Each Palm Sunday it is the tradition for St Mary's and the other Churches Together in Moseley to install a cross on the Village Green. This is an annual public witness to Christ's passion and has taken place for over 40 years. When the Village Green was remodelled by Birmingham City Council in 2000 specific arrangements were made for the "hole" for the cross to be incorporated into the design. The Churches Together in Moseley are grateful for the assistance of the City in helping to allow this tradition to continue.
This is a description of the physical operations required, both for those actively involved and for the record. With the cooperation and permission of Birmingham City Council we have the tools for lifting the concrete slabs on the Green. Volunteers are always welcome for helping occasionally with these physical aspects.
On the Thursday before Palm Sunday (or possibly Friday depending on the weather and availability of volunteers) we lift aside the two heavy concrete slabs. These are still very heavy (about 100 kilos or 2 cwts each, and 5 inches thick) needing at least two strong people to lift up each slab 5-6 inches to clear the opening and pull to one side. If four volunteers can be mustered on the site together it means each need lift only about 25 kilos or 55 pounds each, using the new longer set of four special lifting keys which we have had made.
When the two slabs have been lifted to one side, and safely stowed beside the nearby tree, the opening is cleaned of any accumulated mud etc, and the opening covered — firstly by a 2½ inch thick reinforced wooden board (complete with the rectangular insertion hole for taking the cross), and then covered again by a plain half inch thick ply board with edges raised to pavement level to contain the layer of bark chips, and made safe for pedestrian traffic, with a safety cone in the centre. This will be monitored from time to time to ensure it is not interfered with, until the procedures early on Palm Sunday morning. Removal of slabs is scheduled for Friday at the latest to allow time for any remedial action found necessary on the site well before the Sunday morning.
The assembled cross will be deposited in church before the Saturday before Palm Sunday.
The site on the Green continues to be monitored from time to time. If any remedial action is required, this must be reported to one of the contacts listed below.
Assuming all is well, at least two people will prepare the site from about 10:30 a.m. This involves temporarily moving all the chips aside, removing the plain wooden reinforcing board, thus leaving the main cover board in place, but with the insertion hole (approximately six inches by four inches) exposed, which should then be protected with a small hardboard cover plate to prevent entry of chips or anything else. Guard will then be kept over the site until the cross arrives, carried by a team of bearers, plus the clergy and the rest of the congregation attending, at about 11:15 a.m.
Once the cross has been lowered into the socket hole, (vertically and carefully to ensure it seats properly on the special stool out of sight at the bottom of the pit) it is secured with wedges. It is also fixed to the cover board with an unobtrusive small chain and screw to discourage anyone trying to lift it out again. Three small one inch wide wedges are available plus a hammer or mallet. A small bag of extra bark chips may be required if some have been lost over Saturday. It is important that the bearer party know that all is well at the site before they set forth with the cross at about 11:15 a.m. Hence the need for two people on the site at this time, as it cannot be left unattended once the chips have been removed. The person reporting back to the church should tell either of the wardens that the site is ready.
In the unlikely event of some disaster (e.g. the top cover board being severely damaged on the Saturday, or the site rendered inoperative in some way) then it is important the wardens know in time, before the service, so that procedures can be altered accordingly.
Essentially this is a reversal of the earlier procedure. It involves three main steps:
The latter option is obviously the most efficient, and can often be organised early on Easter Monday.
One must then be prepared to clear away the cross, the cover boards, and all the tools, equipment and other materials, and store them carefully. They can be stored in the shed in the churchyard near the rear gate, though this is not ideal as it can get very cluttered, so a watch must be kept throughout the year to ensure that the Easter Cross equipment is well labeled and stored in good order carefully and separately for use in future years. The small tools, e.g. wedges, packing pieces, etc. should be kept in a well-labeled bag.