Joseph Caulkins will conduct the Sanctuary Choir of First Baptist Church and members of the Southwest Florida Symphony in a presentation called “Journey to the Cross, Remembering Christ’s Sacrifice of Love” on Good Friday, April 10 at 7 p.m. The concert will take place at First Baptist Church, 1735 Jackson Street in downtown Fort Myers, and is open to the public. Many in Lehigh attend the church.

The musical cantata will feature Rev. Dr. William Smith, former pastor at First Baptist as narrator, and will be accompanied by a professional orchestra. The cantata “Journey to the Cross” features music by contemporary composers Mark Hayes, Pepper Choplin, Lloyd Larsen, and Ruth Elaine Schram.

Caulkins said he selected this new work because “the music is very tuneful with lovely orchestrations and reminds us that Christ’s life-changing journey to the cross still impacts us today,”

Following the cantata, First Baptist Pastor John Daugherty will lead a short service of Tenebrae, which is Latin for shadows. This is an ancient service where candles are extinguished one by one until all candles are out. The purpose of the service is to recreate the betrayal, abandonment, and agony of the events, and it is left unfinished, because the story isn’t over until Easter Day.

Caulkins, Associate conductor of the Southwest Florida Symphony, came to Fist Baptist Church in January of this year as the minister of music and worship. “This is a wonderful opportunity to come and see the exciting transformation that is happening at First Baptist. I know you will find the music inspiring and leave with a deeper sense of faith and hope,” said Caulkins.

First Baptist Church of Fort Myers is one of the area’s oldest churches and was founded in 1892. Services are offered at 10:30 a.m. on Sundays with Bible Study at 9 a.m., and at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesdays. For more information, call 334-7747.