Today, on Ash Wednesday, following a service to mark the start of Lent and the giving of Ashes at Church of the Ascension in Wall Heath, Mission Priest Sarah Roberts-Malpass and Curate Chris Smith, visited the nearby high street to offer ‘Ashes to go’ to passersby.
Lent is a forty-day period of preparation for Easter. It echoes the forty days Jesus spent fasting in the desert, enduring temptation from Satan. In the Old Testament, ashes were used in times of mourning and distress. Today the wearing of ashes is used to signify repentance and the desire to follow God’s example of love and forgiveness more closely.
Many visitors to Wall Heath high street came to talk to Sarah and Chris and good connections were made. Sarah has been in post four weeks now and is a regular visitor to the high street so is becoming a well-known member of the local community. Some people passing wanted to chat and accepted a leaflet, some asked for prayer or blessings and others received ashes.
Sarah said:
“A lot of what we do in church is held within the building, and as we start Lent it’s really important that actually we go beyond the barriers of the church buildings and take church out into the community, to share the fact that God is everywhere, already at work. Even if people aren’t engaging much, it is a physical presence and visual reminder of God’s love.”
“We’re bringing the church out into where people are, going about their daily lives - and inviting Grace to breakthrough.”
