Easter at St. Peter’s UCC - 150 Years and Counting

On Sunday, April 16th, the congregation at St. Peter’s United Church of Christ in Skokie will celebrate like so many other churches around the world on Easter Sunday. Folks will gather early in the morning and prepare breakfast for fellow members; the choir will don their robes; the children will be dressed in their very best. The golden hue of the glorious sanctuary will lighten and brighten as the sunlight pours through the century-old stained glass windows. People will fill the pews, preparing to raise their voices in song and praise. Pastor Richard Lanford will robe in all white, matching the adornments on the altar, lectern, pulpit, and the cross suspended at the front of the sanctuary.

At 10:00 am, the bells high in the tower of the church at Oakton and Laramie Streets will begin to ring. For just shy of 150 years, the congregation of St. Peter’s has been celebrating Easter in this same location. Many things have changed over the years - the building, the members, and the community that surrounds it – but Easter is still the highlight of the church year. During the worship service, those in attendance will share the Sign of Peace with each other, and then partake in Holy Communion. Prayers will be said, a sermon will be offered, and hymns will be sung.

Following worship, the children will participate in the traditional Egg Hunt, which is done on the front lawn (or inside if the weather is bad). Families will gather to offer support and encouragement to the little ones as they “hunt” for the eggs that lie thick on the ground. Each child will go home with plenty of candy, treats, and good memories of Easter Sunday at church.

Easter means many things to many people. St. Peter’s UCC has something for everyone on Easter – a spiritually uplifting service, beautiful music, fellowship with friends and families, and activities for children – and it will continue to do so for the next 150 years.