Walk of Witness

Good Friday is a special day. Churches Together in Basildon are organising the Annual Walk of Witness that remembers the time when Jesus walked from his trial to the place where he was crucified for the sins of the world. Walks like the one in Basildon take place all over Britain and around the world.

In Basildon the walk begins in the garden at Holy Trinity Church in Wick Hay at ten o’clock where there is a reading and a song is sung accompanied by music played by brass instruments. A member of this church then carries a big wooden cross towards the town centre and the two hundred strong crowd will follow, walking quietly together to the sound of a drum beat. Once the procession reaches the town there are further readings and songs or hymns as the Good Friday story gradually unfolds. The first stopping place is by the Bull’s Eye Pub. Here the cross is passed to a member of another church and there is another reading and a hymn. This is repeated at several other places in the town as the procession gradually makes its way through the town to the Eastgate Centre.where it will arrive at about 10.50am.

This year the procession will make its way upstairs to a new venue near the Owl and the Pussy Cat fountain. Here the crowd will remember the resurrection and sing some happier songs to remind people that the crucifixion is not the end of the story of Good Friday. Members of Churches Together in Basildon will also remember the resurrection early on the morning of Easter Sunday outside St Nicholas Church at 6.30am and at St Michael’s Tower on Pitsea Mount at 7am. We look forward to people joining us at 10am at Holy Trinity Wick Hay or about 10.15 in the town near the Bulls Eye. The procession will reach the Eastgate at about 10.50am