On Ash Wednesday, Feb. 10, First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of Chattanooga will be offering “Ashes to Go,” a new approach to a centuries-old Christian tradition, at several stations in Chattanooga, including pedestrian friendly Market Street, McCallie Avenue near the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga, and on East 11th near Community Kitchen, a longtime partner of First Christian.
First Christian is part of a new nationwide movement that has clergy and lay people visiting transit stops, street corners, coffee shops, and college campuses to mark the foreheads of interested passers-by with ashes and invite them to seek forgiveness and renewal.
In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the holy season of Lent, a time for reflection and repentance in preparation for the celebration of Easter. For centuries, Christians have received a cross of ashes on the face at the beginning of that season as a reminder of mortal shortcomings and an invitation to receive God’s forgiveness. Ashes to Go provides the opportunity to participate in that tradition for people who have lost their connection to a church, or have never participated before.
“Ashes to Go is a way for us to invite the entire community to participate in this ancient, important practice of our faith,” said Rev. Brandon Gilvin, senior minister at First Christian. “Life is busy, and the work of the church is to meet people where they are. We so often separate our spiritual lives from the day-to-day grind, and Ashes to Go helps folks connect—sometimes for the first time—with the message of forgiveness and hope that the Church tries to offer its pilgrim people, even if the pilgrimage they’re on is a walk across the street for a sandwich.”
Rev. Jonathan Hyde, First Christian’s associate minister, calls the power of community a big part of the Ashes to Go message. “To have someone remind you that you are welcome, you are forgiven, and you are loved—that connects you to something bigger, and that’s not something you experience every day. Offering this is a real gift.”
In Chattanooga, First Christian is offering Ashes to Go for the first time. In addition to receiving the imposition of ashes, passers-by will be offered a CD including meditations, music, and readings as inspiration for their continued spiritual journeys.
Email Rev. Brandon Gilvin at brandon@firstchristian-chat.com or call 423-267-4506 for more information about Chattanooga’s Ashes to Go. More information about the Ashes to Go movement can be found at www.AshesToGo.org.