Faith: Freedom Ranch hosting Good Friday observance

Staff photo: Brooke Finch

Royce Shivers, a member of the Lighthouse Mission’s Men’s Discipleship Program, helps set up chairs for the Good Friday service at Freedom Ranch.

Local pastors, nonprofit organizations and community members will gather at Freedom Ranch tonight to observe Good Friday.

As Easter approaches, many churches are in the midst of the three-day period known as Triduum, which began with Holy Thursday and ends with Easter Sunday. Good Friday, which falls right in the middle, may be interpreted differently to various denominations.

“Good Friday is related to when Jesus died on the cross,” Pastor Jon Forrest of First Christian Church of Clovis said. “It’s a celebration of Christ on the cross and what it means for the foundation of the world,” he said.

Pastor Bonita Knox of Trinity Lutheran Church in Clovis explained what Good Friday means to her.

“It’s a culmination of the season of Lent,” Knox said. “The whole thing comes to its culmination in the work that Jesus set out to do.”

“It’s a salvation story — it’s Jesus fulfilling God’s salvation plan,” she said.

In the spirit of commemorating the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Clovis Christian Ministerial Alliance is organizing a Good Friday service in conjunction with Lighthouse Mission, a local service organization.

Forrest said the service is usually held at a church, but this year, Lighthouse Mission Director Richard Gomez offered the organization’s 243-acre ranch.

“It’s a slice of heaven,” Knox said about the ranch. “What better way to express God’s salvation plan than to have a Good Friday service on this beautiful piece of land.”

“The service is one hour, and the public is invited,” Gomez said.

The service will take place this evening from 5:30 p.m. to 6:30 p.m. at Freedom Ranch, 720 State Route 77. Forrest said this schedule would give people enough time to attend their church services afterward.

According to Forrest, seven pastors will each spend five minutes reciting meditations on the seven last words Jesus spoke on the cross. The program is as follows:

• The first meditation, Luke 23:34, will be spoken by Pastor Lemmuel Perry of the Bethel Assembly of God.

• The second meditation, Luke 23:43, will be spoken by Pastor Darrell Underwood of Servant’s Heart Chapel.

• The third meditation, John 19:26-27, will be spoken by Knox.

• The fourth meditation, Mark 15:34, will be spoken by Pastor John Rollinson of St. James Episcopal Church.

• The fifth meditation, John 19:28, will be spoken by Pastor Jim Kelly of Community Church of the Brethren.

• The sixth meditation, John 19:30, will be spoken by Pastor Sam Walsh of Advent Christian Church.

• The seventh meditation, Luke 23:46, will be spoken by Forrest.

According to the Clovis Christian Ministerial Alliance, offerings will go to Salvation Army, Lighthouse Mission and Matt 25 Hope Center.

“It’s a wonderful day. It’s very, very special,” Knox said. “We hope the whole community will come and support the beautiful Good Friday service.”