Stations Of The Cross

This service is geared towards the 3-7 yr old crowd, but it really moves me each year. The stations are 'told' storybook style by a storyteller who tells a first hand account of what they witnessed.

Station one: The arrest and trial, a disciple tells what she saw the night of the arrest and the trial with the high priests.

Stations two: Pontius Pilot, tells his version of what happened....
Station three: A woman in the crowd tells what she saw when Jesus was made to carry his cross through the streets.
Station four: Mary Magdeline tells what she saw, felt, and heard sitting at the foot of the cross waiting for Jesus to die. (this was the story I told tonight which is why there is no storyteller pictured:) )
Station five: A witness to the death tells what was he was thinking and feeling about the whole ordeal, and how Jesus' last words changed him.

I don't know what moves me more, the way the kids really begin to understand the story, or the stories themselves. I love the solemn quiet of the noon service, I love the beautiful haunting music of the evening service, but this simple little service with the one song "Were you there" is still the most powerful of the three. I think part of it is how much emphasis is put on making it family friendly and not 'dumbed down' or 'oversimplified' it hits real raw emotions by making the stations so personal. Real live breathing people experienced this very real event.

No matter where I fall on the Resurrection issue, the Last Supper, Jesus' Trial, the beatings, the Crucifixion were very real events that changed the world forever. The pain is fresh every year.

Were you there when they crucified my Lord ?
Were you there when they crucified my Lord ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they crucified my Lord ?

Were you there when they nailed him to the tree ?
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they nailed him to the tree ?

Were you there when they pierced him in the side ?
Were you there when they pierced him in the side ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they pierced him in the side ?

Were you there when they laid him in the tomb ?
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb ?
Oh, sometimes it causes me to tremble, tremble, tremble
Were you there when they laid him in the tomb ?