Tulsa Church's 'Ashes To Go' Event Continues To Grow

Wednesday is Ash Wednesday, and many Christian denominations hold special services where people get a cross of ashes on their foreheads as a sign of repentance and forgiveness.

One downtown Tulsa church is offering ashes in the drive-thru, and they say the event grows every year.

Reverend Kristina Maulden of Trinity Church commemorated Ash Wednesday for those looking for Ashes to Go.

"It's really a help for people who can't physically get in the building," Maulden said.

Most people that drove through were busy; and are not all were Episcopalians.

"Some are Roman Catholic, some people are non-denominational, they've never really experienced it before and wanna see what it's like. There are so many different reasons," Maulden said.

Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, which is the season of preparation for Easter, and beginning with ashes is important to many - even in a drive-thru setting.

But Ashes to Go is not without criticism.

Maulden said, "We are shortchanging the liturgy. People aren't experiencing the whole lead-in to lent."

For those who can, there is a full service going on inside; but for those who can't, there is Ashes to Go.

This is the third year Trinity Episcopal Church has offered Ashes to Go.