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Churches will 'Light Up the Cross' Saturday
Grant Park landmark will be illuminated in one-time event
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More from Local NewsThe cross that overlooks Ventura from Grant Park will be brightly lit Saturday night for the first time since the city turned down the lights and sold the cross four years ago.
It's a one-night-only performance, however — at least until the sponsors of "Light Up the Cross" make good on their promise of making it an annual event.
Parishioners from nearly a dozen Ventura churches will come to Grant Park at 7:30 p.m. Saturday, carrying their most powerful flashlights. After a prayer service led by the churches' pastors, the crowd will turn the flashlights on and aim them at the 14-foot wooden cross.
If all goes according to plan, the cross will be visible for miles around, as it was for most of the 20th century, when the city owned the property and lined the cross with bright bulbs.
"For years and years, it was lit up," said Kimble Ouerbacker, a Ventura lawyer who conceived the "Light Up the Cross" idea and enlisted churches to participate. "It was a landmark — boaters could navigate with it if they couldn't see the harbor."
The cross is now much more subtly lit. The new owner, a nonprofit group called the Grant Park Conservancy, agreed to keep the lights low as a condition of its purchase.
The city sold the cross and one acre of land around it in 2003, after three Ventura County residents threatened to sue on the grounds that public ownership amounted to an unconstitutional establishment of religion.
Ouerbacker wasn't a fan of the conservancy arrangement, and he and another Ventura attorney sued to stop the deal. But now he's working with the conservancy, and he's pledged half of the offerings from the "Light Up the Cross" event to the conservancy's effort to restore and improve the park.
The other half will go to the city of Ventura for a program that will help the poor, although city and church leaders haven't decided yet what that program will be.
Rod Houck, a member of the conservancy's board of directors, said the group needs to raise $400,000 to $500,000 for the restoration project. The proposed work includes paths leading down the hillsides from the cross and a memorial garden nearby.
Houck said he appreciates Ouerbacker's efforts and is looking forward to seeing the cross lit up Saturday night.
"It's a beautiful sight when it's lit at night," he said.
Ouerbacker said he has no expectations about the turnout or donations Saturday. If the event is a success, he plans to do it again every July, and perhaps again near Christmas.
"Light Up the Cross" will be a Christian service, but Ouerbacker said everyone is welcome.
"If we have 100 people, I'll be happy. If we have 1,000, I'll be amazed," he said.
On the Net:
http://www.lightupthecross.com
http://www.grantparkcross.org
Posted by RelaxPeople on July 6, 2007 at 1:54 p.m. (Suggest removal)
its still light at 7:30?
Posted by Ventuckey on July 6, 2007 at 3:32 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Oh, it's great that OUR once PUBLIC park is now PRIVATLY owned by Christian right nutters. Thanks for closing it everyday at 6pm too. Where am I susposed to go and make out in the back of my car and smoke a dooby?
Posted by amyvta805 on July 6, 2007 at 4:13 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I think this is a great idea for our churches to come together and light up the cross. I think a lot of people may have forgotton about this wonderful historical monument since the lights have been down. God Bless the people who will participate.
Posted by icedmadness on July 6, 2007 at 4:46 p.m. (Suggest removal)
I remember being able to always look up and see the cross every night. It's a shame that the owners aren't proud of this piece of Ventura history.
Posted by smithjc on July 6, 2007 at 5:52 p.m. (Suggest removal)
it's not that the new owners aren't proud of the history of the cross. far from it, in fact, as their purchase of it saved it from being demolished due to a lawsuit from a left-wing atheist nutter who felt that the city maintaining and lighting the cross "established a state religion". but for the conservancy purchasing the cross and the land around it, the cross would be only a memory. part of the agreement that they had to make, as stated in the article, was "more subdued lighting".
don't get me wrong, i'm no fan of any religion, as i think that, collectively religions of all types cause most of the problems in the world, as it seems that most violence and wars are caused by disagreements over the "true church" or "true faith". despite my beliefs (or lack thereof), the cross never offended me, nor did it make me think that the city of ventura "established" a religion. quite the opposite, in fact, the wanderings of the missionaries "established" the city. i viewed it as an historical artifact, as one would view the pyramids or the taj mahal. as such, it should be preserved for future generations to enjoy and discuss as an object of learning.
Posted by Valdivious on July 7, 2007 at 12:38 p.m. (Suggest removal)
Left-wing atheist nutter, Christian, right nutters. Keyword, NUT. Grant Park should have been made into a Historical Landmark and left alone, If anything, they should have gotten rid of the "Men" up there "cruzing" for god knows what, its horrible! Who cares about some lights? NUTS, people with NOTHING better to think about! Drugs, Gangs, Bad Parents etc. Instead of lights on a landmark maybe we should worry about the lights in the eyes of the poor and their children, Nah.. lets worry about the cross ,that will get some press. PATHETIC Souls. Meanwhile Grant Park is reduced to a place where lonely gay gentlemen jump into the bushes and cars and “get to know each other. Get a clue Ventura PD, Get out of that Main St.(main & Palm St.) Coffee shop and do some work up there. Maybe I can go up there for lunch and not be come on to.
Posted by Tabitha_D on July 9, 2007 at 10:22 a.m. (Suggest removal)
my aunt was married at the cross, and altho i was to young to remember the wedding itself she would take us up there all the time. i used to be able to see it as a kid from the balcony of the apts off the hill, and then as i got older it turned into a nice running route with a spectacular view and feeling when the top was reached. now its closed before the sun is even down and you can't see it from nearly anywhere.
and "after three Ventura County residents threatened to sue on the grounds that public ownership amounted to an unconstitutional establishment of religion"
are you serious??!! this cross is a part of ventura....always has been. if its not something that you approve of why on earth would you move here or stay here (which ever the case of these pathetic 3 were). and if you did grow up here then it shouldnt have bothered you because everyone knows its there since they're kids and know that it is historic. well a big thanks for nothing to the 3 residents that felt they need to stir up so much poo to make themselves more comfortable.
Posted by smithjc on July 10, 2007 at 5:13 a.m. (Suggest removal)
the main party in the suit didn't even live in ventura. he was "offended" by having to see the cross as he drove through on the freeway.
Posted by Tabitha_D on July 11, 2007 at 9:29 a.m. (Suggest removal)
that's ridiculous!! look at the view of the beautiful ocean if the view of the hillside bothers you so much.
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