April 1 – “Easter Report”

The Easter Sunrise service was once again an amazing event.  By the best count we could come up with there were around 453 people there, sprawled out across the beach from the water line to the vegetation line.  Some were in the chairs we set out.  Other brought their own lawn chairs or spread out blankets and relaxed on sand.  Many stood the entire time.  A unique feature this year was the row of golf carts surrounding the crowd, actually providing somewhat of a wind break from the cool morning air.  The weather cooperated beautifully, with the moon still visible in one direction as the sun slowly rose over the water and peeked out from behind the somewhat overcast skies.  The cries of seagulls and the crash of waves added a musical dimension to the occasional hush that fell over the crowd.  Even a glitch with the generator that led to a last-minute rush to borrow a working one didn’t deter the resolve of the faithful.  And when the praise team began the first strains of “From the Rising of the Sun,” all were prepared to join in with gusto. 

I had been wondering whether or not we would have a baptism.  They are always a highlight of the sunrise service, and I certainly look forward to them every year.  A few of those who have become believers over the last few months decided to wait until the water was warmer.  One lady wanted to wait for a Sunday when more of her relatives could be present.  I had just about resigned myself to staying dry.  But then on Saturday evening around 9:15 I checked my email and discovered a request there.  It was from a lady who remembered me from a memorial service I had done for her husband 16 years ago.  She had a friend who wanted to be baptized the next day.  I set up a meeting for 6 am and gathered together my bathing suit and beach towel.  Sure enough right at 6 they walked in.  The lady from the memorial service and her friend, who looked quite familiar to me, as well as a man they had met the night before.  As it turned out, the candidate for baptism was the daughter of a man I baptized years ago.  I had even officiated at her sister’s wedding.  She assured me of her salvation and introduced me to the man with them.  Seems as they had been talking the night before he had joined in, proclaimed his faith in Jesus, and now he wished to be baptized as well.  So Jesus had been drawing some folks toward him all the while, and he had it all set up before we ever got this far.  And he wasn’t done yet.  As we sang the last song and I was preparing to head to the water, another man came up and asked if he could be baptized as well.  I assured him that would be fine.  We talked briefly about his salvation, and I asked if we could get together after the service to so I could get to know him better.  I fully expected him to join us in the water, but even after I waited for him, he didn’t.  Unfortunately I found out later that he misunderstood what I said.  His wife emailed me to clarify what had happened.  He thought I meant he had to wait to be baptized until after we talked later.  I think we got it all cleared up though.  Hopefully he will reschedule very soon.  The bottom line, though, is that he is a believer and is excited about living for Jesus.

After the service a lady came up to me and shook my hand.  She had a few dollar bills in hers and said, “I’m a Catholic and usually go to services there.  But I came here this morning and it was wonderful.  One thing we always do there that you didn’t do is pass an offering plate.  Here is some money to help with the cost of the service.”  I assured her that the service was our gift to the community and she didn’t have to give us anything.  She insisted, though. 

Back at the church we served breakfast to whoever wanted to join us from the sunrise service.  A few hundred folks took us up on that.  And of course the food was delicious.  We had everything from pigs in a blanket to egg salad to Shipley’s donuts.  One of the families I met while we ate was from Houston.  Their eleventh grade son was with them so the conversation turned to youth camp.  They were intrigued by our usually trek to Glorieta, New Mexico for camp, and by the time we finished our talk he was signed up.  I also had a lady from a church in Houston give me a cookbook.  That’s right.  A cookbook.  She told me about her Sunday School class that put the book together and was selling it to raise money to fund a scholarship to send kids to college.  They have presented eight scholarships so far.  Nice creative ministry, there.

The ten o’clock communion service brought some others who hadn’t made it out to the beach.  The crowd wasn’t as big as at the beach, of course.  Only 51.  But I was excited that 12 or 13 of those were children.  We had folks from Michigan and Wisconsin and Louisiana there among others.  One lady shared that after two years of illness, this was the first chance she had had to be in church on Easter, her favorite holiday of all.  She was so excited.  

And in the all-too brief lull between services I also noticed that I had received a text from good friend and former worship leader at Seaside, Lanny.  Ever the encourager, he sent a picture of a very pretty red and white flower of some kind and the message, “HE is risen!  HE is risen for you!”  Indeed, Lanny.  He is risen, indeed.

John 20:26-29 says, “A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’  Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’

Thomas said to him, ‘My Lord and my God!’
Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’”

Father, thank you for the excitement and promise of Easter.  Keep it coming all year. Amen.