Lutheran churches lead South Kitsap cross walk

Reprinted with permission from Kitsap Sun

Members of Lutheran congregations joined with community members in South Kitsap on Friday for the annual tradition of the cross walk.

For 20 years, members of First Lutheran Community Church, Elim Lutheran Church and Spirit of Life Lutheran Church have invited their members and the community to walk with the cross through town, giving "feet and face to faith." Participants stopped at several points along the way to pray on Friday.

The walk began at First Lutheran Community Church on Mitchell Road SE in Port Orchard and concluded in Marina Park.

According to a press release for the event, the Reverend George Larson 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. Larson passed on the mantle to the pastors and leaders of the ELCA congregations in Port Orchard.

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.

Read more: http://www.kitsapsun.com/news/2011/apr/22/good-friday-cross-walk-processes-through-port-orch/#ixzz1KNldLQX2