To the left of the image, the text reads: Created by our AI Assistant, Sophie, to accompany and honor the "14 Stations of the Cross" by Laura James. The image is a vibrant folk-style painting. A diverse group of people—Black, brown, and white—gather closely under a golden canopy of light, symbolizing unity and sacred presence. At the center stands a Black man in a red tunic, arms open and eyes lifted, as others of all ages reach toward him or rest their hands on one another in support. The background suggests a radiating flame or divine light emerging from the top of the image, while the surrounding colors are warm and hopeful. To the right of the image, the text reads: CLOSING PRAYER Below that, the prayer begins: “ALL: Loving God, you call us from every race and ethnicity to be one human family. Our nation has fallen far short of that goal. Too many of our brothers and sisters are ignored, ostracized, mistreated, and even killed because of the evil of racism…”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

CLOSING PRAYER

ALL: Loving God, you call us from every race and ethnicity to be one human family. Our nation…

To read CLOSING PRAYER, see bottom of pg 8.: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image, the text reads: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image is a solemn folk-style painting. Jesus, a Black man, lies lifeless in a burial shroud as two mourners gently lay his body in the tomb. One figure is seated, the other kneels; both are tender and reverent in posture, dressed in red, white, and blue robes. The background is a simple green and dark red, highlighting the scene’s quiet finality. “Laura James 2006” is signed in white near Jesus’s feet. To the right of the image, the text reads: FOURTEENTH STATION: Jesus is laid in the tomb Below that, the prayer reads: “ALL: Jesus, inspire us with new approaches to the ancient problem of racism. We are your hands and feet. Guide us as we welcome those who are marginalized and as we work for racial justice.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

FOURTEENTH STATION

Jesus is laid in the tomb

Leader: Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it [in] clean linen and…

To read FOURTEENTH STATION, see top of pg. 8: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image, the text reads: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image is a poignant folk-style painting. Jesus, a Black man, is being taken down from the Cross by two men on ladders. His lifeless body is draped in a patterned blue garment and still bears the crown of thorns. Below, the Virgin Mary, clothed in red and yellow, cradles his body tenderly in her lap. Her face is filled with sorrow. The background features stark color bands of mustard yellow, green, and brown, emphasizing grief and sacred finality. To the right of the image, the text reads: THIRTEENTH STATION: Jesus is taken down from the cross Below that, the prayer reads: “ALL: Jesus, the structures of your day were indifferent to the demands of justice. Give us the courage to transform our institutions so that the work of racial justice may bear fruit.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

THIRTEENTH STATION

Jesus is taken down from the cross

Leader: Joseph of Arimathea, a distinguished member…

To read THIRTEENTH STATION, see bottom of pg. 7: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image, the text reads: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image is a moving folk-style painting. Jesus, a Black man crowned with thorns, hangs lifeless on the Cross, his arms outstretched and head bowed. His body is pierced and wrapped with rope, clothed in a blue garment with black patterns. Beneath him stand two grieving women—one in a yellow robe with red swirls, the other in a maroon and teal patterned garment—both with sorrowful expressions and clasped hands. The background is a solid red and black horizon against green earth, emphasizing the gravity of his death. To the right of the image, the text reads: TWELFTH STATION: Jesus dies on the cross Below that, the prayer reads: “ALL: Jesus, Son of God, when no one else cares, you care. You call us to care as well. Lead us to an ever-deeper conversion that bears fruit in true solidarity with those who suffer from racism.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

TWELFTH STATION

Jesus dies on the cross

Leader: Jesus cried out in a loud voice, . . . “My God, my God, why…"

To read TWELFTH STATION, see top of pg. 7: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image, the text reads: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image is a bold, folk-style painting. Jesus, a Black man crowned with thorns and encircled by a golden halo, is nailed to a large brown Cross. His arms are outstretched, and his face is tilted upward in agony. His body is bound with white rope, and he wears a blue loincloth patterned with black squares. A figure kneels at Jesus’ feet, hammering a nail into his right hand. The background features a stark green ground beneath a blood-red sky, symbolizing violence and sacrifice. To the right of the image, the text reads: ELEVENTH STATION: Jesus is crucified Below that, the prayer reads: “ALL: Savior, forgive us for the sins we have committed and also for the sins of omission that allow injustice to persist. Help us to stand up to the structures of sin and become accomplices in the work of justice.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

ELEVENTH STATION

Jesus is crucified

Leader: But he was pierced for our sins, crushed for our iniquity....

