Hundreds celebrate true meaning of Easter

Mar 22 2008

HUNDREDS of christians sang and danced in the rain as they celebrated the true meaning of Easter in an uplifting 'walk of witness' along Birmingham's Soho Road.

The bustling Handsworth shopping street was closed to traffic for three hours as 700 people from ten Christian churches joined forces to mark Good Friday, one of the most important events in the Christian calendar.

They braved the wind and rain as they set off singing loudly from Sandwell Road's Beacon Evangelical Church only to finish in bright sunshine, still singing, an hour and a half later opposite Whitehall Road.

One of the event organisers Rev Bryan Scott, Minister of Cannon Street Memorial Baptist Church in Soho Road - part of the Hands-worth and District Christian Out-reach Group of Churches - said: "This brings everyone together irrespective of their church and culture - it shows the area's true community spirit."

Bhangra dancers players alongside drummers from the Cannon Street church's gospel group who were on board a 40-foot long float, festooned with balloons.

They were joined by the Seek Kingdom Ministries, a Punjabi Gospel sound which fuses bhangra with Christian lyrics.

Carlton Jones, of the Wesleyan New Life Church in Holyhead Road, headed the procession carrying a plain wooden crucifix.

Eileen Matthews, a worshipper at Aberdeen Street Church of God of Prophecy, said: "It was a fantastic event - there was a lovely uplifting atmosphere."

And 76-year-old Ivy Drysdale, of the Fountain Spring Church in Rookery Road, who has never missed a march in three years, said: "It was a very happy event and a way of meeting people from other churches."

Manjit and Opindra Bangerh, of the Light and Life Church in Ninevah Road, were walking with their children Rajesh, aged 10, and five-year-old Kiran.

Manjit said: "It's a really inspiring family event and a good way of celebrating the life of our Lord."

Other churches taking part included Hockley Pentecostal Church, the Calvary Asian Christian Fellowship, Perry Beeches Baptist Church, Austin Road United Church of God and the Baptist Church Centre in Victoria Road.