One of the ways Christians can remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ at Easter is through a physical act.
For the last 17 years Dan Helm has organized a Walk of the Cross to symbolically retrace the last steps of Christ with physical and spiritual reminders. A large wooden cross, heavy enough that more than one person must carry it, is used throughout the walk.
A personal issue at the time was used as a motivator for Helm. “For me I was dealing with a personal crisis. What I wanted was to do something spiritual and physical.”
Often spirituality is regarded as a gentle act for people but life is not gentle, he added. “To do worship in that context is an appropriate thing to do, especially in that context.”
Starting with prayers in front of the United Church March 29 at 12:30 p.m., the walk proceeds through the downtown area of Ponoka and ends at the St. Mary’s Anglican Church. Participants will stop at different points along the route to say prayers and take the opportunity to carry the cross.
Helm sees this as a way to bring all Christians together, he feels prayer, scripture, music and fellowship is something they all do and walking the across is an inclusive experience.
“There’s a deep kind of blessing that comes with carrying the cross,” explained Helm. “Personally it’s to remember — we don’t really celebrate Good Friday — and we commemorate Jesus’ death.”
There are 14 stops along the way with the same format: an announcement, scripture reading, a moment of contemplation, a prayer and then a song. Participants are of all ages with 60 to 100 people who attend. Helm advises people to dress appropriately for the weather.