To read ELEVENTH STATION, see bottom of pg. 6: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image, the text reads: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image is a vivid folk-style painting. Jesus, a Black man crowned with thorns, stands nearly naked as soldiers strip him of his garments. His body is bound with rope, and a golden halo encircles his head. Around him, four figures—two women and two men—are engaged in removing his clothing. One soldier holds up a blue cloth; another kneels, lifting a red garment. The background is a flat expanse of red-orange earth under a dark green sky, suggesting humiliation and exposure. To the right of the image, the text reads: TENTH STATION: Jesus is stripped of his garments Below that, the prayer reads: “ALL: Jesus, in becoming human you ratified the dignity of all humanity. Help us see every person’s dignity as important as our own and create social structures that promote dignity for all.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

TENTH STATION

Jesus is stripped of his garments

Leader: They stripped off his clothes…. (Mt 27:28)

To read TENTH STATION, see top of pg. 6: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image, the text reads: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image is a vivid folk-style painting. Jesus, a Black man bound with white rope, has collapsed under a large wooden Cross. His face is turned downward in pain, framed by a gold halo. The background is made up of two stark color fields—green grass and a mustard-yellow sky—conveying weight and struggle. To the right of the image, the text reads: NINTH STATION: Jesus falls for the third time Below that, the prayer reads, “ALL: Jesus, the call to change social and economic structures that perpetuate racism can be uncomfortable. Help us to acknowledge the roots of racial injustice and work to change them.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

NINTH STATION

Jesus falls for the third time

Leader: “You impose on people burdens hard to carry, but you…

To read NINTH STATION, see bottom of pg. 5: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A vivid folk-style painting shows Jesus, a Black man with a crown of thorns and a large wooden Cross strapped to his back, pausing to address three sorrowful women. One woman in a bright red dress with a yellow shawl clasps her hands in grief. The others stand behind her, visibly distressed, their arms raised or folded in sadness. Jesus gazes at them with compassion. The green ground and bold orange sky heighten the emotional intensity of the moment. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “EIGHTH STATION: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: Jesus, you call us to speak out against all injustice, not just the injustices that hurt our own communities. Help us to develop hearts that beat with genuine compassion when anyone’s community suffers injustice.”

ICYMI-posting here today for #RacialJustice

EIGHTH STATION

Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem

Leader: A large crowd of people followed Jesus, including many women….

To read EIGHT STATION, see top of pg. 5: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek #GoodFriday #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A bold folk-style painting shows Jesus, a Black man with a crown of thorns, collapsing once again under the weight of a large wooden Cross. He is wrapped in white rope, wearing a red tunic with a blue patterned outer garment. His body is hunched forward, face lowered to the ground in exhaustion, knees buckling beneath him. The stark yellow background intensifies the moment of anguish, while the green ground beneath him offers a visual anchor in the suffering. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “SEVENTH STATION: Jesus falls for the second time.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: God, it is easy to fall into the trap of biased thinking without even being aware of it. Help us to accept all people as individuals with unique dignity, and not to divide them up based on their membership in some favored or disfavored group.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

SEVENTH STATION

Jesus falls for the second time

Leader: “Jesus replied, “A man fell victim to robbers as…"

To read SEVENTH STATION, see bottom of pg. 4: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: In this vivid folk-style painting, Veronica, wearing a pale yellow robe with red flower accents and a light green head covering, tenderly reaches out to wipe the face of Jesus. Jesus, a Black man with a crown of thorns and a blue-striped robe, is weighed down by the heavy cross, his eyes closed in exhaustion. The background is striking—a red sky with green ground—intensifying the emotional power of this moment of compassion. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “SIXTH STATION: Veronica wipes the face of Jesus.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: Jesus, so many of our brothers and sisters suffer daily from the injustice of racism. Give us the gift of courage to be like Veronica and reach out to those whom society has rejected and show them love.”

ICYMI-posting here today for #RacialJustice

SIXTH STATION
Veronica wipes the face of Jesus

Leader: He had no majestic bearing to catch our eye, no beauty...

