Welcome to Lent 2026 & the Stations of the Cross
An Art & Devotional Journey brought to you by Community Baptist Church
The journey through Holy Week invites believers into the profound mystery of Christ's passion, death, and ultimate victory over sin and death. This sacred time—from Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday—offers a unique opportunity to pause, reflect, and walk alongside Jesus in his suffering and sacrifice. In many Christian traditions, the Stations of the Cross serve as a structured devotional practice, guiding participants through fourteen key moments drawn from Scripture and tradition, depicting Jesus' final hours starting from his condemnation by Pilate to his burial in the tomb.
This book emerges from a living expression of that ancient devotion at our church community. During Holy Week, we open the sanctuary each day from 4-7 PM as a welcoming space for people across the community—longtime members, newcomers, seekers, and neighbors alike. The invitation is simple yet deeply intentional: come in, linger, and encounter the story of Christ's passion anew through visual art, written reflection, and quiet contemplation.
Each day features a focal artwork representing one of the stations (or a related moment in the Passion narrative), created by gifted local artists who have interpreted the scriptural account in fresh, personal ways. These pieces—paintings, drawings, sculptures, ceramics, or other media—are displayed along the side walls of the sanctuary, allowing visitors to view the art of the current day alongside all previous days' contributions. This cumulative display builds a visual narrative as the week progresses, mirroring the unfolding drama of Holy Week itself. Each artwork is accompanied by a printed devotional text mounted beneath it, along with a QR code that links directly to a read-aloud video version hosted on Substack. This accessibility ensures that anyone—whether reading independently, listening through their phone, or having the words read aloud by a friend—can engage with the reflections at their own pace and in their preferred way.
The artists enjoyed considerable freedom in their creations. While each piece is rooted in the scriptural depiction of its station, the interpretation, style, and medium are left to the artist's discretion—resulting in a rich diversity of expression. This project is more than an exhibition or a collection of writings; it is an act of communal hospitality and worship. By opening our doors daily, providing multiple entry points (visual, auditory, textual), and encouraging unhurried presence, we hope to create space where the Holy Spirit can move—perhaps stirring fresh awe at Christ's love, prompting repentance, fostering healing, or simply offering quiet companionship amid life's demands.
The pages that follow gather these artworks and devotionals into a permanent form. Whether you participated in person during Holy Week, discovered this book later, or are encountering the Stations of the Cross for the first time, may these reflections and images draw you deeper into the Paschal mystery. May they remind you that the cross, though marked by suffering, is the doorway to the hope of the resurrection.
Welcome to this shared journey. May the One who carried the cross carry you now, and may his love be made visible in every encounter with these pages.
— Pastor Steven Darst