Stations of the Cross
Self-Guided
Family Scavenger Hunt
Located on the Church of the Redeemer grounds
2944 Erie Avenue
Hyde Park
Welcome to our self-guided Stations of the Cross: Family Scavenger Hunt. These stations are meant to be used sometime during Holy Week. Feel free to use them on your schedule, at your own pace. You can visit a few stations a day or all of the stations at once. As you go through the stations, you can choose to have the same reader for all, or take turns reading with any family members who can read. Remember to share the name of each station as you go. Each station is linked below and on the sidebar to the right.
Praying the Stations of the Cross, together or on your own, is a Lenten tradition. Imagine the scene in Jerusalem as Jesus walked his Way of the Cross. We follow these fourteen stations during Holy Week to remember how much Jesus loves us and what he had to do to fulfill God’s promise of eternal life. Take your time to read each station and follow the activity for young families, adults, or both. You can even participate from home using the Bible Comics and Illustrations by Earnest Graham linked at each station. Visit all the stations or as many as you’d like – they are marked with small flags with the station number.
Station 1: Jesus is condemned
Start at Station #1: Window with view of baptismal font (Raymar facing)
Before you begin your journey, pray this prayer:
Dear Jesus, help us to walk in your steps today as we remember the sacrifice you made for us on the cross. Now as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say: Our Father, who art in Heaven, Hallowed be thy Name. Thy Kingdom come, thy will be done on…
Read More »Station 2: Jesus accepts his cross
Find Station #2: Bench on front porch facing crosses in window
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
Jesus watches the soldiers bring out the cross for him to carry. It looks so heavy. How can one man carry it alone? But he puts the wood across his shoulders and bends over with the weight and p…
Station 3: Jesus falls for the first time
Find Station #3: Playground by driveway
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
The weight of the cross is crushing him and Jesus stumbles. Somehow, he gets back up by himself. No one helps him. Can anyone help him?
Activity on the Church Grounds
For families: Find the playground. Think of a time …
Station 4: Jesus meets his mother
Find Station #4: Preschool drop-off (portico at back of church)
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
Here is Mary of Nazareth, reaching out to her son. She looks so very sad to see Jesus like this. Why isn't she angry at the people who are hurting him? Why can't she stop them from doing this?…
Station 5: Simon of Cyrene carries the cross
Find Station #5: Large tree by playground
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
The soldiers grab someone to help Jesus. The man
looked angry at first, but now he seems almost happy to help. Who is this man?
He doesn't look like he lives around here. I wonder if he knows Jesus. I wonder
if …
Station 6: A woman wipes the face of Jesus
Find Station #6: Bottom of stairs by playground (Memorial Garden)
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
Look, a woman broke through the soldiers and got close to Jesus! She is wiping his face with a cloth. How did she have the courage to challenge the soldiers? Jesus thanks her; maybe she mad…
Station 7: Jesus falls for the second time
Find Station #7: Benches under large tree on front porch
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
Even without the cross, Jesus can hardly walk. He is much weaker and falls to the ground again. I want to help him, but I can't get past the soldiers like the woman did. I want to help Jesus! I want…
Station 8: Jesus meets the women of Jerusalem
Find Station #8: Great Hall windows (Paxton side of building)
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
A group of women are crying out loud, walking along besides us. Jesus reaches out to comfort them. I don't understand everything he says, but he is calm. How can he be so calm when he is about t…
Station 9: Jesus falls for the third time
Find Station #9: Paxton side hills near chapel
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
We've been walking uphill for a while, and Jesus falls again here. He looks so very tired. The soldiers pull him off the ground and Jesus struggles to get up again. I have to look away. I don't want to see any…
Station 10: Jesus is stripped of his clothes
Find Station #10: Top of Erie steps
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
We've come to Golgotha, the place where the Romans crucify criminals. Jesus will die here. The soldiers take his clothes. They seem more interested in them than in him and they throw dice to see who gets his robe. Jesus …
Station 11: Jesus is nailed to the cross
Find Station #11: Stained glass outside of sanctuary (Raymar side)
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
The sound of the hammer is a slow drum beat. I cannot see him because there are too many people in the way, but the sound will not go away.
Activity on the Church Grounds
For families: Find…
Station 12: Jesus dies
Find Flag #12: Raymar sidewalk by lamppost
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
Darkness settles over us, even though it’s the middle of the day. The earth is shaking. I am afraid. I feel like everyone here is afraid. Why is it so dark? I wonder what is happening.
Activity on the Church Grou…
Read More »Station 13: Jesus is taken down from the cross
Find Station #13: Stained glass view outside oratory
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
It's been a long time now, but it is over. Some of Jesus's friends take his body down from the cross. They let Mary, his mother, hold him. I wonder if she remembers holding him when he was a baby. Everyo…
Station 14: Jesus is laid in the tomb
Find Station #14: Top of stairwell to undercroft
Prayer
Reader: We adore you, O Christ, and we bless you.
All: Because by your holy cross, you have redeemed the world.
Reading
We bring his body to the garden of a man named Joseph.
He is from Arimathea. He has a brand new tomb we can use for Jesus. It is a
little room cut into the rock of the hill. We place his body in the room, …