Ashes to Go draws people for mobile blessings

Lexie Vigna of West Leechburg has a jam-packed academic schedule as a college student. Home this week on spring break, she found time to observe Ash Wednesday in front of CoCo Coffeehouse in Leechburg, receiving “Ashes to Go.”

“It’s very convenient to do this while I’m here studying at the coffee shop. I think it’s nice because it lets people who are too busy to attend church meet with a pastor on the street,” said Vigna, a sophomore at Waynesburg University.

The Christian faithful mark Ash Wednesday by receiving ashes on their foreheads. The ancient tradition, marking the start of Lent leading to Easter, uses ashes to represent a line from the Old Testament book of Genesis: “You are dust, and to dust you shall return.”

The Revs. Gary and Lisa Lyon, co-pastors at Cross Roads Community Presbyterian Church in Leechburg, have offered Ashes to Go since 2016.

They set up in two locations on Ash Wednesday, outside their church on Main Street and outside CoCo Coffeehouse on Market Street.

CoCo owner Nikki Saxion offers her business as the annual venue for the Lyons’ outreach.

“It’s important to me to support the community and that includes the spiritual component, too,” Saxion said.

This year marks the last year the couple will administer to-go ashes as full-time ministers, because they’re both retiring this spring.

“We’re going to miss it. It’s one of the times when we can connect with people outside of church in a more spiritual way,” Gary Lyon said. “We really like to do this.”

They said Cross Roads will continue to offer Ashes to Go in Leechburg after they retire.

More than 25 individuals lined up in front of CoCo Coffeehouse on Ash Wednesday to receive ashes and share a personalized prayer with the Lyons.

“We encouraged them on their Lenten journey and some had specific prayer requests, including one for a woman named Rosa who is currently hiding in her basement in Ukraine,” Gary Lyon said.

Last year the married ministers had to offer a non-contact Ashes to Go experience, providing participants with a sticker instead of the usual smudged ashes applied with a thumb to the forehead.

Clergy from the Episcopal Church began offering Ashes to Go in 2007.

Marge VanTassel, 86, of Gilpin said she was motivated to participate in Ashes to Go, in part, because of the current state of affairs in the world.

VanTassel, a member of Apollo Free Methodist Church, said she hasn’t received ashes in more than a decade.

“This year is a traumatic year for all of us because of the happenings going on in the world. If you have a true faith, this may be leading to something important to Christians, so ashes may help to strengthen my prayers. I’m not ashamed to say I’m Christian and wear the ashes,” VanTassel said.

In Brackenridge, St. Barnabas Episcopal Church drew a steady crowd outside the red brick sanctuary for its Ashes to Go program.

Church member Karen Davidek Virag walked her dog, Finley, to the patio where blessings were being distributed.

“It’s a nice way to reach out to people,” she said. “We usually have a wonderful turnout.”

The mild temperatures helped the cause, with several neighbors and nearby businesspeople seeking mobile blessings from the Rev. Frank Yesko.

Pastor since 2013, Yesko said the initiative aligns perfectly with the Lenten mission of “renewing our faith.”

“It’s a great way to reach out our hand to people,” Yesko said.

The church, which sits at Morgan Street and Freeport Road, began offering Ashes to Go about four years ago.

The ecumenical program typically draws about 65 people or more.

Member Larry Dupain said the church strives to “extend Christ into the community” through various programs and Ashes to Go is a perfect example of parishioners’ work.

Yesko will be outside again from 4 to 5 p.m. to dole out more ashes to the after-work crowd.

Donna Ladie was pleased to have received hers at lunchtime. Ladie, a Catholic, is not a member of the church but said she has been visiting St. Barnabas year after year to get her Ash Wednesday invocation.

“I just drive up and I don’t even have to get out of the car,” she said. “It’s nice. I get my ashes and I can keep on going.”