Evans City Cross Walk serves as reminder of faith
EVANS CITY — Despite competing with the sound of traffic, amplified by the howling wind on Friday afternoon, the words from Pastor Lauren Bosserman’s prayers were clear to the faithful group assembled as she spoke on Main Street in Evans City.
“God, you remind us we are not given worth based on what we’re able to produce, but you show us we’re already worthwhile and enough,” she prayed. “Simply by being your creation.”
On Friday, around 25 people participated in the annual Evans City cross walk. Carrying with them a cross to symbolize the walk Jesus Christ took to the site of his crucifixion, members from St. Peter’s, St. John’s United Church of Christ, Westminster Presbyterian Church and Crestview Community Church walked through the borough, stopping several times for prayer and reflection.
The group haltingly made their way, at each stop saying a different prayer and singing verses from the hymn “Were You There.”
“I think the stations we stop at and pray and the things we pray about are important on this Good Friday,” said Pastor Gregg Hartung of Crestview Church. “We live in a world that’s full of, unfortunately, pain and hurt and struggles and we can relate to the holiday in terms of what Christ and his disciples went through during that Holy Week so long ago.”
Pastor Lisa Griffin of St. John’s said each prayer had a separate meaning based on the life Jesus led.
“We were praying for people of all faiths,” said Griffin. “We pray for civic leaders and governments; we pray for those working and out of work and in need; and on our last stop, we pray for those who have not heard the message of the cross.”
Among the devotees were several children who partook in the religious celebration. Working as a group, the children carried the cross for a majority of the mile-long journey.
Mark Zoelle, 13, said carrying the cross in his hometown was an opportunity meet new people and spread the word of Jesus.
“It was nice to walk around Evans City and meet everyone new,” Mark said. “It let people learn the word and it was nice being around friends and family and it allowed us to be there for everyone and with everyone.”
And despite helping carry a cross twice his size, Mark said the walk was not “too bad.”
“It wasn’t too heavy,” Mark said. “But pretty heavy, though.”
Liberty Merrison, 7, said she wanted to carry the cross because that’s “where God is.”
“Today is about remembering why you need to care for people,” she said.
Liberty’s older sister Yumalai, 13, said the cross walk was about remembering the sacrifice Jesus made while carrying the cross.
“This is something that should be remembered,” she said. “We should really understand how important this is and how it can impact a lot of lives.”
