Christians re-enact walk of the cross

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Church communities from around Dunedin joined to bring to life the narrative of Easter with services and walks of the cross yesterday.

In a first for Coastal Unity parishes, a Walk of the Cross was held from the Esplanade at St Clair to Caversham Baptist Church.

The Rev Dr Bruce Hamill said about 80 southern city Baptist, Catholic and Presbyterian church members took part in the walk of prayer.

"It's an expression of our Christian unity, this joint experience of walking together," he said.

The group stopped at eight "stations" along the way to read excerpts depicting Jesus' journey up to crucifixion, before ending at the Baptist church for a service.

It was attended by a congregation of about 150.

Similar walks were held in Mosgiel and Northeast Valley.

Taieri Ministers Association chairman John Stoddart said about 35 people took part in the walk from Church St to St Luke's Anglican Church, Gordon Rd, where a service attended by about 270 was held.

"It was a beautiful day and it was a special thing to do. It brings the community together and the churches on the Taieri as well."

Another walk, attracting an estimated 200, was held from Northeast Valley Baptist Church to the Dunedin Botanic Garden, spokeswoman Sandra Copeland said.

In the garden, the group from churches in Opoho, Northeast Valley and Pine Hill, re-enacted Jesus' journey as a demonstration of their faith.

"It's a contemporary way of presenting our beliefs," she said.

Easter services were well attended throughout the city, ministers spoken to said.

The Rev Dr Sarah Mitchell, of Knox Church, said the services held on Thursday night and yesterday morning at Knox were an opportunity to reflect on the way in which people continued to betray the way Jesus lived.

• A Good Friday procession of the cross at Hampden was joined by 32 people.

The procession began at St Stephen's Anglican church and went on to Our Lady Star of the Sea Catholic church, to the Hampden beach and concluded at the Hampden Presbyterian Church.

About 75 members of six Queenstown churches took part in a multidenominational ecumenical walk of the cross organised by the Wakatipu Ministers Association in Queenstown yesterday.

Members of the Salvation Army, City Impact Catholic, Anglican, Presbyterian and Korean churches took part in the procession through Queenstown from St Joseph's Church to St Peter's Church.