Brainerd, Minnesota Churches Unite for Good Friday Service

Something unique is happening this Easter season in Brainerd, Minnesota. Something that hasn't happened in decades in this small town in north central Minnesota. Several churches, with various denominational and nondenominational backgrounds, have canceled their individual Good Friday services for their congregations and are coming together as one congregation for this Holy Day service. Differences in doctrine and worship styles are being put aside in a show of corporate Christian unity.

There are nine churches combining for this event, although anyone from the community is welcome to attend. Among the nine sponsors you will find the Assemblies of God, Missionary Alliance, Baptist, Nazarene, Evangelical Free and a couple of independent congregations. The pastors of these congregations have been working together for several months in preparation for this ground breaking event and are anticipating a turnout of two thousand or more.

To provide a neutral setting that would be able to accommodate this large crowd, they have rented the Brainerd High School gymnasium. The service is scheduled to begin at 7 PM, Good Friday evening, April 2^nd with the serving of communion as people enter the doors of the gymnasium. This sacred Christian rite was chosen as the beginning point of this united service because of its symbolism that represents the unity of all Christians within the Body of Christ through His death on the cross. On this night they will share in "the Lord's Supper" as one congregation, without distinction or division. They will celebrate their unity, as they together remember the death and suffering of Jesus on the cross and express their devotion to their God in word and song.

This example of brotherly love and acceptance is one that should be noted, not only by the other churches in that community, but other communities as well. I'm sure it will be.