The News Herald (Willoughby, OH)
Church gives ‘ashes to go’ for community
Church gives “drive-through” blessing on Ash Wednesday
For Christians, the meaning of Ash Wednesday is summed up by the Bible’s Genesis 3:19, which says “for dust you are, and to dust you will return.”
A symbol of that phrase can often be seen on the forehead of those who choose to receive it and wear it to mark the beginning of the solemn season of Lent.
Rev. Ian Lynch, pastor of Old South United Church of Christ in Kirtland, mentioned humility as an important reason for wearing ashes.
“It means to be a public display. You’re marking yourself as humble,” Lynch said. “That’s really what ashes are. Humility has its roots in the word ‘humus’, so like dirt... So to be humble is to be of the earth and know that you have a place in this creation, this is who you are. You’re not exalted above everything else, you’re a part of everything.”
On March 6, the date of Ash Wednesday this year, Lynch hosted an “Ashes to Go” for community members. The pastor stood by the church entrance as drivers came by for a “drivethrough” blessing or parked their cars in the lot and met Lynch halfway.
Within the first hour, Lynch said about eight people had stopped to receive ashes, despite sub-freezing temperatures. He was available to give ashes from 7 to 10 a.m.
Lynch added that this was the fifth year for doing the Ashes to Go. He brought the idea to Kirtland after having served a church in Massachusetts.
“It happens more in cities, where’s there’s more traffic,” Lynch said. “This (in Kirtland) is kind of unique because it’s off the beaten path. I just put the sign out and people (are) driving by.”
He highlighted that starting the morning off with ashes — as opposed to attending an evening service
“It means to be a public display. You’re marking yourself as humble.” — Rev. Ian Lynch, pastor of Old South United Church of Christ in Kirtland
— puts people in the right frame of mind. And humility can help them get “out of their own way.”
“It’s a good day to say ‘No, I’m dependent on things that are greater than me’,” Lynch said.
He likened the process to people going through 12step programs.
“The first step is to admit that you’re powerless,” he said, “and that means you need to seek a higher power... Substitute addiction with anything that’s in your way — any sin, any impediment, any imperfection — and just admit that you’re powerless over it and you need a higher power.”
When discussing the Lent season, the pastor said that humility is a way for people to better themselves and be more open to God.
“The only thing that keeps us from that is us,” Lynch said. “So that’s the way I look at confession and penance and the season... this is self-work, this is selfexamination and work that we do on ourselves so that we can find God more fully.”