Written by Eleanor Kraft
Jesus, portrayed by Luke Marti, begins his walk to Calvary.
When you think of teenagers on a Sunday afternoon, what do you think of? Hanging out with friends, getting food, watching TV, and sleeping probably come to mind. For over 130 middle and high school students, Sunday afternoons are spent at the Church of St. Paul in Ham Lake, practicing for an annual Living Stations of the Cross production. Among these youth are a handful of PSEO students taking classes at the University of Northwestern.
The Stations of the Cross follow the Passion of Christ. Every station depicts a different scene from Jesus’ walk to Calvary. The night ends with Jesus’ glorious Resurrection and a time of praise and worship.
With Easter just around the corner, Living Stations offers the perfect opportunity for the church’s youth to grow deeper in their faith. For cast members, every practice and portrayal begins with an hour of prayer and praise and worship. Youth are reminded frequently that the focus should not be on them; the goal is to show audience members the love of Christ in a new and powerful way.
“A way I saw God working and impacting people through Living Stations was when everyone came together afterwards to praise the Lord,” noted Michael Furness, a senior taking PSEO classes at the University of Northwestern. He, like many others in the cast, watched as audience members joined in praise and worship at the end of the night. “My neighbors come to watch every year,” Sean Spanier, another PSEO senior and member of the cast stated, “and another family I know stopped going to church. Ever since watching Living Stations, they have been at church weekly.”
John the Apostle (Sean Spanier), Mary (Michelle Klimisch), and Mary Magdalene (Eleanor Kraft) weep after Jesus is taken down from the cross.
The audience is not the only group changed: Teens come away from living stations with a renewed love for the Lord. “Spending so much time in prayer before and after portraying this story has strengthened my relationship with Jesus tremendously,” Eleanor Kraft, senior cast member and PSEO student mentioned. Sean reflected on how contributing has changed him as well: “As I started participating, I got to see firsthand the impact that I could have on other people. It really showed me that as a young person I can still minister to others and show them Christs love.”
While practices are never perfect and nights with the audience seldom go perfectly, cast members return year after year. Michael, Sean, and Eleanor all spent five years participating in Living Stations! This unique evangelization opportunity combined with wonderful fellowship and prayer provides the perfect occasion for growing closer to Christ.
Marti, as Jesus, holds a candle during the Resurrection scene.
Instead of a day of friends, food, and football, the Church of Saint Paul’s youth give their Sunday afternoons for prayerful practices. Although it is a sacrifice, these teens have built their foundation on something greater. After a full week of dress rehearsals and long nights, the cast is sad to be finished but glad to see Jesus so present in their lives and in the lives of all who came to watch the Living Stations.
All the teens in this year’s Living Stations cast.
