23 Apr Easter at Our Church: Dansville, Mich.

Alice Belen, Heritage UB church (Dansville, Mich.)

We had a full day on Saturday morning and afternoon on April 19 with about 240 kids gathering Easter eggs on the Heritage church grounds and then going inside the youth center for entertainment by a magician and munching on a bag of popcorn. By 3:30 p.m., we were more than ready to head home.

Then we were back Easter Sunday morning at 10 a.m. for breakfast, sitting family style while Pastor Cal Hodgson brought a stirring sermon on the reason for Easter. We are a small, growing church in a very small community and thought we had set up enough tables and chairs for the expected service, but several more tables had to be set up in order to have room for all those who had come to worship with us. What a wonderful problem that was for us. All in all, a wonderful and meaningful Easter Sunday!

23 Apr Easter at Our Church: Goshen, Ind.

Margarita Mojica, Clearview UB church (Goshen, Ind.)

We have the great opportunity in our church to have two congregations but one church. Let me explain: We have an English-only speaking congregation and a Spanish-speaking congregation (some of us are bilingual), but yet we are ONE. Although we normally have separate times for our services, it’s always a pleasure when we can get together. And that we did! We got together for Resurrection Sunrise Service at 7 am, praising our risen Savior in song and adoration! What a blessing to be able to praise the Lord in different languages!

22 Apr Easter at Our Church: Shippensburg, Pa. (Part 2)

Here’s a video to add to the previous report from Mongul UB church (Shippensburg, Pa.). On Saturday, April 19, their Easter Eggs-travaganza attracted 563 adults and children. Volunteers had filled nearly 13,000 eggs.

22 Apr Easter at Our Church: Greenfield, Ohio

Scott Graham, senior pastor, Good Shepherd UB church (Greenfield, Ohio).

The folks at Good Shepherd, recognizing the Easter season as an opportunity to reach people when they are the most receptive, provided multiple opportunities to experience the reality of Christ’s sacrifice and resurrection.

The week started with Good Shepherd hosting the community’s annual Palm Sunday service with many local churches participating.

For the first time, Good Shepherd held a Maundy Thursday service that was called “Passion Night.” The event celebrated and remembered the Last Supper as well as the events surrounding Jesus’ crucifixion. The candlelight service was experiential, interactive, and very moving as participants handled a scourge and crown of thorns, and pounded a large nail into a cross.

Easter Sunday was the culmination of a great Holy Week. Good Shepherd tripled its average attendance with 321, and 20 people accepted Christ!

Then more than 80 children collected over 4,000 candy and prize-filled eggs in the three Easter Egg hunts! Every child received at least one of the hundreds of large and small prizes, including bikes, scooters, electronics, sporting equipment, and an American Girl doll that were donated from folks in the congregation.

22 Apr Easter at Our Church: Lakeville, Ind.

Anthony Kuhns, Olive Branch UB church (Lakeville, Ind.).

Easter at Olive Branch was standing room Only. God has been blessing us with tremendous growth!

22 Apr Easter at Your Church

The Easter season is always a great time of the year for United Brethren churches. There are Lenten emphases, special services (Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, Easter), outreach events, and often record attendances.

While the Easter season is still fresh in your mind, please write up a little description about any special ministries, programs, events, services, activities, etc. at your church. We’ll get it posted on UBCentral.org. Other United Brethren will enjoy hearing about it.

22 Apr Easter at Our Church: Temperance, Mich.

Mark Smith, Morocco UB church (Temperance, Mich.)

Again this year, Morocco UB church served an Easter breakfast to over 70 people. We opened the morning service with a choir of over 16 people. Our Attendance for the morning worship service was 88. The sanctuary looked wonderful with over 38 spring plants that we purchased in honor or memory or someone.

Pastor Todd Greenman brought a challenging sermon as we finish our series “Would you Believe.” Following the service we had our annual Easter egg hunt. We Praise God for what he has done and is doing here at Morocco Church

21 Apr Easter at Our Church: Dayton, Iowa

Holly Lundberg, McGuire Bend UB church (Dayton, Iowa)

On Good Friday, we were blessed to have with us Jeff Bleijerveld, the Director of Global Ministries. After enjoying a potluck supper, Jeff shared with us the work and goals of Global Ministries. We traveled through the different countries and learned of the mission work going on in each one. It is such a big world with an even bigger God!

On Easter Sunday, Dan Carrow was our lay speaker. He spoke about how Jesus conquered death.