Large crowd follows cross during walk to Veterans Park
More than 230 people turned out for Good Friday services at Veterans Park late Friday afternoon. Several ministers of the Evangelical Ministerial Alliance and about 60 people left the Wal-Mart parking lot Friday at around 5 p.m., a half hour earlier than scheduled to carry a 100-pound cross to Veterans Park. Not only did pastors carry the cross, but many lay people took up the cross and carried it on their shoulders, too.
As the crowd marched down Lee Blvd., motorists on their way home from work honked their horns in support.
As the group marched on with the cross turning right on Homestead Rd., more people joined the “Cross Walk” and by the time they had reached Veterans Park, more than 100 people were walking, following the cross. At least three smaller crosses were also being carried by followers.
The group followed the sidewalk on Homestead, crossed the street, and following the walkway to the park, stopping briefly at New Images Ministries church where others joined in the march.
The large group entered the park about one hour and 15 minutes after the march had begun and cut across the middle of the park to the pavilion at the back where the eight-to nine-foot cross was erected overlooking a small pond. One of the ministers said the march was about a mile and a half.
Pastors from different church of the Alliance offered worship services marking the Good Friday holiday. Singing followed. The event lasted for about 45 minutes. The pastors who took part in the service included David Soden of the Richmond Avenue Baptist Church, Michael Porizio, New Image Ministries, Steve Cecil of the Church of the Nazarene, Kenneth Wright of the Metro Church of God and Carlos Otero of the Christ United Methodist Church, which loaned the 8 to 10 foot cross for the walk.
As the pastors spoke, large white herons flew across the pond behind them and a light breeze swept across the pavilion where people were sitting on benches, picnic tables and lawn chairs that many brought. Several stood as the large pavilion was packed with people.
The service ended with the group singing Amazing Grace and a closing prayer by Pastor Steve Cecil.
The ministers alliance announced that on May 7, all of Lehigh is invited to the same place for the National Day of Prayer celebration.
It was one of the largest outside gatherings marking a religious holiday in Lehigh. At Christmas, a large crowd gathered on the lawn of Christ United Methodist Church for services. That event was also sponsored by the EAL, which was formed last July.
The Alliance has proclaimed Lehigh as the “City of God” and has vowed to “take the community back” and bring all denominations together under Christ.
One person in the audience noted that they didn’t see any TV cameras at the event, saying Fort Myers TV stations only come to Lehigh for the bad things that may happen here.
“When something good like this happens, they are nowhere to be seen,” the person said.