Way of the Cross

As Lent approaches, I'm reminded of an event that my Sunday school class in Ft. Myers, Florida, organized for several years called "The Way of the Cross". You might want to consider such for your congregation. We did this on Good Friday and invited individuals or families to visit the "stations" at some time during the day. This could be done at any time during Lent, and it would be well to advertise it throughout your community, even using the local newspaper.

This was a series of centers set up in separate rooms. Each person or group was asked to wait until the previous person had left before entering the room. We placed footprints on the floor to lead the participants from room to room. Each center had all of the directions needed for a time of quiet reflection and contemplation on that particular time during the last hours of Jesus' life. At the center there was opportunity to read the scripture (or a tape recording of the scripture), a brief description of what happened at that time, and reflection questions. There were also items on the display that symbolized things in the story, such as a money bag and coins for Judas, sandals for when Jesus washed the feet of the disciples, communion elements, prayer cards in the "garden", a crown of thorns to be placed on their heads, Q-tips and vinegar for tasting what was offered to Jesus on the cross, and such.

The final stop was the sanctuary where a life size cross was on the floor with papers to write any messages the participants wanted to place on the cross. There was a basket of nails and a hammer, and the partaicipants were asked to nail their paper to the cross. The sound of the hammer echoing in the empty sanctuary was very moving. The papers were later removed and burned, and the ashes were used for our Ash Wednesday service the next year.

As they left the sanctuary there was a table with a flyer suggesting ways they could prepare for Easter, as well as information on our Good Friday service and Easter services.

If you would like more information on this, you can find it on pages 112-117 in my book TEACHING & CELEBRATING THE CHRISTIAN SEASONS, available through www.chalicepress.com, www.cokesbury.com, and www.amazon.com. If you still have any questions, contact me at halversondelia@bellsouth.net. You might also like to check out the suggested books at the bottom of the blog page.

Whatever you do to help your congregation celebrate this special season, I pray that it blesses you too!

Thinking Ahead to Lent and pre-Easter ideas

Just wanted to share with you a tradition I've done for many years, waxing onions in the spring. The bulb symbolizes life coming from something that appears to be dead and are appropriate for the Lenten and Easter season.

Scout through the vegetable bens at grocery stores, looking for onions that are beginning to sprout. Then, using a pan of boiling water, I melt wax, colored with broken crayons, in old aluminum cans. Holding the sprout, I lower the onion into the melted colored wax. I lift it out long enough for it to cool slightly, and then dip it quickly again. I do this several times until I achieve the desired hue. You can drip melted wax of other colors on these to give them more interest. These are then placed into a basket, as I would Easter eggs. They usually last four to six weeks, reminding us of Christ’s resurrection and of the new life that Christ can bring, even if we have become as disagreeable as an onion!

After the sprouts begin to wilt, break away the wax and plant them in the ground, and they will usually reproduce themselves.

New Life from the Onion

Like an onion with life hidden deep inside,
Oft times we sleep all winter long.
Then springtime comes, and all life is new.
Our soul’s window opens with a song.

We praise God, our Creator;
We praise God in spring, a time of new birth,
We praise God, Guide of our life;
We praise God this hour, all creatures on earth.

By Delia Halverson
-- from Helping Your Teen Develop Faith (Judson Press, 1985)