Ashes and a Prayer adds convenience to holy day

Ashes and a Prayer adds convenience to holy day

SPECIAL TO VIERA VOICE

Pastor David Jahn greets a driver before providing Ashes and a Prayer at Advent Lutheran Church in Suntree last year. Both the Melbourne Beach and Suntree campuses of Advent Lutheran Church will have the drive-up service on Ash Wednesday for those wishing to receive ashes.

Photo Courtesy of Advent Lutheran Church

VIERA VOICE

A mom dropping off her children on the way to work. The man headed to a doctor's appointment. The senior who can't walk and sit for a service.

These are the folks whose spiritual needs Advent Lutheran Church plans to meet with the ability to drive up for Ashes and a Prayer on Ash Wednesday, March 6 in Suntree and Melbourne Beach.

Clergy from the Suntree church at 7550 North Wickham Road will administer ashes to the foreheads of the faithful who drive up from 7 until 9 a.m. and then again from 4:30 until 6:30 p.m.

The Melbourne Beach campus of Advent Lutheran Church will offer Ashes and a Prayer from 7 to 9 a.m. at the 1805 Oak St. location. Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, the six-week period of repentance preceding Easter in the Christian calendar. The use of ashes as a sign of repentance is an ancient practice, adopted by early Christians from the Jewish tradition.

The participant receives the ashes on their forehead in the form of the cross, as an external sign of penitence.

For information, call the Suntree church at 321-259- 8515.

This is the third year the church has offered the driveup Ashes and a Prayer.