POCATELLO — The congregation at Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Good Shepherd has opted against gathering indoors during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Regardless, Pastor Wayne Shipman will still be marking foreheads with the sign of the cross in ashes in observance of Ash Wednesday, thanks to a creative coronavirus-friendly format his church has adopted.

He’s calling the service Ashes on the Go, and he’s invited members of other local Christian denominations that observe Ash Wednesday to join in, as well.

Participants will be asked to remain in their cars, parked in the lot at the church, located at 215 N. 18th Ave. The service begins at 11 a.m.

The program will broadcasted throughout the area via an FM radio signal, and each car will receive a handout with prayers. Shipman will administer ashes using fresh cue tips through open car windows.

“That’s the safest thing now for most folks. It is still a ministry presence,” Shipman said.

Shipman has long preached that the term “church” refers to a community of believers rather than a physical building.

“I think it’s a powerful message that we are a church together whether we are in a building or not,” Shipman said.

As he administers ashes, Shipman will offer the blessing, “Mortal, you are dust and to dust you will return.”

“It’s a reminder that we have a short life in relative terms, but God is eternal and God calls us to that life,” Shipman said, adding Ash Wednesday also offers a reminder that Jesus was both fully human and fully divine.

Ash Wednesday marks the first day of Lent — a period of penitence, prayer and reflection that will end on April 4 with Easter Sunday. Mardi Gras is a festive day marking the end of the pre-Lenten season.

The ashes are made by burning palms saved from Palm Sunday, hosted on the Sunday before Easter to start Holy Week. Palm Sunday commemorates when Jesus arrived in Jerusalem riding a donkey. People threw palms in the donkey’s path to protect him from the dust.

Holy Spirit Catholic Community in Pocatello is also revising its usual Ash Wednesday service to protect members of the parish from COVID-19.

Thomas Smith, pastoral associate with Holy Spirit, said the church will host an in-person service, but ashes will be sprinkled instead of traced on the forehead, per the Vatican’s recommendations. Smith said sprinkling of ashes is a custom already followed in some countries.

Smith said Holy Spirit has been open for in-person worship services since Mother’s Day weekend of last year, following strict protocols. He said no infections have been traced to church services.

“As a community we continue to maintain our strict protocols of an intake station for health questions, social distancing, ushering and seating by household, mask wearing and thorough fogging of our facilities between services,” Smith said via email. “We have always carried communion to those who wish to remain in their vehicles, and we will extend that same service to those who wish to receive ashes.”