People who were unable to attend and participate in this pilgrimage are invited to watch a video of the event
Ed. Note: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing, Iowa, led by its pastor, Rev. Laura Gentry, held a Justice and Peace Stations of the Cross on Good Friday — Friday, April 15. Community members of all ages, faith backgrounds and walks of life were invited to participate.
“For centuries, Christians have made a spiritual pilgrimage known as the ‘Way of the Cross’ or as the ‘Way of Sorrows’ in order to relate to the suffering of their Lord,” Rev. Gentry wrote, in a description of the event on the congregation’s website. “It is a profoundly meaningful and cathartic experience for many.”
The approximately one-mile, one-hour walk began at Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, 480 Diagonal Street in Lansing, at noon. Carrying a large wooden cross, the group meandered through town making 12 stops at places symbolic of suffering today. At each, they pondered the deeper roots of pain, lamented, sang, and prayed for the healing of the world.
The event included music by soloist Aaron Gentes as well readings and prayers led by the community and members of Kee High School’s newly formed Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), also known as the Inclusivity Club.
For those who were unable to attend, Pastor Laura Gentry has shared with JBR a link to the video of the entire pilgrimage event. The link follows our brief interview with Rev. Gentry, below.
Peace,
Julie Berg-Raymond, editor, JBR
JBR: Could you briefly describe this event?
Rev. Laura Gentry: Our Savior’s Lutheran Church in Lansing, Iowa, led a one-mile Stations of the Cross walk around Lansing for Good Friday. This ancient devotion originated with pilgrims in Jerusalem retracing the traditional steps Jesus is believed to have followed on his way to the cross.
JBR: Where did you get the inspiration to do this?
Rev. Laura Gentry: Our church has done Stations of the Cross services for many years on Good Friday but I have always been interested in leading a walking meditation. A few years ago, Marlene Duffy and I went to the Justice and Peace Stations of the Cross event offered by the Franciscan Spirituality Center in La Crosse, Wis. We were very moved by that experience and started dreaming of ways we could bring it to Lansing. Then the pandemic hit and we put it on hold. Finally, we created one and led it last year.
JBR: What is its purpose?
Rev. Laura Gentry: A traditional Stations of the Cross walk is to help Christians make a spiritual pilgrimage through contemplation of the Passion of Christ. Because Jesus placed himself in solidarity with all those who are suffering, the Lansing event focused on suffering in our modern world. Each stop on the route was symbolic of the pain of injustice endured by those in our community and around the world. There was time reflection and prayer at each station. The final stop was at the Mississippi River, representing the promise of resurrection and new life.
JBR: You seek to include many denominations and affiliations in this ceremony — even non-Christians; is that correct? Why?
Rev. Laura Gentry: Yes, we invited community members of all ages, faith backgrounds and walks of life to join us for the walk. Though the framework of the ritual was clearly Christian, we know that everyone can feel compassion for those who suffer and to cry out for redemption on their behalf. We specifically invited the Buddhists of Lansing to join us. Though many were unavailable that day, one did join us. We were happy to make it an interfaith event—focusing on our unity us as we pray for peace and justice for all.
JBR: The physicality of this ceremony seems profound. That people, today, are walking on the ground where they live — in their own place and among members of their community, as they hear the story of Jesus’ last days on earth — is so powerful. Can you say something about this, specifically? How do you think this experience might speak to all of us?
Rev. Laura Gentry: That was really what it was all about. We wanted to help people connect to the sacredness of all life through this pilgrimage. We began with a land acknowledgement that before our town was Lansing, it was the ancestral lands and territory of the Meskwaki and Sauk nations, who have stewarded this land for generations. Then, by walking around town and telling stories of the various people and their suffering, we hoped to stir deeper compassion and urgency to advocate on behalf of those enduring injustice. I just really wanted to ground our faith in the lived reality of our community, and I think it did that.
This was our second annual event, and we hope it leads to more. This year, there was a special focus on prayers for peace in Ukraine. Leysa Ryzhenkova, Ukrainian immigrant and owner of The Good Life Gallery and Frame Shop was our special guest. She shared emotionally about the atrocities her family and friends are enduring right now. We will be taking an offering on Easter Sunday to support the relief work she is doing. If anyone else would like to help, you can make a check payable to “Ukrainian Relief Fund” and bring it to our church or to her gallery during business hours.
We also invited the members of Kee High School’s newly formed Gay Straight Alliance (GSA), also known as the Inclusivity Club to join us. The root of every GSA group is to create a safe and inclusive space for every student. This aligns with the mission statement of Our Savior’s Lutheran Church, which begins: “We welcome all because God welcomes all!” We were honored to have the GSA’s participation.
