CHATHAM — For the eighth year in a row, youth at St. Joseph the Worker Parish will give a Lenten presentation of the Living Stations of the Cross. This year the junior high and high school PSR students will act out the Stations on Friday, Feb. 22 at 6:30 p.m. at the church, which is located at 700 East Spruce Street in Chatham.

Cindy Essex has always directed the Living Stations at St. Joseph. She says that although many parishes make the presentation during the last part of Lent, she has chosen to run theirs early on and always on a Friday.

"We like to have our Stations on a Friday because that is when people typically pray them in parishes," she says. "We have it earlier in Lent because it still gets dark earlier then. I believe the Stations are more powerful when you present them in the dark; it is not as striking in daylight. I think seeing it acted out makes it more meaningful for the younger kids."

Directing with Essex is Amy McKenzie, who is coordinator for St. Joseph's Faith Formation in grades 7-12. Lee Ann Folder, Faith Formation coordinator for grades K-6 and parish business manager, is the narrator. John Kennedy is the music director and Meredith Koerper is the stage director. Joel McKenzie, who is a freshman in high school, is in charge of lighting. "I think it is pretty neat that a student comes in and does this for us," Essex says.

Although adults help put on the production, the actors are always students. Sometimes a student maintains a role for many years. For example, making his third appearance as Jesus this year is James Weitzel, who is a junior at Glenwood High School.

"We have a really great group. Usually the kids will approach me and volunteer to act in the Stations," Essex says. "They've watched other students portray the Stations as they've grown up and now it's their turn."