Easter is right around the corner and we would like to challenge you to take advantage of the opportunity that celebrating Easter provides by joining with another family or two in your neighborhood to host a “Neighborhood Sunrise Celebration.”
The following are suggestions to help with organizing your celebration, but feel free to do your own thing or to use some or all of these suggestions. If the celebration ends up being your family and one other believing family, then celebrate Christ’s resurrection together in a time of worship and fellowship. If others come, then welcome them and celebrate together. You will be a Light in your neighborhood! We would love to hear about what you are doing (jcaruso@fbcfm.com).
1. Establish a time and place: Sunrise will be at 6:45 a.m. A deck/patio/driveway (with the option of moving indoors or into the garage if weather is an issue) would be great. Also, a community park or clubhouse area would work.
2. Ask another family from the church or other believers in your neighborhood to join you in hosting the celebration. Provide refreshments, like coffee and hot chocolate, maybe doughnuts. Keep it simple and sweet!
3. Invite neighbors to come at 6:30 a.m. Go and talk with the ones you know directly. Print out a sign and post it in your yard with the time/place, download and print this invite card to distribute. NSC Logo, Invite card
Post information on your community web pages (Facebook, Nextdoor, Craigslist, etc.). Look for the opportunity during the week or two before Easter to invite neighbors. Encourage people to bring chairs/blankets. Set out any chairs you have with coffee and/or hot chocolate at the ready.
4. Start with an opening prayer of thanksgiving to open your time. Read the 23rd Psalm.
5. Play and/or sing a song or two if you feel comfortable doing that. Here are some suggestions:
Hymns:
- Gaither Vocal Band, Because He Lives
- Gather Vocal Band, Old Rugged Cross Made The Difference
- Gather Vocal Band, At the Cross
Contemporary Songs:
Chris Tomin, At the Cross (Love Ran Red) (Acoustic Version)
Chris Tomlin, Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Matt Maher, Because He Lives (Amen)
Kari Jobe, Forever (We Sing Hallelujah)
Other song lyrics/words that you could use
Here are some optional ideas for the kids and some children’s messages or object lessons:
- from Focus on the Family: 3 Fun Object Lessons
- from Focus on the Family: 4-part Celebrating the Easter Season series
- Print some Easter coloring pictures for the kids to color (search for something like “Easter sunrise coloring pictures”). Be sure to have crayons on hand.
- Provide some sidewalk chalk and let the kids (and adults) draw a sunrise, empty tomb, etc.
6. Scripture reading of the Easter story from one of the Gospels. (John 20:1-18; Mark 161-11; Luke 24:1-12; John 20:1-18)
7. Here are a couple of short Easter devotions:
- http://www.blackaby.net/ go to the bottom of the page and select April 15 as good a suggested reading: “Why are you weeping?”
- https://billygraham.org/story/celebrating-resurrection-sunday/
8. Finish with closing prayers. Ask for prayer requests and pray for those in closing. Don’t ask any visitors to pray unless you ask them ahead of time, but you can ask if anyone would like to pray (remember some of your neighbors may have a different belief than you).
Enjoy a great celebration on Easter morning!
Additional ideas:
- Have breakfast together afterward.
- Invite guests to come to church with you (8:15 or eat breakfast together then go to the 9:30 or 11:00 service)
- Ask the group if anyone would be interested in a neighborhood Bible study (if you are willing to host that), maybe monthly. We can provide you with materials/resources if you want to start something like this.
Please send me a note if you are choosing to participate so I can pray with you and celebrate as you share your stories of how it went.
Johnny Caruso
jcaruso@fbcfm.com