Some Christians are taking advantage of the busy and drive-thru world we live in today.

Zion United Lutheran Church in Brodheadsville offered Ashes to Go for people in their cars today from 8 to 9 a.m. on this first day of Lent.Each driver and passengers received the mark of the cross in ashes and a blessing: "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."Zion will offer Ashes to Go again from 3:30-5:30 p.m. This evening a regular service will be held at 7:30. It is open to anyone."We're not trying to be a replacement for folks going to Wednesday evening Lenten service but be a service for those folks who can't make it or wouldn't normally go to a Lenten service," says the Rev. E. Ann Melot, pastor of Zion.She got the idea when she read about more urban areas offering ashes to commuters.Susan Weis, a member of Zion, and some other parishioners attended a Synod meeting in the Lehigh Valley. A minister talked about how some churches in the Philadelphia area offer Ashes to Go. They talked to Melot about doing the same thing in the West End."We thought we'd give it a try," Melot says. "Even if just one person deepens his or her faith journey, we'll have been successful. If nothing else, it got people talking about Ash Wednesday."That certainly seemed the case this morning as two television stations and newspaper media were on hand to see cars arrive at 8 a.m. on the dot. With assistant minister Larry Lutz helping Melot, five cars drove up in succession in the first five minutes."We got very lucky having this beautiful morning," said Weis as she held a banner out by the road, inviting any and all to receive the imposition of ashes.Kristin Bruss of Neola is not a member of Zion but is thinking of joining. She heard about the Ashes to Go and was on her way home from early morning errands."I have a busy day and I don't know if I'll have time to go to church tonight," Bruss said.Fred Faulstick of Saylorsburg, a driver for the American Cancer Society, saw that Zion was offering to do the Ashes to Go and decided to take advantage of the service."I think it's a great idea," he said.Ashes are an ancient sign of penitence and the reminder of need, humility, and healing shouldn't be confined to a church building.Melot said the ashes remind us throughout the day of our need for God and of God's call to us."I love this idea. I don't think there's any better way to reach out to the community and let them know we're here and that God is present," Lutz said.