.1 Peter 1:3: “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.”
Easter is one of the most important and oldest festivals of the Christian Church, celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ and held (in the Western Church) between March 21 and April 25, on the first Sunday after the first full moon following the northern spring equinox.
It symbolizes the resurrection of Christ that he died to save us.
Here are some activities the church can do to celebrate Easter:
Preach the Resurrection
In the New Testament of the Bible, the story behind Easterlies narrates how the Roman authorities arrested Jesus because he claimed to be the Son of God and later crucified. His resurrection three days later marks the occasion of Easter.
Play/Presentation
Before this pandemic and lockdowns, churches usually conduct plays or presentations to show the story of Christ’s resurrection. We can continue this tradition without violating safety protocols such as video presentations, animations, and other creative modes of expression.
Easter Vigil
Easter Vigil also called the Paschal Vigil or the Great Vigil of Easter, is a liturgy held in traditional Christian churches. It is the first official celebration of the Resurrection of Jesus. Historically, during this liturgy, people are baptized, and that adult catechumens are received into full communion with the Church. It is held in the hours of darkness between sunset on Holy Saturday and sunrise on Easter Day – most commonly in the evening of Holy Saturday or midnight – and is the first celebration of Easter, days traditionally being considered to begin at sunset.
Easter Dinner
What better way to celebrate than to enjoy a delicious dinner with your family and friends. Your church can host dinner for its members, or for safety purposes, it is best to let members of the church spend dinner with their own families, and maybe they can share their experience during these moments.
Easter Egg Hunt
Easter is usually associated with Easter Bunny and an Easter Egg Hunt. This tradition is for children where they try to find Easter Eggs around the place. Easter Eggs, maybe chocolates, and other small items as gifts from the Easter Bunny.
Conclusion
Easter is a joyous occasion, and the Sunday prior is Palm Sunday, which marks the arrival of Jesus in Jerusalem. Various churches begin the celebration in the late hours of Saturday through a religious service called Easter Vigil. Churches have celebrated it in a traditional way, such as the above-mentioned activities. In this pandemic, it does not matter how we celebrate Easter as long as we still uphold the value and meaning of Jesus’ resurrection and continue his teachings.
