Good Friday procession will mark 20 years

By the Rev. Sarah Roemer,
Spirit of Life Lutheran Church of Olalla

PORT ORCHARD — The congregations of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of America (ELCA) in South Kitsap County are coming together to host a Good Friday procession as an alternative outdoor ecumenical worship that bids welcome to all.
First Lutheran Community Church, Elim Lutheran Church and Spirit of Life Lutheran Church are marking the anniversary of a 20-year-old tradition in the Port Orchard community by renewing their cooperative partnership-in-ministry and inviting their members and the community to walk with the cross through town, giving "feet and face to faith", seeing through the eyes of Christ, listening with a heart of compassion and praying through the people and places you see.
The Cross Walk will begin at 10 am on, April 22, 2011, from First Lutheran Community Church located at 2483 Mitchell Road SE in Port Orchard. It will conclude in Marina Park.
The tradition of the Good Friday Community Cross Walk began 20 years ago under the leadership of The Reverend George Larson who brought the tradition of this ongoing practice of faith and devotion from Puyallup, where a Presbyterian pastor introduced the practice to an ecumenical clergy group in 1985. When Pastor Larson moved to Port Orchard in 1991, he accepted a call to begin Spirit of Life, a mission congregation in the Olalla area. Pastor Larson, now retired from Spirit of Life, became a member of First Lutheran Community Church and continued leading the tradition of this annual pilgrimage; however, as this tradition is now in its 20th year, Pastor Larson is passing on its mantle by inviting the pastors and leaders of the ELCA congregations in Port Orchard to work together.
Pastor Larson, who made the cross that is carried from an unusable and unsalable piece of lumber, speaks to his initial vision for the tradition: “My hope is that people get the feel of what Jesus’ cross could have felt like. There is a special connection people make with a cross, the feel of the wood, its heft and size. The whole experience is that walking the cross out in public engages all our senses, reflections and recollections of what our faith means.”
Both First Lutheran and Spirit of Life have recently called new pastors to serve their congregations. Pastor Doug Nemitz was installed this month to serve as Senior Pastor at First Lutheran. First Lutheran is also served by Assistant Pastor Orv Jacobson. Spirit of Life called Pastor Sarah Roemer in December. Elim Lutheran is served by the Rev. Steve Ray, an interim pastor.
Spirit of Life Lutheran Church, First Lutheran Community Church and Elim Lutheran Church are part of the Southwestern Washington Synod of the ELCA. The ELCA has 10,300 member congregations across the U.S., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands.