Bethel University invites the community to be a part of a special “Via Crucis” corporate worship service on Friday, April 11 at the historic St. Paul’s Memorial Church in South Bend. The event will take place at 1001 W Colfax Ave., starting at 7 p.m. Ahead of Holy Week, attendees will move through the scriptural stations of the cross with prayer, meditation, art, original music, and more.
The service will feature an original arrangement of “Were You There” by Bethel Associate Professor of Music Stephen Martin, D.C.M., along with 15 pieces of original artwork from Assistant Professor of Art Chad Jay.
“Were You There,” will be performed by Bethel students, faculty and staff. This new work, commissioned for the Via Crucis project, is an arrangement of the Traditional Spiritual, “Were You There.” It includes stanzas from the early versions of this spiritual, the words Jesus uttered on the cross: “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” (taken from Psalm 22, and subsequently performed here in Hebrew). Also included, is a portion of the Good Friday hymn, O Sacred Head, Now Wounded, as well as a brief statement of Kyrie Eleison (Lord, Have Mercy).
The Via Crucis project is made possible by a grant from the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, received by Becki Graves, Bethel University Director of Worship Arts. The corporate worship service is presented in partnership with the Calvin Institute of Christian Worship, Bethel University and St. Paul’s Memorial Church. The event is free and all are welcome.
Additional events related to this grant included a student chapel on March 14 and an art exhibition in the Weaver Gallery on Bethel’s campus from Jan. 31-April 5. Through the art exhibition, Bethel Assistant Professor of Art Chad Jay explores the “scriptural stations of the cross” through a series of mixed-media paintings, blending theological inquiry with visual artistry to depict 15 pivotal moments in Christ’s passion, delivered from Gospel accounts. These paintings will be on display during the corporate worship service.