Seven Peoria-area pastors from various faith traditions worked together to create a Holy Week podcast series of reflections on the seven last words of Christ. One will be released each day from Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday. We hope you use these to live more fully into the passion of Jesus and be reminded that Christ walks with us through all trials and dark days of our lives. A short bio of each speaker is included. A special thanks to Dr. Jon Giblin for the organ setting of “Were You There” that accompanies the podcast.
The Fourth Word – Mark 15:33-34
At noon, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And at three in the afternoon Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” (which means “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”).
Speaker – Mary Beenken
Reverend Mary Beenken is new to the Peoria area, where she has recently begun her first call as pastor of Grace and Peace Lutheran Church. She is married to Reverend Nathan Johnson, who serves St. John’s Lutheran Church in Toluca, Illinois. Prior to beginning their ministry here, Mary and Nathan attended Luther Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota and went on to complete a post-graduate fellowship, travelling the globe to learn from the religious experiences of people who have experienced persecution. Their travels took them to Turkey, Rwanda, Germany, Guatemala, and India, before returning them home to the United States, where their ministry includes advocating for justice and building relationships rooted in compassion and peace. God has sent them across the world, but they have been blessed to settle here in Peoria where they live with their two dogs, Obie and Nergal.