Lay minister Scott Raible pauses with a 12-foot cross in front of the King Bagel on his way through downtown Medicine Hat on Friday.--Submitted Photo
asmith@medicinehatnews.com
Residents throughout Medicine Hat and Redcliff were invited to reflect on their faith leading into Easter weekend as the local Anglican Parishes worked together to see the cross carried through the city and further.
The cross itself came from the work of the newly appointed priest in charge of St Ambrose Anglican Church, Rev. John Willems, and was 12 feet in length. This creation was then carried by lay minister Scott Raible as it visited each of the parishes.
“The thought was, by carrying it from All Saints Church on Thursday to St. Ambrose in Redcliff, then to carry the cross down the highway to St. Barnabas, it would give a chance for people to kind of reflect on God, and think about what that might mean to them,” said Raible.
Raible explained the decision to walk the cross was partially motivated by a quote by St Francis of Assisi, which encourages people to “preach the gospel at all times and if necessary, use words.”
The cross travelled down the Trans-Canada Highway and through Redcliff to Saint Ambrose, where it stayed overnight and was part of the Good Friday service before being carried back down the highway to Medicine Hat.
From there, it was carried past Medicine Hat Regional Hospital and through downtown before arriving at St Barnabas Anglican Church in Medicine Hat.
This was not the first time that Raible has carried the cross, though he remarks his previous endeavours were during his 20s, making this a bit more physically taxing.
“We had some wonderful responses. On the second day after the Good Friday service, I carried it back through Medicine Hat down the Trans-Canada Highway, where I had a mother and son kind of spontaneously stop me there in Redcliff. They actually ended up joining the walk as well,” said Raible.
He continued he was extremely grateful to the strong messages of support the act garnered throughout the city, and he hopes this was a positive experience for residents and their relationship with faith, regardless of if they are the type to visit a church “on Easter Sunday, or any Sunday.”
Raible also expressed gratitude to all three Anglican parishes for their part in facilitating the journey.
