Episcopal congregations in at least 20 towns in northern New Jersey will take to the streets on Ash Wednesday, February 22, marking the beginning of the holy season of Lent by giving “Ashes to Go.”
Ash Wednesday initiates the Lenten season of reflection and penitence which precedes Easter. In the Episcopal tradition, clergy use ashes to mark the foreheads of the faithful with the sign of the cross, saying “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”
Numerous priests and lay people will visit train stations, bus stops, coffee shops, and street corners to offer ashes and a brief prayer to pedestrians who wish to participate.
During the morning rush hour on February 22, both the Bishop and the Canon to the Ordinary of the Episcopal Diocese of Newark will offer Ashes to Go to commuters outside the two major Newark, NJ train stations.
The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, Bishop of Newark, will offer ashes outside Newark Penn Station from approximately 7 to 8 a.m.
At the same time the Rev. Gregory A. Jacobs, Canon to the Ordinary, will offer ashes outside Broad Street Station Newark.
Says Bishop Beckwith, “’Ashes to Go’ is one important way that we can make a public witness of our faith. It is bringing the altar into the world.”
A list of churches in the Diocese of Newark which plan to offer Ashes to Go at train stations and other public locations in their towns is below.
The Ashes to Go initiative was started by the Rev. Teresa K. M. Danieley of St. John’s Episcopal Church, St. Louis, MO, who began conducting a street corner service with the distribution of ashes in 2007.
“On the street corner, we encounter people who have been hurt by previous experiences with organized religion and who, through Ashes to Go, take a tentative step back towards attending Church,” Danieley says.
For more about the Ashes to Go program, visit http://ashestogo.org.
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark comprises the northern third of New Jersey with over 100 congregations in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Warren, and Union counties.
Episcopal Churches in the Diocese of Newark Offering Ashes to Go
Bloomfield/Glen Ridge
Who: The Rev. Anne Koehler of Christ Episcopal Church in Bloomfield/Glen Ridge (office: 973-743-5911)
Where: Glen Ridge and Bloomfield train stations and at the bus stop in front of Christ Church
When: 5:30 – 7 a.m. and again from 5:30 – 7 p.m.
Chester
Who: The Rev. Margaret Otterburn of Episcopal Church of the Messiah in Chester (office: 908-879-7208)
Where: Chester Diner
When: 6 - 6:45 a.m. and again from 8 - 10 a.m.
Clifton
Who: The Rev. Peter De Franco of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Clifton (office: 973-546-5020)
Where: Main & Clifton Avenues, Clifton; Allwood Road Bus Park & Ride, Clifton
Edgewater & Fairview
Who: The Rev. Willie Smith of Trinity Episcopal Church in Cliffside Park (office: 201-943-1034)
Where: Fairview shopping center, 9 - 11 a.m.; Edgewater, 24 hr Starbucks, 3 - 5 p.m.
Fort Lee
Who: The Rev. Allison Moore of Church of the Good Shepherd in Fort Lee (office: 201-461-7260)
Where: Bus stop on entrance to George Washington Bridge
Hackettstown
Who: The Rev. Dr. Cathy Deats of St. James' Episcopal Church in Hackettstown (further info: 908-500-2463)
Where: Hometowne Hardware parking lot, 232 Main St., Hackettstown
When: 8 - 9 a.m.
Hillsdale
Who: The Rev. Briggett J. Keith of Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Hillsdale (office: 201-664-2428)
Where: Hillsdale Train Station
Kinnelon
Who: The Rev. David DeSmith of St. David’s Episcopal Church in Kinnelon (office: 973-838-6696)
Where: Mead Town Mall bus stop and Butler Main Street
When: 6:30 - 7:15 a.m.
Little Falls
Who: The Rev. Fairbarin Powers and the Rev. Deborah Drake of St. Agnes' Episcopal Church in Little Falls (office: 973-256-5020)
Where: Little Falls Train Station
When: 7 - 8:15 a.m.
