A Costa Mesa church wants to make it easier for people to develop a relationship with God.
So on Wednesday, Feb. 22, St. James Anglican Church’s Pastor Brian Schulz stood on the corner of Harbor and Newport boulevard to deliver the message of Lent to anyone who would listen.
Lent marks one of the most important seasons of faith in Christianity, the days leading to Easter are a period for penance, reflection, prayer and charity, starting with Ash Wednesday.
Amid the afternoon’s gusty wind and chilly temperatures, Schulz offered to bless people by putting a small cross on their foreheads with the ashes from a small silver ciborium he carried with him.
“Remember you are dust and to dust you will return.” Schulz repeated over and over as dozens took the opportunity to be blessed. People stopped their cars, came by on foot and, in one case, a man on a 6 mile run with his dog took advantage.
“In the last decade it’s become more popular to get ashes,” said Schulz, who’s led the Costa Mesa church for four years. “People who don’t go to church will come to get ashes, even if they don’t know the meaning of it, which is to remind of mortality and repentance.”
“There’s a longing for God and spirituality,” he added. “We want people to come to know and love him and enter into a relationship with him.”
Luis Garcia, who is training for an upcoming boxing match and was on his run, said he had prayed the rosary already that day, but was waiting for his parents to pick him up to go to church. Seeing the chance to get a quick blessing on his run worked out well for him, he said. “It’s just such a blessing.”
The idea to reach people where they are came from Sarah Desborough, a longtime St. James member. Last year, while visiting family in Texas during Ash Wednesday she didn’t have time to attend a service, but conveniently saw a priest offering the ashes blessing to people who were driving up in their cars.
“The people are the…
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