The Lakewood Community Three Hour Good Friday Service will be held this year at Faith Lutheran Church, 16511 Hilliard Road at Woodward Avenue, on Friday April 6 beginning at 12 Noon and lasting until 3:00 pm.

This three hour devotional service, featuring Lakewood clergy from many of the churches, has been offered by the church for more than fifty years. Begun as a Lutheran cooperative service in the 1950s, it featured the "Seven Last Words of Christ from the Cross" with sermons presented by seven Lakewood Lutheran Pastors. Pastor Marvin Wilt, who served Faith church for forty-six years, organized the participating ministers until his retirement in 1990.

The tradition has continued and is now a more ecumenical venture with ties to the Lakewood community. The format was revised in 2006 to include ten speakers and is now entitled "The Way of the Cross." Scripture readings, hymns, meditations by the speakers, prayers, and vocal solos are all part pf the service.

Members of the community are invited to come at any time from 12 noon to 3:00 pm and to stay as long as they are able or stay for the entire three hours. The offerings received during the three hours are all allocated for the work of the Lakewood Christian Service Center.

Scheduled to participate at the 2007 service are Lakewood Mayor Tom George, guest reader; Rev. John Opsata, Lakewood Disciples of Christ Church; Rev. David Connor, Lutheran Interim Pastor; Rev. Paula Maeder-Connor, Trinity Lutheran Church; Rev. Mark Thomas, Lakewood Congregational Church; Mr. Mike Scherer, Director of the Lakewood Christian Service Center; Rev. Jonathan Glass Riley, Lakewood Baptist Church; Rev. Richard Parks, Lakewood United Methodist Church; Rev. Father Keith Owen, Saint Peter’s Episcopal Church; Rev. James Kulma, Director of Spiritual Care, Cleveland Clinic Western Region; Rev. Father Lee Domenick, Church of the Ascension; and the Host Pastor, Rev. Steve Patrick, Faith Lutheran Church. The service is co-sponsored by Faith Lutheran Church and the Lakewood Ministerial Association.