By GARRETT SAGER
Hays Post
A Fort Hays State University group and Trinity Lutheran Church in Hays are coming together Ash Wednesday to bring some sparkle to their services — and to show there are Christians who are welcoming of the LGBTQ community.
On Wednesday, Us4U, a campus religious group that welcomes members of the LGBTQ community, is offering Ashes-To-Go or traditional ashes and Glitter Ash on the FHSU Quad from 11:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Trinity Lutheran Church will have the same options at its 6:30 p.m. service.
Glitter Ash is a movement started by Parity of New York. Glitter Ash is a mixture of traditional ashes mixed with makeup-grade purple glitter.
According to the Parity of NYC website, the need for progressive Christian witness has never been more urgent, which is the reasoning behind Glitter Ash.
Ash Wednesday is the first day of Lent, where Christians look inward, repent and move forward toward greater health.
“Glitter Ash is a inherent queer sign of Christian belief,” according to Parity of NYC as it blends symbols of mortality, hope and penance in the celebration.
Cheryl Duffy, faculty adviser for Us4U, said Fort Hays decided to demonstrate Glitter Ash to show the campus community there are Christians who are accepting and welcoming of people in the LGBTQ community.
“For some in the LGBTQ community, church has not been a place of welcome. We are hoping this option of Glitter Ash helps them feel valued and welcome,” she said.
People on Wednesday can choose the traditional ashes or the Glitter Ash. As they are marked with a cross on their foreheads, they will be told, “Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return,” according to Duffy.
They will be given a card with information about ashes and the glitter, a prayer, and contact information. It is exactly like a regular Ashes-To-Go event, except participants might have glitter on their forehead, too, if they choose that option, said Duffy.
Glitter Ash got its start last year when Pastor Marie Sager of Trinity Lutheran Church — one of the churches that supports Us4U — along with Pastor Celeste Lasich of First Presbyterian Church, Pastor Kathy Bannister of First United Methodist Church of Hays, and Deacon Casey Rohleder of St. Michael’s Episcopal Church offered Ashes-To-Go at various locations around Hays. This year, Duffy thought it would be a good option for the student group Us4U to get involved and offer ashes on the FHSU campus.
Duffy said Us4U found out about Glitter Ash online and decided it would be a unique option to offer at the Ashes-To-Go event. The motto for Us4U is, “Come as you are. Serve as you can.”