Episcopal Bishop of Chicago Jeffrey D. Lee’s message to the people for Lent 2011

Bishop Jeffrey Lee is inviting the congregations of the diocese to take the liturgy to the streets this Ash Wednesday using the model of invitational encounters employed last year by several of our congregations including Calvary Church, Lombard. The Rev. Emily Mellott of Calvary Church has created a series of Ashes to Go liturgical resources for use by others in the dioceses.

Says Bishop Lee in his letter to congregations:

There is a vast hunger in our world for the presence of the Lord Jesus and for a declaration of the truth that we are finite and human creatures, dependent on a loving and merciful God. The rites of Ash Wednesday can be a powerful tool to offer just this message to folks who would never walk through the doors of our churches to experience it. I hope many of us will be bold in offering this ministry to people outside the walls of our churches. Christ is there.

via The Episcopal Diocese of Chicago.

As an aside, the diocesan website has seen some great changes – lots of videos to watch and a much clearer URL that spells out “www.episcopalchicago.org” instead of shortening it as it did formerly.