By KC Smith

Cooleemee Correspondent

What a beautiful Easter weekend. Good Friday was successful with no rain and approximately 150 people attending the annual Cross Walk.

Thomas Dalton carried the cross from Refuge Community Church to the front steps of First Baptist Church.

Prior to the walk, Selina Barker led a gathering of Christians in praise worship in song before the walk began. This was a great time to gather and sing songs that reminded us of the sacrifice Jesus made for all mankind.

The Cross Walk started with total silence. That moment of peace was moving and gave each of us a time for inner thought.

Pastor Donnie Chatmon with Jerusalem Baptist Church welcomed the gatherers and spoke of the resurrection. It gives us hope today and redemption. He read from I Corinthians, which read that Jesus was raised from the dead as we too, will raise from the dead.

Pastor Allen Mullins of First Baptist Church spoke about Jesus taken to trial three times.  “We commemorate a time that changed all of eternity and the souls of man.”

He said the way crosses are worn today are as decoration, but the cross is a message of declaration of what has done for simple man.

The cross carries a message of injustices such as poverty, sickness and fear as we experience and know of today. The crucifixion of Jesus was unjust because he had done nothing wrong, but yet he was put into a place with all the guilty.

Religious people shouted to crucify him, King Herod wanted nothing to do with him and Pontius Pilot admitted this he had done nothing wrong. The pull of political persuasion led Pontius Pilot to allow the people a choice of letting the guilty man Barabbas go free and crucify Jesus, while he washed his hands free of the matter.

Mullins clearly said, “You can’t wash your hands of Jesus. Jesus is a choice, you either accept him or reject him.”

The cross also carries the message of pain and agony.  Jesus went to his father at the garden of Golgotha and asked three times for he knew the pain and agony of the cross was going to come because it was his father’s will.

The Roman Empire meant for the cross to be painful and agonizing. The cross portrayed the Romans as the most powerful nation on the face of the earth.

Jesus paid the sin debt of man so we can be brought to reconciliation with God.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten son, that whosoever believeth in him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.

Police Chief Bobby West addressed the people:  “We are in a country that is called United States of America. We cannot have the government or anyone else dividing us up like what is happening in the world today. If you look at companies, if you look at businesses, if you look at wars, they were won because of the old conquer and divide. That’s exactly what is happening in the world today. We can’t have it. This country has got to understand we are one nation, under God. They’ve got to understand it, with liberty and justice for all.”    

Pastor Rodney Barker with Community Baptist Church had the closing prayer.

Jesus’ words of “It’s finished,” are what stand out the most in Pastor Barker’s mind.

Pastor Barker said it’s done and he paid it all. It’s our job as Christians here on earth, to spread the gospel all over the earth through our faith and witness. Pastor Barker asked God to help us fulfill that commitment.

Camp Manna had an Easter Celebration on the evening of Good Friday. It was packed with hotdogs, slides basketball, bubbles, face painting and laughter. Looked like there were as many as 200 people running around in the large outdoor area.  Cool breezes with warm sunshine are a wonderful combination for having fun and celebrating Jesus’ resurrection.

Feel free to contact me at www.cooleemeenews@gmail.com or 336.250.1133.