Feature image (above): Celebrating Shrove Tuesday at Grace Church in Syracuse. Photo by Willson Cummer.
Whether feasting at a Mardi Gras jambalaya dinner at Grace Church in Baldwinsville, stopping by an ecumenical “ashes to go” distribution at a park in Oneida with Father Nick Smith from St. John’s Church, or attending a solemn conflagration of the palms at Grace Church in Elmira, Central New Yorkers had a variety of ways to observe Ash Wednesday and Shrove Tuesday at local Episcopal churches.
Fifty-seven parishes also participated in the diocesan-wide Ash Wednesday invitation campaign, inviting their neighbors to attend Ash Wednesday services through a campaign on Facebook that reached over 6,500 people and brought nearly 225 visitors to an online directory of Ash Wednesday services.
Read on for photos and a roundup of local media coverage.
We’d love to add more images and news stories to this post. Please send your photos and links to messenger@cnyepiscopal.org for consideration!
Mardi Gras
At Grace Church in Syracuse, Shrove Tuesday 2017 meant a pancake supper, arts and crafts, and Mardi Gras masks and beads! Photos by Willson Cummer.
Conflagration of the Palms
At Grace Church in Elmira and in many other Episcopal churches, last year’s Palm Sunday palms are burned to make this year’s ashes for Ash Wednesday. Photos by Libby Hedrick.
Supporting Ministry in Haiti
This Lent, St. James’ Church in Clinton will be collecting funds for the church and school ministry of St. Paul’s Parish in Beaudin Jean Pierre, Haiti. Proceeds from the church’s Shrove Tuesday pancake supper will be donated to the hot lunch program at St. Paul’s.
Ashes at Work
The Rev. Joell Szachara of St. Stephen’s Church in New Hartford brought ashes to customers and employees of Raspberries Café in Utica.
In the News
Video: North Country Christians Honor Ash Wednesday (WWNY TV Channel 7, March 2, 2017)
Photos: Ash Wednesday Observed (Watertown Daily Times, March 2, 2017)
Video: ‘Ashes to go’ makes Ash Wednesday easier in New Hartford [link no longer available] (WKTV Channel 2, March 1, 2017)
Video: Local churches offer “Ashes To Go” for Ash Wednesday (WBNG Channel 34, February 28, 2017).
