Preparing for Ash Wednesday, March 5th

Please gather up your palm crosses.  We will burn them in March for Ash Wednesday. Look for a basket in the Narthex.  The Episcopal Church, like many Christian denominations, burns blessed items as a way to respectfully dispose of objects that have been set apart for sacred use, signifying their return to God through the act of burning, which is seen as a symbolic offering and a way to honor the sacred nature of the item, rather than simply throwing it away; this practice is particularly common with old or worn-out religious articles like prayer candles, palm leaves, or old liturgical linens.