Ilkeston - A Man And A Cross
w/e 16 April 2006
All this week's pictures were taken
with a Kodak DX6490
The Ilkeston Area Council of Churches' (IACC) annual Christian
Witness, 'A Man And A Cross' took place on Good Friday with a
silent procession from the Salvation Army Citadel on Chapel Street
to St Thomas' Roman Catholic Church on Nottingham Road. It was
led by a solitary drum beat and this panoramic view above shows
one of the stops along the way in the Market Place.
The previous stop had been outside Lloyds TSB from where the
procession could be seen snaking its way up Bath Street. At each
of the stops, the silence of the walkers was broken by the singing
of a hymn and a piece of drama featuring a leather jacketed mime
artist who can be seen at the right of the panoramic view at
the top of the page. I could have added more pictures to this
page like the one immediately above but decided, because of the
slightly off beat theme of the drama compared to last year's
full blown 'Way Of The Cross' in full costume, to look for some
more unusual images from this year's event.
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On the way up Bath Street the procession had passed a shop with
a window display declaring 'happy easter' and 'best ever value'
- it seems capital letters are at a premium in shop window
displays these days! - but whatever the price of the goods,
it pales into insignificance compared to what is on offer to
everyone just by accepting the free gift that was made available
by Christ's death on the cross.
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This image from outside Lloyds TSB where Jesus' arrest was portrayed
gives a sense of being in with the crowd whilst standing shoulder
to shoulder with a total stranger who was willing to share his
hymn sheet with a neighbour. The hymn sung here was ' Meekness
And Majesty'.
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Some of the hymns were sung a cappella whilst others were accompanied
by a small ensemble from the Salvation Army. The sight of the
gathering around the old fountain and the tower of St Mary's
Church in this instrument while the trial before Pilate was dramatised
was a time for reflection in more ways than one.
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Across the Market Place in the Garden of Remembrance, the Crucifixion
was re-enacted with pictures of Jesus pinned to the cross. 'When
I Survey The Wondrous Cross' was sung and red material streaming
from the cross to signify His blood was draped down the steps.
'Did e'er such love and sorrow meet?'
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The proceedings concluded in St Thomas' Church with a reading
from Isaiah and it seemed quite appropriate that above the packed
pews, a figure of Christ crucified looked down as the assembled
congregation sang the Negro spiritual 'Where You There When They Crucified My Lord?'
(Click title for a midi file courtesy of the Cyber Hymnal) But although that was the
end of the proceedings, apart from the tea and biscuits in the
Church Hall, it is not of course the end of the story as three
days later on Easter Sunday we celebrate the risen Lord.
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