Ash Wednesday COVID style
Church offering Ashes to Go, curbside service
For this year’s Ash Wednesday the Prince of Peace Church is offering two options for the community to receive Ashes while being safe and contactless. Both will be in front of Prince of Peace Church located at 201 Phelps St., Sterling.
On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 17, from noon to 1 p.m., Ashes to Go with a “grab & go” sack lunch will be offered. Prayers will be said, and the ashes will be imposed with a Q tip, while wearing masks.
The second oppor tunity will be a Curbside Ash Wednesday Service at 6:00 p.m., also in front of Prince of Peace Church. The Curbside Ser vice uses your car’s radio to tune into the Ash Wednesday prayer service with imposition of ashes. Attendees will stay in their cars and each will be given a Ser vice bulletin to follow along with the radio. Ashes will be distributed at the appropriate time. Individuals in their cars may impose the ashes on each other’s foreheads or their own.
Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Holy Lent and moves towards the Resurrection. Worshippers start by remembering where we have come from. “Remember you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Book of Common Prayer p. 265)” In Gene
sis we read that God created us from the earth. All of humanity is created from the same substance.
Lent is also a penitential season in the church. We acknowledge that we have not loved God with our whole heart nor our neighbors as ourselves. Repentance is about turning away from behavior which goes against the two great commandments. Repentance is a practice. It can provide a healing, a means of introspection, forgiveness and offering. In doing so it brings us a deepened faith and preparation for meeting the resurrected Christ.
Join us Feb. 17, Ash Wednesday at Prince of Peace Church as we offer two opportunities to remember our faith during these COVID times. Ashes to Go at noon with a free sack lunch, or Curbside Ash Wednesday Ser vice at 6:00 p.m.