St. Barnabas, Chester and other churches on Danforth Avenue in Toronto celebrated Good Friday differently this year. Due to COVID-19 restrictions, each of the six participating congregations worshipped separately for the first nine Stations of the Cross, then walked to nearby Withrow Park with a piece of wood, where they completed the remaining Stations of the Cross together. About 200 people from the United, Presbyterian, Anglican, Latvian Lutheran, Roman Catholic and Community Church took part. After each station, a piece of wood was added and soon a wooden cross was lifted. The hymn “Were you there when they crucified my Lord” was sung several times during the service.
Aware of God’s presence in every step