Devout few walk with the cross as Christians ponder role here
Good Friday’s Walk of the Cross through downtown Kelowna was about quality, not quantity.
“There’s not a lot of us walking this year,” admitted Rev. Donald Schmidt of First United Church.
“We had a good turnout of 100 for the church service and about 60 came to the reception (complete with hot-cross buns and fresh fruit) afterward, but it looks like there will only be half a dozen of us to walk. It’s good the cross isn’t too heavy.”
Over the 15 years the Walk of the Cross has been held, attendance has waxed and waned depending on how well the event is promoted, how many churches take part and what the weather is like.
There was some blue sky on Friday, but the wind was cool and that put some people off the walk, which covered 15-stops with readings over a 14-block course.
While the start and end spot is always First United Church because it’s downtown, different churches take turns organizing the walk.
This year, however, First United did doubleduty as organizer.
In past years, the walk has stopped at different locations that help the homeless and marginalized, such as the Ki-Low-Na Friendship Centre, Gospel Mission and rainbow crosswalk.
For the 23rd annual edition this year, the walk was switched up to carry a “what does it mean to be a Christian in the city?” theme.
There were still 15 stops to represent the 15 stops Jesus made while carrying the cross to his own crucifixion on the last day of his life.
However, during each pause a passage from the New Zealand Council of Churches was read aloud.
The readings reflected on the Good Friday and Easter story, but also touched on modern issues ranging from homelessness, poverty, drug abuse, mental health and acceptance of homosexuality.
“Carrying the cross today recalls the suffering of Jesus,” said Schmidt.
“But, it’s also symbolic to remember to help the many who continue to suffer today. For instance, you’re actually betraying your Christianity when you don’t help those in poverty,” said Schmidt. “And the United Church is one of the few churches that overtly supports the LGBTQ community.”
Schmidt also included a stop to mark how smartphones have changed our lives, and not always for the better.
“We don’t communicate much face-to-face anymore because everyone is on their phones,” said the reverend.
Schmidt doesn’t have a problem with people getting an extra day off work, having egg hunts and brunches to celebrate Easter.
And he realizes some people aren’t even Christian.
But he does want Christians to remember that the true meaning of the holiday is to mark Christ dying on the cross and then rising from the dead to save mankind.