An Easter Journey

Many of us in Crich have been thinking of storytelling this Lent. There are of course many ways of telling a story and one way is to go on a journey round the village. The Easter Journey started in Crich’s iconic telephone box where everyone collected their bag of activities, their quiz and booklet before heading off to the first installation – Palm Sunday at the scout hut. Jesus had his feet anointed in a very well appointed garage and his Last Supper outside the Wesleyan Chapel. Gethsemane was in our front garden, where Jesus prayed resolutely through gales, drizzle, cold and frost, sunshine and then back to icy winds again.  Realising that people were inspecting my front garden meant some hurried weeding, until someone mistook me for a living installation. The trial was in the window of Archway House and a rather superior sort of cock marked Peter’s betrayal beside a very authentic looking fire – so authentic that it was a marvel that no one threw water over it. Three bare willow woven crosses stood at a road junction, which was gorgeously decked with flowers on Easter Sunday. In the church porch, where the tomb stood open presided over by our huge willow angel, visitors were invited to collect the materials to make their Easter Garden.

Having completed their quiz (or not) the children made off to collect their Easter egg prizes. Some were surprised at the rather lax criteria by which the quiz was assessed and only one very scrupulous child insisted that his quiz be checked before receiving his egg, which was pronounced ‘yummy’.

It was a powerful way of taking the glorious Easter story out of church and installing it in the community.  Each chapter was explained by information boards and the booklet and one couldn’t help listening in to the parents and grandparents telling the story to the children, answering questions and sharing the good news as a family. It was also very gratifying to receive thanks and appreciation from the visitors. 

Another way, of course, of telling a story is to watch it on video and you can do just that thanks to Alan Richmond. Thanks also to St.Mary’s, Crich Wesleyan Church, Crich Willow Weavers and Crich Open Gardens Gang.