The “Living Christ” event coming to Niter
For the last two years, Caribou County has been the site of an amazing “Living Christ” open house, which had been held at the Soda Springs stake building.
This year, the event will be held in Niter in order to increase access throughout the county and broader community. The church is located at 2060 Niter Bench Road, just down from Bailey’s Market.
The “Living Christ” event is essentially an Open House, where those interested can attend at any time during the scheduled days and times: March 29 and 31, and April 1 and 2 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The building is located at 2060 Niter Bench Road
During the last two years, the inside of the stake center had been redressed artfully to help convey the events of Holy Week from the entry into Jerusalem to the resurrection. The wards, as well as leadership groups, were involved in putting the event on, with volunteers coming from the membership.
The rooms were set up to correspond to the events of the Biblical account of Palm Sunday through Easter Sunday. Rooms were decorated to inspire contemplation and communicate something of the actual experience as it may have happened. Visitors were welcomed into the building and directed to the first station, a room covered in paper palm leaves on which visitors were encouraged to add their own messages and place on the ground for those who came after them.
The journey then led to a room commemorating the cleansing of the temple, and other important moments on the path. The Teachings of the Savior, Last Supper, Garden of Gesthsemane, Trial and Crucifixion, and Garden Tomb were all uniquely arrayed to capture the essence of the moments they invoked. Throughout each room, a high level of design and material dressing—from guides’ outfits to food items, painted backdrops, recreations of important items, and large pictures helped to create a solemn and impressive mood. Lighting was also used effectively, as, for instance, in the Garden of Gesthsemane’s mostly dark interior or the Garden Tomb’s small space designed to replicate the empty tomb.
Videos played in many of the rooms, depicting dramatic portrayals of the events, which grew increasingly laden with unease, until the final room, which featured white light and, at the very end of the walk, a representation of a risen Jesus. The change in mood and tone between the last rooms was effective at demonstrating the underlying message of the resurrection, where darkness gave way to light, and fear to hope.
Similar Easter Walks have been held at locations throughout the country over the last few years, as a way to open Easter events up to a larger community than the church services themselves. The walk was open to the public, and was well-attended by both church members and many other community residents.
Information about what may be different this year is not immediately available, but the mission is the same, to “celebrate Holy Week, Easter, and Passover with friends and family of all faiths.”
Those who attended the Living Christ event in past years will know what to expect, and how conducive to quiet contemplation it is. Those who have not attended one of the previous years are in for a treat, if it is an experience they are interested in pursuing. The change of venue will also surely bring a different flavor to the proceedings.
