Our coffee hour food was ramped up a bit--bagels and croissants, yogurt fruit parfaits joined our normal cheese, crackers and cakes. Oh, and there were the 200 cupcakes provided by our women's group, the Vawters' Daughters. (It occurs to me that I should post something about the Vawters", but that's a long, and completely different story!) We hand decorated the cupcakes, and they pretty much disappeared, except for the few that somehow were a sickly green or purple icing, more reminiscent of things grown old than of Easter eggs and joy.
The Easter Egg hunts after each service went well. Separating the toddlers from the bigger kids prevented mayhem, tears, and possible bodily injury. They were all able to trade the tickets in their eggs for "prizes" that were chosen more for their attraction for children than for theological relevance. The girls chose tiaras, rings, stuffed animals. The boys were a more, well, in a word, boys in their tastes.
Dr. Wood gave an enthusiastic sermon, highlighted by an aria from Bach's St. John's Passion , and even our rock and roll contemporary crowd appreciated the soloist's beautiful voice.
Later, one member of the congregation said "The minister said hell in the sermon, the acclimation Christ is Risen was greeted in the contemporary service by various responses, including Rock on, Dude, and the kids went home with whoopie cushions. My kind of church!"
Of course, the Traditional Service was filled with the liturgy, the organ, the hymns, and wonderful choral offerings. The traditional response of "he is Risen Indeed" greeted the acclimation.A beautiful service, people said, as they enjoyed the coffee hour.
However, hell was still in the sermon, and the kids still went home with whoopie cushions.
It was a great Easter. Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed. Rock on, dude!
