It's Easter whether or not we have our traditions or not. It can be an incredible time for families if we use our creativity and allow for personal or family time to revisit the foundations of our faith.
Sean Janssen, Pastor of Christ Lutheran Church, wrote, "The Resurrection of our Lord comes whether or not we can celebrate as we have become accustomed. We are used to coming together in our sanctuary for a great celebration. We will have that at a later time. But for this Sunday, we may find ourselves experiencing the risen Jesus much as his disciples did on the first Easter. According to John 20:19, they were uncertain, afraid, and, huddled together inside. And yet... "Jesus came and stood among them and said, 'Peace be with you.'" Let us be so graced by his presence in these trying times as well."
Rich Jespersen, Pastor of the Grace Lutheran Church, wrote, "Christians have a great opportunity this Easter to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord without all of the attachments that accompany it in our culture. No bunnies, no chocolate eggs, no Easter egg hunts, just Easter. In that, we may observe the day and the event more as our ancestors in the early church did or as the persecuted church does now, simply and faithfully."
"He is risen! Jesus lives! He is Lord! Alleluia!"
"Confess faith. Pray. Praise. Sing. Take courage. Have hope. Love one another."
Pastor Erik Sietsema will miss the traditions of the holidays. His daughter dressing in a new dress, Good Friday services celebrating together Jesus's sacrifice. Eating breakfast together as a church body and then eating as a family after service. He wrote, 'The death and resurrection of Jesus are the most crucial events in history. Without the resurrection on Easter, Paul said that our faith is in vain. This year will be different. The virus and the quarantine order have made it necessary to approach the holiday differently. There is a potential blessing to be found in the forced change of plans this year. We have an opportunity to celebrate Holy Week, Good Friday, and Easter Morning in a quiet, intimate manner.
Most of the churches in our area are streaming services online. We can gather as a family in our own homes, sing praises, pray, and listen to messages about the holiday. This way, we can celebrate Easter with our churches while remaining home with our families. In addition to the opportunity to attend our churches from home, we can spend time reflecting on the meaning of the days. On Good Friday, reading the passion story in the gospels, my favorite of which is in John 18-19. We can also reflect on the message of scripture that Christ died to take the punishment for our sins. We can also look at Romans 5:6-11 for a more in-depth understanding of the significance of the day. We can teach our children about God's love for us and the grace he offers us in Jesus. And like Christmas Morning, where every year my family reads the story of the birth of Jesus in the book of Luke as a reminder of what we are celebrating. You can do the same thing on Easter morning. Sharing the story of the resurrection with our families is a powerful reminder of the meaning of the day. My favorite account is in John 20-21. We can also read Paul's explanation of the resurrection in 1 Corinthians 15:20-23. We can reflect on the assurance we are given on Easter that this life is not all there is. There is something more for all of us in eternity. The blessing for us in this time of quarantine is the opportunity to reflect on how Good Friday affects us personally."
There are ways to celebrate Easter. One could be donating to the local food bank at the Grocery store. Terry Grant did tell me that more people have requested food from the food bank. You can also give an offering to a local church. You can donate to your favorite organization or give some money to the businesses that are closed in town. Generosity is part of Easter.
Secondly churches do have their services available online, either through a live stream. Also, there are a number of services that will be offered on television. And if you miss the Easter music, you can download them (Maybe you'll need to learn a new skill. Go ahead and ask a child because they know how to do that.) Or you can listen to YouTube music.
And why not dress up for Easter. It's an excellent time to shake off the everyday sweatpants and celebrate life. You can celebrate with a nice meal as well, cooking all your family's favorites. Put out the best dishes, have your children decorate the table. Or this would be the perfect time to try a new recipe, start a new tradition. (Or build a tent and have a picnic) .
Easter is the perfect time to schedule a virtual visit with family or friends. You can use FaceTime, Goggle Hangout, and Zoom. If you don't know how to use the internet, then make sure you call your family. Spend the whole day visiting with friends and family members.
Sending Easter cards isn't as common as you used to be. But it is an activity that the family can do together, and it will mean so much to send a card during this time of social distancing, especially to grandparents, elderly neighbors, and residents at the Big Sandy Medical Center.
You can always dye eggs and still have an egg hunt. Everyone here has hidden eggs in the house because of the weather anyways. If you don't have any dye, you can use Kool-aid, which I didn't know.
Where ever you find yourself emotionally or spiritually this Easter, you can still celebrate.
