As many of you know, I worked as a store manager of a Starbucks before I became an ordained minister. While working there, I had the privilege of witnessing the people I worked with and served coffee to embody creating connection and community even amidst the fluidity of people. I have many memories and stories of connecting and being in community together while working there, but I want to share one particular memory of it.

One Ash Wednesday, a female minister wearing a dress with a clergy collar came into the store and got a cup of hot tea. As I got her hot tea and talked with her, I learned that the Holy Spirit guided the deacons and her to go to different places in the community to share the imposition of ashes, pray with people, and bless them.

As I reflected on the practice of “to go” or “uber” imposition of ashes, I thought about Jesus’ ministry and the early church. They went out into the villages, towns, and cities and entered the ordinary places of people’s lives to share the Word of God. Like Jesus and the early disciples, these folks stepped outside the church doors and into the ordinary places of daily life to share a meaningful blessing in community with friends and strangers alike.

Being someone who had to work open to close that day, it truly was a blessing that I and others were offered a space to slow down and to be in the presence of the Holy One amidst the busyness of our daily lives. As I felt the palm ashes schmeered on my forehead and heard these words spoken to me (then to others), “Remember from dust you have come and to dust you shall return,” I experienced the Spirit at work intersecting ordinary life with the holy and sacred. It was a moment where we each were reminded of who we are – God’s Beloveds and are created in the Lord’s image. We received the beautiful assurance that in life and in death, we solely belong to God and absolutely nothing can separate us from the love of God. What a beautiful blessing for God’s people to receive! And then this beautiful blessing of the schmeered ashes on my forehead created a lot of curiosity among people and gave way for many opportunities to share this sacred practice, the meaning of it, and a blessing with others.

Some folks may think that “to go” or “uber” ashes waters down the spiritual practice and disregards the sacredness. However, I respectfully disagree with such thought, as this practice follows the ways of the early church – ministering by meeting people where they are – offering the opportunity for all people to receive and experience the blessing of God. It is a space created to deliver a blessing to people who may be uncomfortable going into a church or who have to work two jobs and don’t have the opportunity to attend a worship service. To me, this is what it looks like to embody faithful living – blessing and witnessing to the steadfast mercy and love of God.

May we go forth to experience and witness to the blessing of being God’s Beloveds in this Lenten Season.

In Christ’s love,

Pastor Jenn