Easter eggs and special services across North Jefferson
Published 4:00 pm Friday, April 22, 2011
- Church 29:11 in Mt. Olive held its annual held its annual Easter egg drop on April 16, which drew hundreds of children and adults.
Churches and organizations across north Jefferson County are hosting Easter egg hunts and special services this week to celebrate Easter — the holiday commemorating the day Jesus was resurrected from death.
“Easter is a holiday that is respected and celebrated and revered by those who truly celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ,”
said Vance Belcher of Friendship Community Church in Gardendale. “Those who don’t understand what Easter is all about have no reason to celebrate.”
Churches typically see higher attendance during Christian holidays. For that reason, many churches have special or extra services planned, such as sunrise services.
“As with all the values in our country, (recognition of Easter) has dwindled some,” said Matt Hollis, pastor of Lee’s Chapel Baptist Church near Corner. “However, Easter and Christmas are still some of the highest attended services among fundamentalists. That has to be attributed to the fact they understand what Easter represents.”
Church 29:11 in Mt. Olive has been doing an “Epic” series, which will culminate on Sunday with “Epic Jesus.”
“It’s about living and dreaming and being epic,” said pastor Rick Hand. “God doesn’t intend for us to have these mundane lives we have … every little thing He did was big.”
Hand said that when he blesses a meal, people simply just sit down and eat afterward.
“But when Jesus blessed a little boy’s food, he fed 5,000 people with it,” he said.
It is that reverence of Jesus that makes Easter a treasured day for Christians across the world.
Easter events scheduled in the area include:
• Good Shepherd Lutheran Church in Gardendale: Easter services Sunday, 8:05, 9:35 and 10:55 a.m.
• High Point Community Church in Corner: “Eggapalooza” Easter egg hunt, inflatables and games Sunday, 2:30 p.m.
• Gardendale First Baptist Church: Easter services Sunday at 9:15 and 11 a.m.
• Gardendale-Mt. Vernon United Methodist Church: Sunday wraps up Holy Week with “Sonrise” celebration at 8:30 a.m., Crossfire at 9:45 a.m. and traditional worship at 11 a.m.
• St. Elizabeth Ann Seton Catholic Church in Gardendale: Easter mass at 11 a.m.
• St. Henry Catholic Church in Warrior: Easter mass at 8:30 a.m.