2006.04.15: April 15, 2006: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Religion: Christianity: Holidays: Good Friday: The Hawkeye: Rev. Vicki Engelmann focuses on Jesus' death on the cross
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2006.04.15: April 15, 2006: Headlines: COS - Swaziland: Religion: Christianity: Holidays: Good Friday: The Hawkeye: Rev. Vicki Engelmann focuses on Jesus' death on the cross
Rev. Vicki Engelmann focuses on Jesus' death on the cross
When she was in the Peace Corps, she was stationed in Swaziland, Africa, where one woman drove four hours to attend an Easter weekend celebration. On Easter morning, she arrived back in her town. "Nothing happens today," she told Engelmann. Engelmann said other countries are still suffering and can identify more with Jesus' suffering on the cross than his rising. The American culture typically doesn't think about suffering — here, in other countries or Jesus'. "People want to forget the suffering (of Jesus) and focus on the celebration," Engelmann said, but you can't have Easter without Good Friday.
Rev. Vicki Engelmann focuses on Jesus' death on the cross
Holiday not all a celebration
As Easter nears, church members remember Jesus' death on the cross.
By SHAWNA RICHTER
srichter@thehawkeye.com
The Rev. Vicki Engelmann turned off the sanctuary lights and a stained–glass window depicting Jesus glowed in the evening light.
For the next 30 minutes, the evening sky would darken, Engelmann said, and the image of Jesus would fade as well, symbolizing his death on the cross.
Engelmann purposely took the 7:30 to 8 p.m. shift of a 12–hour Good Friday prayer vigil for that reason, but from noon until midnight other members of St. Luke's United Church of Christ sat for 30–minute sessions of silent prayer.
Each year, the church is host to a 12–hour prayer vigil in remembrance of Jesus' death. When the tradition started at the church, members took turns sitting for shifts from noon Friday to noon Saturday. As it became more difficult to fill the wee–morning hours, it was changed to a 12–hour vigil.
"For us, the vigil is to remember when Jesus died and laid in the tomb," Engelmann said. "Our culture has kind of forgotten. ... We focus a lot on the Easter celebration."
In some cultures, Engelmann said, Good Friday is actually the biggest celebration of Holy Week.
When she was in the Peace Corps, she was stationed in Swaziland, Africa, where one woman drove four hours to attend an Easter weekend celebration. On Easter morning, she arrived back in her town.
"Nothing happens today," she told Engelmann.
Engelmann said other countries are still suffering and can identify more with Jesus' suffering on the cross than his rising. The American culture typically doesn't think about suffering — here, in other countries or Jesus'.
"People want to forget the suffering (of Jesus) and focus on the celebration," Engelmann said, but you can't have Easter without Good Friday.
For church members, the vigil also serves another purpose: Sitting in the quiet church gives them a chance to hear God in their lives.
"It's not often we mediate or have quiet time," Engelmann said. "With the TV on, or with other noise, you can't hear God, you can't hear your own inner voice."
During their shifts, members took time to pray, to sing, to draw, to read the Bible or other religious works. Some took time to remember loved ones who have died.
"We are told Christ connects us to those who have gone before us," Engelmann said.
Sandra Nolte agreed. Her husband died in November. He was a member of the church for 44 years and often attended the vigils.
"It was important for me to be here," she said.
Her half–hour would give her time to connect with the husband, but it would also give her time to talk with Jesus and remember his life and death. When the next person came, she would get up, making way for new prayers.
"We want to keep the prayer chain going," Nolte said.
Nolte and a neighbor shared the 2 to 2:30 p.m. shift, sitting several pews apart in prayer. Jeanette Camp sat alone for her shift.
"The quiet and solitude of sitting there and thinking about Christ's life and how he affected my own life is ..." she said, unable to find the words. "It's such a tremendous experience to have."
Over the years, Camp said she has felt her connection with Jesus and God grow.
"This has been an especially hard year for me," she said. "My husband died a year and a half ago. Without Christ it would have been much harder than it has been."
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Story Source: The Hawkeye
This story has been posted in the following forums: : Headlines; COS - Swaziland; Religion; Christianity; Holidays; Good Friday
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