Good Friday march

Every good Friday the Bicester churches get together for a 'march of witness' through the town. It starts at either the main Anglican or the Roman Catholic church, with a few hymns and a word.

There are a bunch of guys in costumes as Roman soldiers etc plus Jesus (played by the guy that heads up our church for the last few years) Rabbis, Judas, etc etc. The march processes at funeral pace to the beat of a drum out to the high street where the trial and scourging is enacted, then wanders to the other end of the street where the crucifixion takes place. Finally every marches to the Methodist church at the opposite end of town.

It's a bizarre mixture of things. The initial gathering took place this year in St. Edbergs - a large stone English-style church - with a very formal flavour. 'Worship' was lead with the organ, demonstrating how unsuitable a device that is in that kind of setting to accompany singing. The word was given by the vicar of the new Anglican church plant in the new estates round Bicester, and was lively, non-religious and delivered in a normal voice in cmplete contrast to everything else. The church was extremely full - standing room only - and it took a good 10 mins to get everyone out. Must have been upwards of 600 people there.

This Friday for the first time there was a market in the high street (usually it's in Market square) and so it was full of people shopping. I really hope some could hear and God spoke to them through it. At the first stopping point the story was read direct from the bible by Dennis Niziel - an American-born pastor of the pentecostal fellowship. His accent was soft, his determination strong and he actually carried it really well, while it was being enacted there. After the scourging there was a recording played of music meant to emphasise the sorrow, suffering and struggle of Jesus, beaten, wounded and in terrible pain for us. Unfortunately this piece also sounded like it belonged in a spaghetti western, and you'd expect the Clint Eastwood to ride up the road at any moment. Chris was NOT impressed when I mentioned this observation :(

The crucifixion took place further up the highstreet, right in the middle of the market. This WAS a moving portrail, and you got a good sense of the measure of cruelty and suffering that must have occurred.

Finally on to the Meths. This was not a particularly good finale, with guys praying long prayers, singing more hymns and using their special religious voices. As a result of my discussion over on the Eagle and Child, plus the addled and abnormal state of my brain, all the way through I was examining the words of the hymns we sang for 'mistakes' (and there was no lack to keep my mind occupied). Well, that was a waste of brain power!

Overall I'd like to think that this march of witness actually was one. I've been one or two years where there can't have been more than 75 or 80 people, so this turnout was quite amazing. I also get the sense that God IS starting to wake people up in Bicester.