Press Release
PERTH AMBOY – On Ash Wednesday, February 10, 2016, St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, will be offering “Ashes to Go,” a new approach to a centuries-old Christian tradition, from 6:15 am to 8:30 am at the Perth Amboy Train Station.

St. Peter’s, a community that has been worshiping in Perth Amboy since 1685, is once again joining the 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 repent of past wrongdoing and seek forgiveness and renewal.

“Ashes are an ancient sign of penitence. From the Middle Ages it became the custom to begin Lent by being marked in ash with the sign of the cross. The reminder that we are dust turns our attention to the creative power of God, and God’s ability to heal the brokenness in our lives when we offer that brokenness to God. That turning to God is the work of Lent, preparation for the celebration of Easter.

We take ashes to the street corner because that reminder of need, humility, and healing shouldn’t be confined to a church building.  We probably need it more when we are in the middle of our daily business! The ashes we receive are to remind us throughout the day of our need for God, and of God’s call to us.”

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 or who are not able to get to church on Ash Wednesday. As people get busier and busier, we need the church in new and non-traditional ways.  We especially need reminders of forgiveness.  The people who accept ashes on the street are often people longing to connect with their faith in the middle of their working lives.

Contact Rev. Anne-Marie Jeffery/ ajeffery@stpetersepiscopal.com/ 732 826 1594 for more information about this event.  More information about the Ashes to Go movement can be found at www.AshesToGo.org