By Josh Bootsma
LANSING, Ill. (February 17, 2021) – The community prayer walk “Stations of the Cross” is scheduled to take place this year on April 2. The annual Good Friday tradition will step off at noon from St. Ann Catholic Church, walk west while stopping 14 times for each “station of the cross,” and end at Trinity Lutheran Church.
Last year’s Good Friday walk was cancelled and replaced by a video. This year’s event will require participants to wear masks and maintain social distancing as much as possible. In previous years, the prayer walk would conclude with an inside service, but this year’s will end with a short outside prayer service.
All are welcome to historically-rooted observance
In 2019, the prayer walk drew a crowd of nearly 200 people. For some, this year’s event may mark the first large group gathering they have been part of in over a year.
As in years past, the “Stations of the Cross” event will begin in the parking lot of St. Ann Catholic Church. Stepping off at noon, participants will travel south to Ridge Road, then west to Trinity Lutheran Church, about three quarters of a mile overall. The tradition of 14 stations has roots in Catholicism, with images depicting Jesus Christ on his way to be crucified. The Lansing prayer walk has relied solely on Bible readings and prayers to establish the stations.
A flyer for the event says, “All are invited and encouraged to participate as a community commemorating the events that transpired as Jesus carried his cross to Golgotha to be crucified.”
Four local faith leaders have agreed to participate in the event so far, though more are expected: Pastor John Holyer of Trinity Lutheran Church, Fr. Mark Kalema of St. Ann Catholic Church, Pastor Dave Price of First United Methodist Church, and Pastor Jonathan Vitale of Lansing Assembly of God.
More information about the event is available by calling Trinity Lutheran Church at 708-474-7997.
St. Ann Catholic Church is located at 3010 Ridge Road and Trinity Lutheran Church is located at 2505 Indiana Avenue.
Related
- Annual Good Friday Prayer Walk goes online (April 10, 2020)
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Good Friday prayer walk participants brave the cold (April 19, 2019)
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Good Friday brings Lansing churches, community together (April 4, 2018)
