
Getting or giving ashes is a form of prayer. It was kind and brave of givers and recipients to participate openly in this form or worship of God in public where they might be scoffed at for their spirituality by those who are mean-spirited.
time for God
One of the major reasons for church attendance should be to give up one's time for God. Ashes are supposed to remind us of the coming of Lent and the need to give more time and effort for God. This abomination of an idea just ocmpletely ignores this in the name of popular culture. This was just a way of checking the box in the calendar - Ashes - check, now get on with my life.
Mark 16:15
And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.
Mission, not abomination.
In a perfect world, everyone who desires to get to church would be able to do so. However, this is not always possible. Especially on a weekday, when people have to work, go to school, take care of their children, etc. Ash Wednesday is not a federal holiday; the secular world keeps moving at its normal pace with no consideration for an person's spirituality. I agree that making time for God should be a top priority, yet it is better to see the priest on the street corner and have a brief moment with God than to not have the moment at all.
This is an opportunity to take the church to the world that needs it, and to possibly reach those who need the church and a deeper relationship with God. That is mission, not abomination.
Episcopal
I am a member of the Episcopal Church, but Jamil is correct. The church is losing millions of people and we all know why. There is an elephant in the room. We all know why the church is losing millions of members and dollars. Give me all your "thumbs down" (that's fine because I know) but members open your eyes to reality. The clergy should also open their eyes and ears, but that is unlikely.
Is the Elephant in the room
Is the Elephant in the room that religion is a man made business used to cause man to bend his will to what an "elite" want him to do? Perhaps people are leaving churches because they see them for what they really are. Unfortunately, many of our political leaders who want us to do certain things that help them haven't caught on with there incredibly reckless legislation....oh yeah, what did I say in my first sentence.......sorry, forgot.
Divine idea
What a lovely and divinely inspired idea.
Saint Benedict would be proud.
Ashes to Go
Ashes to Go is a great idea, and I am very happy that our clergy decided to take it to streets here in Norfolk!
The Episcopal church has lost nearly half of its membership
in last thirty years, and this one reason is why. A religion that asks nothing of its membership will lose them. The Episcopal church has lost any moral creditibility.
Ashes to Go
I am very proud to be a part of the Episcopal Church today when I see these two priests stand on a street corner to bless those they come into contact with. I hope this catches on in more communities. I would have loved to have been able to go this morning. Maybe next year someone will offer ashes to go at Town Center in VB or even at the Oceanfront!! Win and Gillian you are the best!!