Good Friday, April 10, 2009 Again this year the "three crosses of Easter" were erected on Zion Lutheran Church's corner early on Good Friday. Click each photo to enlarge. The crew (Steve Vasko, Pete Midgarden, Milt Luoma, Ralph Utter, and Ernie Burnett, (l to r) assembled the pieces of three crosses and placed them in their approximate locations on the church lawn. A marker was found in the grass and actual mounting holes were determined with a tape measure. Three crosses. Three holes. Ralph Utter, Pete Midgarden, and Steve Vasko (l to r) work the post hole diggers into the sod of Zion Lutheran Church. With completion of the first post hole, Ernie Burnett, Steve Vasko, and Pete Midgarden (l to r) mount the first cross. The first cross receives dirt to the post hole to lock it in place with Milt Luoma, Steve Vasko, and Ernie Burnett (l to r) completing the alignment and mounting. Click each photo to enlarge. With the second post hole finished, Ralph Utter, Steve Vasko, and Pete Midgarden (l to r) align the cross with the first one. Two crosses up and one to go. The third cross is aligned by Ernie Burnett, Ralph Utter, and Steve Vasko (l to r). The last one always seems to need a little more work. Milt Luoma, Ralph Utter, Steve Vasko, Ernie Burnett, and Pete Midgarden (l to r) run into a problem getting the cross "square in the hole." Click each photo to enlarge. Their persistence pays off as they scoop dirt into the hole to lock the third cross in place. The center cross carried a charge written by Pontius Pilate: "Jesus of Nazareth, King of the Jews." The charge is often abbreviated with the first letters of Jesus, Nazareth, King, and Jews, "INRI" in Latin. Steve Vasko prepares to mount the charge on the center cross. While Pete Midgarden steadies the ladder, Steve Vasko attaches the charge. Steve Vasko and Pete Midgarden (l to r) check the alignment of the charge on the second cross in the center of the three. Click each photo to enlarge. The crosses will be lighted during the Easter season. Charlie Canning and Ernie Burnett (l to r) prepare to run an extension cord to light a spotlight for the crosses. A purple cloth symbolizing the suffering and death of Christ is attached to the center cross by Charlie Canning and Steve Vasko (l to r). With crosses completed and lighting in place, the job is done. On Easter morning, the sun lights the three crosses from the East. The center cross now bears a white cloth signifying the resurrection of Jesus Christ.