To read SIXTH STATION, see top of pg. 4: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A vibrant folk-style painting shows Simon of Cyrene, a Black man with short curly hair, helping Jesus carry the heavy wooden cross. Jesus, also depicted as a Black man with a crown of thorns, is bent under the burden, while Simon lifts from behind, their bodies close in shared struggle. Both figures wear patterned garments—Simon in green and white, Jesus in blue and black. The red sky and green earth form a bold, symbolic background of suffering and hope. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “FIFTH STATION: Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: God, you have arranged the universe so that one person’s action can help ease the burden of another. Embolden us to reach out and to speak out, to make others’ crosses easier to bear.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

FIFTH STATION

Simon of Cyrene helps Jesus carry the cross

Leader: They pressed into service a passer-by,…

To read FIFTH STATION, see bottom of pg. 3: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A colorful folk-style painting shows Jesus, a Black man with a crown of thorns and a large wooden cross bound to his back with rope, pausing to look upon his mother Mary. Mary is shown in a yellow and red robe with swirling patterns, her head bowed and hands raised in a gesture of anguish and grief. The background is a vibrant orange and green, evoking both the tension and tenderness of the moment. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “FOURTH STATION: Jesus meets his mother.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: Jesus, although at this time you could not relieve your mother’s fears, you did acknowledge her pain. Help us to stand with anxious and grieving mothers and work to end the injustices that besiege them.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

FOURTH STATION

Jesus meets his mother

Leader: Simeon blessed them and said to Mary, “... (you yourself…"

To read FOURTH STATION, see top of pg. 3: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A colorful folk-style painting shows Jesus, a Black man with a crown of thorns, collapsed under the weight of a large wooden cross. His body is slumped to the ground, the cross tightly bound to his back with thick white rope. The background features a stark yellow sky and a green earth, symbolizing the burden of injustice and the heaviness of the journey. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “THIRD STATION: Jesus falls for the first time.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: Jesus, the cross of injustice is heavy. Help us not to dismiss it as just ‘the way things are,’ but rather to acknowledge the crosses others must bear because they are different, and to find ways to accompany them in their journey.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

THIRD STATION

Jesus falls for the first time

Leader: Yet it was our pain that he bore, our sufferings he…

To read THIRD STATION, see bottom of pg. 2: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A colorful folk-style painting shows Jesus, a Black man with a crown of thorns, beginning to carry the large wooden cross. His body is bowed under its weight as two figures flank him—one on each side—holding branches, their arms raised. The figures wear patterned red skirts and white tops. The background is boldly divided between orange sky and green ground, emphasizing both the struggle and the path ahead. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “SECOND STATION: Jesus takes up his cross.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: Jesus, help us to acknowledge the truth with honesty and courage. The injustices caused by racism are far too common and impose heavy crosses on our brothers and sisters. Help us to speak the truth about the magnitude of the injustices they face.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

SECOND STATION

Jesus takes up his cross

Leader: And carrying the cross himself he went out to what is called…

To read SECOND STATION, see top of pg. 2: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

To the left of the image: The 14 Stations of the Cross, ©Laura James, 2006. Used with permission. laurajamesart.com. The image itself: A colorful folk-style painting shows Jesus, a Black man in a long robe with a crown of thorns, standing silently with bound hands before a seated authority figure—Pilate—cloaked in bright garments. They are framed within architectural arches, suggesting a courtroom setting. A barred window in the background casts somber tones, symbolizing injustice and oppression. To the right of the image, on top: Text reads, “FIRST STATION: Jesus is condemned to death.” Below that is the following prayer: “ALL: Christ Jesus, you were a victim of injustice, condemned by those who had the power to save you and ignored by those who might have spoken up on your behalf. Help us to use the opportunities we have to speak out against the injustices around us, knowing that you desire justice for all.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

FIRST STATION

Jesus is condemned to death

Leader: Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?”

To read FIRST STATION, see bottom of pg. 1: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome

On the left, a vivid, stylized image shows a diverse group of men, women, & children—Black & White—gathered beneath the glowing shelter of a large orange tent. At the center, a Black man in a red tunic gazes outward w-calm resolve, surrounded by others looking upward or at one another with empathy. The background is bathed in warm tones, evoking sacred gathering & shared purpose. Along the far-left purple border, white text reads: “Created by our AI Assistant, Sophie, to accompany and honor the '14 Stations of the Cross' by Laura James.” On the right, against a purple background, the heading reads: “OPENING PRAYER.” Below it, the preamble reads: “PREAMBLE: People in our day suffer unjustly simply because of the color of their skin or their national origin. Let us acknowledge the sin of racism and work to combat it in our social structures, our institutions, and our hearts… We are your hands and feet. Guide us as we welcome those who are marginalized and as we work for racial justice.”

ICYMI - posting here today for #RacialJustice

OPENING PRAYER

ALL: Lord of all, we pray for healing to address the persistent sin of racism…

To read the OPENING PRAYER, see top of pg. 1: tinyurl.com/4k8hfj2s

#Holiness #HolyWeek2025 #GoodFriday2025 #StatonsoftheCross #WeShallOvercome