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Easter celebration at 1st Christian Church
The Rev. Elizabeth Carrasquillo of First Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) of DeLand will celebrate Easter with a traditional Easter message, music, prayers and Communion for all believers in Jesus Christ at 10:45 a.m. Sunday, April 4. The excitement comes at the end, when the lovely Easter basket designed by Pastor Elizabeth is emptied.
The basket has been sitting in the narthex for six weeks and has been filled with eggs every week. All in attendance will receive a bag containing eggs filled with an Easter message, Scripture and candy especially for them.
During the service, the final Easter special offering is collected for college students in leadership-development programs, global mission partners, health and social-service ministries, formation of new congregations, and support for pastors and chaplains.
Dr. Janet Raney is resuming Homework Hot spot at 4 p.m. Thursdays.
Youth group functions will be at 5:30 p.m. Fridays through Zoom.
Call the church office for more information at 386-734-0677.
Roll away the stone
At First Presbyterian Church of DeLand this Sunday, April 4, Pastor Michael Bodger will lead the congregation in three “Alleluia! He is Risen!” celebrations of the glorious Resurrection of Jesus Christ found in the Gospel of Mark 16:1-8.
To meet the joyous Easter Sunday, the traditional Sunrise Service will begin at 7 a.m. on the basketball court — not on the front lawn as in years past. Also on that same court at 9 a.m., Pastor Bodger and the Praise Band will offer contemporary worship. Please bring your own chairs for outdoor services and prepare to follow COVID protocol, with appropriately distanced, masked and temperature-checked seating.
Lastly, at 11 a.m. in the sanctuary, traditional worship will begin, with limited and distanced seating in the pews under COVID protocols.
At all three services, First Pres invites members and guests to join in The Lord’s Supper.
Important! Due to the outdoor settings for 7 a.m. and 9 a.m. worship on Easter, only the 11 a.m. service will appear on livestreaming and by recording later at www. fpcdeland.org and on the church’s Facebook page for this week only.
To prepare spiritually for Sunday’s climactic end of Holy Week, First Pres will worship Maundy Thursday at 6:30 p.m. April 1 through a service of Tenebrae and the institution of Holy Communion at the Last Supper.
Next, worshippers can experience the poignant Good Friday service, “The Seven Last Words of Jesus,” at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 2. Both of these observances will use COVID protections in the sanctuary.
Then on Holy Saturday, First Pres invites believers to consider the entombment of Jesus in anticipation of Sunday’s Resurrection. Mark’s story continues …
On Sunday, after the sun has risen, the two Marys and a friend make their way to the tomb. Because they have experienced the ritual of burial rites in the past, they think this would bring another ordinary day. The women are talking together, preoccupied with wondering just who would “Roll Away the Stone” in order for them to anoint Jesus’ body with spices and oil.
Stones remain in the minds of humanity even today! Stones obscure the view of the tomb and the cross — the stone of disbelief, the stone of fear, the very stone that could reveal to the world that we follow Jesus Christ.
But when Mary Magdalene, Mary mother of James, and Salome look up, the very large stone has been rolled away from the tomb! (Today, to whom do we look to Roll Away the Stone?) The alarmed women go out, fleeing from the young man dazzling in white who is saying, “The Son has risen. He has risen indeed!” First Pres DeLand invites members and visitors to join in the Holy Week services perhaps to roll stones away to reach their spirits and hearts.
Ladies, please note that the next Sweet Surrender will meet at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, April 10, in the fellowship hall, COVID-protected for safety.
Seminary intern Katie Rives will lead members and visitors on another extraordinarily reflective and scriptural time to grow and share the love of God.
Call the church office at 386-734-6212 with any questions.
There will be another Food Distribution Drive-Thru event 9:30-11:30 a.m. Saturday, April 3. Please stay in your car at all times. Volunteers will put bags of food in your car.
Each bag will feed a family of four for one week. Each family will receive two bags of food.
Easter words of wisdom at Mosaic UU
Mosaic Unitarian Universalist Congregation, while not meeting face to face, is meeting online at 11 a.m. every Sunday. On April 4, join the congregation for Easter Sunday as Matthew Pargeter-Villarreal shares some holiday words of wisdom.
Worship leader Teresa Leary will guide everyone through the service. Everyone is welcome!
For instructions on how to join the virtual service, email to mosaicuuc@ gmail.com.
Several Easter services at Faith Lutheran
Faith Lutheran Church in DeLand will be celebrating Easter with the following services officiated by Pastor Bob Berger: 6:30 p.m. Maundy Thursday, April 1, and Good Friday, April 2, in the church sanctuary, masks required.
On Saturday, April 3, “The Stations of the Cross” will be presented by church president Scott Bouchard, between noon and 2 p.m.
The Easter service will begin at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, April 4, followed by an Easter Egg Hunt for the children at 10:30 a.m.
