PITTSFIELD, Mass. — On Ash Wednesday, March 1, four city churches are teaming up to offer Ashes to Go. 

 

The Rev. Nina Pooley, Rector at St. Stephen's Episcopal Church and Pastor Joel Bergeland from Zion Lutheran Church will be offering ashes to those who walk or drive up to the Allen Street entrance of St. Stephen's from Noon to 1:00 PM.

 

The Rev. Jenny Gregg from Cathedral of the Beloved and the Rev. Cara Davis, pastor at First Congregational Church, will make ashes available on North Street near the Intermodal Transportation Center from 11:00 AM to Noon.

 

In the Christian tradition, Ash Wednesday marks the start of the season of Lent.

 

These four congregations are part of a collaborative effort among downtown churches to make this tradition more accessible to the larger community.

 

"Ashes to Go is about bringing the important traditions of our faith out from behind church walls and into the places we need them every day," said Rev. Pooley. "As people get busier and busier, we need the church in new and non-traditional ways. We especially need reminders of forgiveness in the tough places of our everyday lives. The people who accept ashes on the street are often people longing to make a connection between their faith and the forces of daily life, and Ashes to Go helps them feel that

connection."