Palm Sunday pilgrimage
‘Close to the Cross’ event brings churches togetherBy KATINA TENGESDAL, Staff Writer ktengesdal@minotdailynews.com
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Nine Minot churches participated in hosting a "Close to the Cross" Palm Sunday pilgrimage on Sunday to open Holy Week, the week that commemorates the events leading up to Christ's crucifixion and resurrection.
The 10th annual pilgrimage was ecumenical, or open to churches of all denominations, and was sponsored by the Minot Ecumenical Association.
"This is a remembrance, it's a shared experience for us of what Jesus went through. The beginning of the week was festive, and the end of the week was dark. We do this so we can get that feeling of what happened," said Rick Fossum, pastor at Vincent United Methodist Church.
The pilgrimage consisted of two routes the hill route and the valley route. On each route, walkers stopped at four different churches for a 10-minute message and brief drama about an event related to Holy Week. Both loops ended at the United Church of Christ to share a meal.
At the four different stops, people saw dramas enacted about Peter's denial of Christ, Caiphas the high priest, Pontius Pilate and the crowd, the centurion and the thieves, and the two Marys.
"I just like that it's all about remembering what our Lord and savior has done, and remembering how Holy Week starts," said Cheri Pankow, a participant in the walk.
"It's a good thing to come out to support the church and the community, and it's a fun time for all of us to get together," said Phyllis Hanson, another participant.
The pilgrimage is the 10th annual for the Minot Ecumenical Association, and churchgoers were pleased to join together for the event.
"It's a great way for us to begin our celebration of Holy Week, jointly as churches seeing the common calling between us," said Gerald Roise, pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church.
"It's a good idea for us to get together and worship this way, honoring something Christ did a long time ago," Fossum said.
