A Different Kind of Easter

I love Easter, and everything it brings. I love dying Easter Eggs with my grandkids. I love to watch them find hidden eggs outdoors on Easter morning, or inside when the weather doesn't cooperate. I love gathering with our extended family to celebrate with an elaborate meal and fancy china. I really love gathering with my church family to worship together, to celebrate Jesus' resurrection. I love to hear the sound of a full congregation, lifting voices together in harmonious praise of our glorious God, who took our punishment, and then rose again on the day we commemorate as Easter Sunday.

None of those things will happen this year. Because of our COVID-19 social distancing guidlines, we will be forced to celebrate Easter differently than we ever have before.

Levi, Victoria, and I may dye a few eggs, if they want to. We plan to hide some candy-filled eggs in our yard on Friday, before the predicted snow arrives this weekend, and watch from a safe distance while the grandkids search for them.

Dyeing eggs with my grandchildren will have to wait until next year.


Bill is planning to roast a turkey breast with all the trimmings, and I'll make peaches and cream pie, just for the four of us. We'll probably Zoom or Facetime with Erin and Reed (and Will), and call or text some others to wish them a happy Easter.


This year, we will set only one table for the four of us, instead of three tables to serve twenty, but I might still use real china.

Church will be online again. If you think about it, that is a great improvement over anything that might have been available a few years ago, when we would have had to make do with an isolated radio broadcast or unfamiliar televangelist--or nothing at all. I was thrilled when Andy texted this morning to see if we could put together a regular worship team to record some Easter songs for the online worship service. To tell the truth, I have been missing our Thursday evening worship team practices, so I was excited to join them tonight, while maintaining appropriate social distancing, to practice and record the songs for our at-home Easter worship. We got together a day early to allow time for Pastor Joe to edit the video and put together everything needed for Sunday's online service.

This year, everyone is forced to be creative with Holy Week activities and Easter preparations. I was pleased to see that Grace Lutheran Church in Fairbury, where I grew up, conducted a 40-car parade for Palm Sunday, and drove all over town, shouting "Hosanna," and honking their horns. (This is even more impressive when you realize it was totally congregation-initiated, since they don't currently have a pastor.) Levi and I will decorate some large, paper eggs to hang in the front windows for our community Easter egg hunt, when kids walking in their neighborhoods or riding in their cars will search the yards and windows to spy eggs of all kinds. Some churches are hosting drive-in services for Easter. In my church, we will celebrate Easter Sunday online, but our first Sunday back together will be our official Resurrection Sunday this year.

This year's Easter picture of these cuties will have to wait until we are able to meet at church again for Sunday worship.

Perhaps this time of social distancing will produce some new traditions. I know we will appreciate Easter next year, more than ever before, when we hope to join our families and church families to celebrate Easter together again.

But Easter is still Easter, even when we can't observe our normal traditions. Jesus hasn't changed. His death and resurrection still happened, and we can celebrate that miraculous gift for us anytime and anywhere, alone or with others.

He is risen! He is risen indeed!


Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. 1 Peter 1:3




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