Walking with Christ – a talk given by Rev. Bridgette Siepker

Impressions by John-Peter Gernaat

​On Sunday 19 April 2026, Rev. Bridgette Siepker spoke on a topic that is a theme for this Easter Festival and will be taken up again in a future conference; the theme of “Walking with Christ”. What does this really mean and how does it enter our own lives?

When we read scripture we can come to an understanding of what “Walking with Christ” may be. The women go to the tomb on the first day as the sun is rising with spices and no idea of how they are going to roll away the large stone from the entrance so that they can fulfil their task. When Mary Magdalene encountered Christ on the first day of the week, she thought he was the gardener. She spoke with Him. When he spoke her name, she recognised him. Later in the day, two of the circle were walking across the fields and “they were talking about the event”. As they were talking a third person drew near and asked a question. When they confronted his ignorance of the event that was uppermost in their mind, he began to lay out for them in scripture all that had been said about the Christ. When they arrived at their destination in the town of Emmaus, he was about to leave them and they invited him in. Yet, it was only in the breaking and blessing of bread that they recognised who their companion had been. Then they recognised that their hearts had been burning as he had spoken with them as they walked.

We can uncover a few things from these scripture readings: firstly, intention. The women had intention in their going to the tomb, Mary Magdalene in her questioning of the gardener and the disciples in their analysis of the event of the crucifixion and the body that was not in the tomb. Secondly, an openness towards the unknown in the intention. The women went alone to the tomb knowing there was an insurmountable obstacle to be overcome, a stone too heavy to move. Mary Magdalene was open to learning what had occurred. The disciples were open to understanding the mystery of the event. Thirdly, the ability to sense the Christ. The women expect to see, and see the angelic being. Mary Magdalene hears her name. The disciples recognise that their hearts had become aware of a truth.

In the Act of Consecration, we hear the words “walking with Christ” in the Canon. Yet, this translation from the German is insufficient to express the full meaning intended in the sacrament. The German word also implies a transformation, a deep and lasting transformation, that occurs in this “walking with Christ”.

We may also remember the theme of Passiontide which was the walking towards death. Death is a process of letting go. In our “Walking with Christ” is implicit the letting go of what is no longer of service to us.

In letting go, holding intention, being open and sensing the reality that approaches us, we can enter into an experience of “Walking with Christ”, and the practice will bring momentum to our ability to “Walk with Christ”.