Church pastor and members march into town centre with cross for Good Friday

Church members have marched with a cross this morning as part of an event marking Good Friday. Pastor Stan Smith, 66, of Grace Church Atherton, walked through the town from 10.45am to 11.

45am while carrying the cross on his back. Around 30 other members of the Alma Street church joined him for the occasion with some taking turns carrying the cross, which weights around 30kg. The route took Pastor Smith from his church down to Market Street in Atherton, and then past the Punch Bowl pub, before returning to the town centre.



In the town centre the group sang a hymn and put a sketch board with different shapes representing the Christian message. The walk in Atherton (Picture: Phil Taylor) The walk in Atherton (Picture: Phil Taylor) Pastor Smith said: "It was great, we sang along the way and had a good time. "It was the first time me and a few of the others carried a cross like this in around 45 years.

" Pastor Stan Smith with the sketch board (Image: Phil Taylor) The walk in Atherton (Picture: Phil Taylor) Pastor Smith added that it was a "joyful" event which paid tribute to the importance of Easter. Grace Church recently merged with the long-established Atherton Evangelical Church, which has produced a growing congregation. This Easter marks the one year anniversary of the merger.

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