Montclair
Who: The Rev. Andrew Butler and The Rev Dr. Peter Jackson of St. John's Episcopal Church in Montclair (office: 973-746-2474)
Where: Walnut Street Train Station in Montclair
When: 7 - 8 a.m.
Who: Chaplain Diana Wilcox (wilcoxd@mail.montclair.edu) of Montclair State University
Where: The Center for Faith & Spirituality (SC 112)
When: Imposition of Ashes any time 12 - 6 p.m.; Services of Word, Healing & Ashes: 1:30 - 2 p.m., 3:30 - 4 p.m., 5:30 - 6 p.m.
Mountain Lakes
Who: The Rev. Adele Hatfield of St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Mountain Lakes (office: 973-334-4429)
Where: Waterview bus stop on Hwy. 46 E between Mountain Lakes and Parsippany
When: 6:30 – 8 a.m.
Newark
Who: The Rt. Rev. Mark M. Beckwith, Bishop of Newark (contact: Nina Nicholson, 973-224-0417)
Where: Newark Penn Station
When: 7 - 8 a.m.
Who: The Rev. Canon Gregory A. Jacobs, (contact: Nina Nicholson, 973-224-0417)
Where: Broad Street Station Newark
When: 7 - 8 a.m.
Who: The Very Rev. Susan Keller of Trinity & St. Philip's Episcopal Cathedral (office: 973-622-3505)
Where: Outside the Cathedral at Military Park
When: Starting at 7:30 a.m.
Who: The Rev. J. Brent Bates of Grace Episcopal Church in Newark (office: 973-623-1733)
Where: In front of the red doors of the church (950 Broad Street in Newark between City Hall and the Rodino Federal Building)
When: 7:30 - 9 a.m. and 4:30 - 6 p.m.
Who: The Rev. Wade Renn of House of Prayer Episcopal Church in Newark (office: 973-483-8202)
Where: Broad St. Station and the NJ Transit bus stop
When: 7 - 8:30 a.m.
Paterson
Who: The Rev. David Wolf and the Rev. Rosa Brown-Autry of St. Paul's Episcopal Church in Paterson (office: 973-278-7900)
Where: Paterson Train Station
When: Starting 8:30 a.m.
Ramsey
Who: The Rev. Julian Eibin of St John’s Memorial Episcopal Church in Ramsey (office: 201-327-0703)
Where: Ramsey Train Station
When: 6:30 - 7:45 a.m.
Ridgefield - canceled due to the governor's town hall meeting
Who: The Rev. Mariano Gargiulo of St. James’ Episcopal Church in Ridgefield (office: 201-945-0079)
Ridgewood
Who: The Rev. Greg Lisby of Christ Episcopal Church in Ridgewood (office: 201-652-2350)
Where: Ridgewood Train Station
When: 7 - 8 a.m.
Rutherford
Who: The Rev. William Thiele of St. John's Episcopal Church in Passaic, the Rev. Robert Browning of Grace Episcopal Church in Rutherford, and the Rev. Manoj M Zacharia of St. Paul's and Resurrection Episcopal Church in Wood-Ridge
Where: Rutherford Train Pavilion
When: 5:45 - 8 a.m.
Secaucus
Who: The Rev. Barbara Lewis of The Episcopal Church of Our Saviour in Secaucus (office: 201-863-1449)
Where: Frank Launtenberg Train Station
When: 7 - 8 a.m.
South Orange
Who: The Rev. Canon Dr. Sandye Wilson of St. Andrew & Holy Communion Episcopal Church in South Orange (office: 973-763-2355)
Where: South Orange Train Station
When: 5:45 a.m. - 8:45 a.m.
Sparta
Who: The Rev. Carol Gadsen of St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Sparta (office: 973-729-3136)
Where: Dunkin' Donuts, 5 Center St, Sparta, NJ 07871
When: 7 - 8 a.m.
