RICHMOND — Dozens of faithful gathered at the Kennebec River to celebrate the rise of their Savior early Easter morning, as the sun slowly rose over the northern tip of Swan Island.
“Today we’re here to leave the darkness of the Crucifixion behind us,” said Ellen Kroot, of Richmond, who led the Dresden Richmond United Methodist Church’s Easter sunrise service Sunday. “Hallelujah, Christ has risen.”
Additional Photos
Kroot was joined by about 30 fellow church members for the early service in the gazebo in Richmond’s waterfront park.
Lifelong Richmond resident Sarah Lancaster said she’s only missed one of the church’s Easter sunrise services — she was out of state and unable to attend one year — since at least 1967.
“It’s a very special day, a special time to gather” she said. “I wouldn’t miss it for anything, not as long as I have a breath. He died at the cross for us. I can be here to remember him.”
Attendees exchanged hugs as they greeted each other before the sunrise, wishing each other happy Easter.
John Campbell, of Richmond, said he just came to celebrate and enjoy the service.
The sun briefly broke through the otherwise cloud-filled sky as, toward the end of the service, attendees sang the hymn “I Love to Tell the Story.”
Hugh Lancaster believes he very well may have had an encounter with an angel at a Dresden Richmond United Methodist Church Easter sunrise service about 20 years ago.
He said a stranger walked up to the gathering of worshipers around 6 a.m. that year, and asked what was going on. When they explained it was a sunrise service, he stuck around and observed the service with them.
Lancaster said he asked the man who he was, and he responded that he was Mr. Jacobs. The man walked off and Lancaster said he hasn’t seen him since. Lancaster said no one else seemed to think much about the encounter, but said the thought the man could have been an angel has been stuck in his head for the last 20 years.
“The Lord said to look out, you may encounter an angel,” Lancaster said. “I believe he was an angel.”
Participants gathering for this year’s ceremony beside the flat waters of the Kennebec sang “Shall we Gather at the River?” accompanied by guitar, as Kroot began the service.
Kroot said it was nice to not have to climb over snowbanks for the ceremony, as participants had to a couple of years ago for the Easter service.
She said, in preparing for the service during Lent, she sought to answer the question, “Why did Jesus have to choose to make the ultimate sacrifice for us?”
She concluded he did so because he knew people are flawed and somtimes make poor choices, despite the lessons people could have learned from the Garden of Eden, Noah and the great flood, and the Ten Commandments.
“He chose to give up his life so our sins would be forgiven,” Kroot said. “With such a sacrifice as this, is it possible we would not believe?”
Kroot encouraged service attendees to “Think about what life would be like if we all honored the Ten Commandments. The world would not be like it is today.”
Keith Edwards — 621-5647
kedwards@centralmaine.com
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Comments are no longer available on this story