It was an uncharacteristic, sunny day for the annual ecumenical Community Cross Walk on Good Friday, March 25, 2016. The annual event began at 12:20 p.m. inside Resthave Home, 408 Maple Avenue, Morrison, IL, with scores of local participants; residents and staff; members of the Morrison Ministerial Association. Shown left-to-right are Pastor Bob Burton upholding the cross (Bethesda Lutheran Church); Pastor and MMA Chair Ryan Sutton with a microphone (Morrison United Methodist Church); behind Sutton, Father James Clement with his speaker’s notes (St. Anne’s Episcopal Church); Pastor Craig Sipes with wife Kathy (Brethren in Christ Church.) Pastors Polly Klimson (Fenton United Methodist Church) and Michael Selburg (First Presbyterian Church) and Director of Congregational Life Ken Renkes (Ebenezer Reformed Church) attended.
During Sutton’s introduction, he asked if anyone knew how long the Cross Walk had been a Good Friday event in Morrison. No one knew exactly. Pastor Michael Winkelman (St. Peter Lutheran Church) reported later he began his ministry here in 1988, and it was not an established tradition at that time. The Sipeses led a sing-along with voices that filled the space, prompting one male visitor to stand and dance.
Walkers take turns carrying the cross. The first to step forward were these youngsters.
Pastor Sutton led the procession up the hill. Pastor Gerry Norman (Ebenezer Reformed Church) offered the Easter message at Pleasant View Nursing & Rehabilitation, 500 N. Jackson Street
Participants unable to walk to Pleasant View were driven by Bob Stone in a complimentary bus, provided by Scenic Stage Line, Inc.