A convenient kick-off to Lent at two Prairie Village churches

Rev. Aaron Roberts of Colonial Church on Mission Road will be stationed in the circle drive in front of the church Wednesday morning.

Party tonight — it is Mardi Gras after all — but tomorrow is for repentance. And you can get the proper start to your 47-days of Lent without even getting out of your car at two Prairie Village churches.

Colonial Church in Prairie Village will offer an “Ash Wednesday Drive-By” in the circle drive in front of the church at 71st and Mission Road. The drive-by is scheduled to be held from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m., but pastor Aaron Roberts says he will extend that time on the fly if there is a demand for it.

A second drive through option will be at Asbury United Methodist at 75th and Nall from 7 to 9 a.m.

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, the 40-day liturgical period of prayer and fasting before Easter. At Colonial, Rev. Roberts will draw the cross of ashes on the forehead — the sign of mourning and repentance. Tradition is to keep the ashes on the forehead until they wear off on their own as a sign of faith.

The ashes used tomorrow at Colonial come from the burning of last year’s palm fronds waved during Palm Sunday services. This is the first year for the drive-by, replacing the Ash Wednesday service that had traditionally been done in the evening. “People are so busy, we decided to make it simplified,” Rev. Roberts said. Drivers taking advantage of the event can enter the circle drive from Mission Road where the entrance will be marked by a banner.

At Asbury, Rev. Gayla Rapp said, “the drive-through Ash Wednesday service is our way of providing every opportunity we can for people to experience the beginning of this most holy season in the church.” At Asbury, drivers should enter the church parking lot from the west entrance nearest Nall.

Asbury will also have more traditional services at noon in the chapel and 7 p.m. in the sanctuary.