The Church at Ponce and Highland in Atlanta is providing glitter ashes as an option during its Ash Wednesday service. These ashes, mixed with purple glitter, aim to express remorse for past Christian treatment of LGBTQ individuals and to affirm their identity. The church offers this alongside traditional ashes.
The Church at Ponce and Highland, a progressive congregation in Atlanta, has announced glitter ashes for its Ash Wednesday service. According to the church's website, participants can choose between standard ashes and those blended with purple glitter. The glitter version is described as a way for straight Christians to show remorse for "straight Christian cruelty to our LGBTQ siblings," while serving as a reminder for LGBTQ people that "we have but one life, and we should shine — not hide."
Ash Wednesday traditionally marks the start of Lent, a period of reflection leading to Easter. In standard practice, ashes are applied as a cross on the forehead to recall human mortality and the need for repentance, with the phrase "Remember that you are dust, and to dust you shall return."
This church, which identifies as diverse, pro-LGBTQ, member-led, and inclusive, does not require a shared statement of faith. It focuses on common practices, such as emphasizing Jesus's love and teachings rather than his death, encouraging doubt over strict doctrine, and rejecting the idea of eternal punishment. The congregation views historic Christianity as influenced by empires, associating traditional beliefs with issues like colonialism, slavery, violence, and oppression. It positions itself in an alternate tradition centered on liberation and support for the marginalized.
Formerly affiliated with the Southern Baptist Convention, the church left in 2010 due to the denomination's stance against female ordination. Now independent but loosely tied to Baptist roots, it explicitly states in its service description: "We will have both traditional and glitter ashes available." The glitter ashes are further explained as showing "remorse at Christian cruelty to our LGBTQ siblings as well as our love and affirmation for LGBTQ people."
This approach reframes the ritual to highlight social acknowledgment, while maintaining elements of the traditional observance.
