Brierfield churchmen hope to share Easter message (From Burnley and Pendle Citizen)

Brierfield churchmen hope to share Easter message

9:00pm Wednesday 6th March 2013 in Pendle By Tyrone Marshall, Reporter

TWO church leaders are carrying the Easter message to all corners of Brierfield – by parading a giant cross through the town.

Rev Phillip Ingram and Rev Stephen Wells, leaders at the Living Hope Church in Halifax Road, have been seen carrying the 15ft cross through the streets on Sunday afternoons since February 17.

And they plan to be out every day in the run up to Easter to promote the religious story behind the celebrations.

Rev Ingram said the walk was called Hope for All and said: “Last year I believe God challenged me with carrying a cross around Brierfield during Lent, the 40 days leading up to the Easter weekend.

“Why? For three reasons. Firstly, as a reminder of what Easter is about, about Jesus dying on the cross, and then being raised from the dead by God the father.

“Secondly, to offer people the opportunity to come to our church on Easter Sunday, to find out why these events happened.

“And, thirdly, to encourage people to realise that God loves every single one of them to bits and that, through Jesus’s death and resurrection, he is offering us the gift of his love, forgiveness of sins and eternal life now, simply by inviting Jesus and God to be part of our life.”

Brierfield councillor Naeem Ashraf said: “I think it is an absolutely wonderful idea. They are promoting community cohesion which is really important in Brierfield.

“It is fantastic to see the community working together and things like this taking place and I think they’ve had a great response from all sides of the community.”

The two will be walking the town this Sunday and again on March 17. They will then be out every day between March 20 and 29.

The church’s celebrations on Easter Sunday take place at 10.30am and 6.30pm.