musings
EVERY YEAR WHEN HOLY WEEK APPROACHES, I look forward to "Resurrection Sunday" and look backward at the same time to my most memorable Easter service. It was while I was a student at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY.
I was a part of a student cabinet of the Wesleyan Foundation. We were charged with planning and implementing an Easter Sunrise Service. We wanted to be creative and offer a unique and yet, inspirational experience. Fortunately, Kentucky in April offers some beautiful weather, so someone suggested that we have an outdoor service at 8:30 A.M.--you know, the old traditional "Sunrise Service," though the sun would have risen well before that time.
What really made it unique, aside from being outside was the idea that we hold it in the cemetery! And so we did. The turnout was more than we expected. The setting was suberb---right there admist the tombstones, to remind us of the Risen Christ--the Second Adam who would one day shout from the heavens for the bodies of believers to "come up thither."
As I recall, we hauled an amplification system to the graveyard, along with a portable organ, and about 100 folding chairs. And someone even played the trumpet. We had singing, a sermon, some Scripture readings---the whole ball of wax! It was a phenomenal experience.
I always wondered what the neighbors thought about it.
Can you see now how it would be memorable? Not only for the setting, but for the sense of God's real presence as we contemplated the great event that will assuredly transpire some day. You see, Resurrection Day is not only a time to look backward, but a time to look forward as well. It meant the death of death and the birth of life everlasting.
EVERY YEAR WHEN HOLY WEEK APPROACHES, I look forward to "Resurrection Sunday" and look backward at the same time to my most memorable Easter service. It was while I was a student at Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, KY.
I was a part of a student cabinet of the Wesleyan Foundation. We were charged with planning and implementing an Easter Sunrise Service. We wanted to be creative and offer a unique and yet, inspirational experience. Fortunately, Kentucky in April offers some beautiful weather, so someone suggested that we have an outdoor service at 8:30 A.M.--you know, the old traditional "Sunrise Service," though the sun would have risen well before that time.
What really made it unique, aside from being outside was the idea that we hold it in the cemetery! And so we did. The turnout was more than we expected. The setting was suberb---right there admist the tombstones, to remind us of the Risen Christ--the Second Adam who would one day shout from the heavens for the bodies of believers to "come up thither."
As I recall, we hauled an amplification system to the graveyard, along with a portable organ, and about 100 folding chairs. And someone even played the trumpet. We had singing, a sermon, some Scripture readings---the whole ball of wax! It was a phenomenal experience.
I always wondered what the neighbors thought about it.
Can you see now how it would be memorable? Not only for the setting, but for the sense of God's real presence as we contemplated the great event that will assuredly transpire some day. You see, Resurrection Day is not only a time to look backward, but a time to look forward as well. It meant the death of death and the birth of life everlasting.
posted by kazookid | 10:30 AM
1 Comments:
Resurrection Sunday! I learned to call it that instead of the term, Easter, when I started attending a protestant church in 1983.
I was raised calling it Easter, and I struggled to get into the habit of using the 'Resurrection' term. It just went against the mindset that I had. Easter was when I thought of pastel colors, Easter Bunnies, chocolate bunnies, Easter Eggs, and Easter Egg hunts. It felt so awkward using that term - Resurrection Sunday. Of course I knew about Jesus rising from the dead, but that was not the important part of Easter to this kid. The gifts of Easter Baskets filled with candy, jelly beans, chocolate! Oh what kid wouldn't love this stuff.
Now I've gotten to a point in my life where I had been using the term, Resurrection Sunday, for so many years, and I admit, that I raised my children to not regard the 'Easter' word, or the Easter Eggs, Bunnies, candy, and so forth, that I feel awkward using the 'Easter' term again as it is being taught to my little 5-year old. I have six sons ranging in ages from 21 down to 5, and the 5 year old is the first of them to ever participate in the Easter Egg Hunt. He wants Easter Eggs, and no doubt a big Chocolate Bunny too! Well, the older boys are puzzled a bit at how Dad has changed his ways, and Dad is wondering when he did actually change his ways? Hmmm.
:)
My little child has learned all about Easter Baskets and Bunnies, and Easter Eggs. He told me all about this 'neat' stuff over the past month, and I don't know where he has picked it up. He doesn't attend school yet. It could be from church, but I don't know yet.
So, now I've got to get used to using the 'Easter' term again or I'll be left in the dust as my child learns about the Christian traditions in this world of his!
Happy Easter, and have a Blessed Resurrection Sunday!
Fred
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