April 13, 2023

On a Friday long ago, Our Savior suffered and died on a cross. If that was the end of the story, there would be no story. But the story continues and it is the gospel account of redemption and resurrection that we commemorated on Good Friday in a service called The Cross of Many Colors during Holy Week.

Just as Jesus went to the grave, taking our sins with him, so we as a congregation went to Galilee’s altar on Friday night and nailed the words that we chose to confess to the simple wooden cross found there.

Congregants were asked to write a word or two that represented their burdens or prayers on slips of colored paper.

“The truth is that all of our sins have already been forgiven by Jesus,” said Pastor Jason, “though few of us are able to live into this truth. We need a reminder of what God has done for us, which is why I asked those who came on Friday night to write a word or two down on a slip of paper. Those words should attest to the pain they are carrying, or guilt they feel, or maybe even some hope that they could only voice in secret.”

“We took these words to the cross and in memory of Jesus, we fixed them there with nails. Some in the congregation, I noticed, pounded the nails with more force than seemed strictly necessary—which is healthy.”

Jason led our prayers as the cross was lifted up.

The result of this evening’s spiritual exercise was a cross of many colors. It was a cross that visually echoes not only the stained glass cross that is a beautiful permanent feature of our sanctuary, but also echoes the many colors of our diverse congregation. Our lives are made up of different experiences and interests, our features are variously configured, and the sins we carry are of different hues—yet we are one when gathered together in Christ’s name.

The many colored cross(es).

Only God read the words that were nailed to our Cross of Many Colors. The slips of paper were removed and destroyed this Wednesday and the cross is now one color again, natural pine.

We hope that whether you attended this Good Friday service, or Holy Thursday or even Easter worship, that you know the healing and redemptive power of God and that as the Easter season continues, you know the person of Jesus Christ more and more, better and better.