[youtube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UWg291iZfqY]
The Rev. Amy Haynie and The Rev. Henry Penner offered Drive-Through Ashes in the church parking lot from 4:45-6:30 for St Martin’s version of Ashes To Go. Signs near the church and waving, smiling, energetic greeters got the attention of people during rush hour; Coralie Key was at the busy corner of Pearson Lane and FM 1709, and education director Corrie Cabes was at the parking lot entrance waving to all on Pearson.
People felt welcome to drive through and participate, even though they don’t regularly worship at St Martin’s. A sign of our busy lives, one grateful person said, “this is the only way I’m receiving ashes this year.”
Ashes To Go is a recent exercise in some liturgical protestant churches (Episcopal, Methodist, and Lutheran) to take the imposition of ashes on foreheads of individuals in public spaces, outside the confines of regular worship spaces. St Martin’s offered Drive-Thru Ashes as an evangelical complement to its three well-attended Ash Wednesday worship services.
Several other churches in the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth offered Ashes to Go.
Look for pictures in a photo album on St. Martin’s facebook page.