Community Turns Out For Easter Dawn Service

Photo caption: Group photo immediately following Community Easter Dawn Service. Close to 200 attended the bilingual (English/Spanish) service, which included an invocation with “He is Risen” spoken in eleven different languages. The event was coordinated by the eight member churches of the Committee for the Community Easter Dawn Service including Calvary A.M.E. Church, Carpenter Memorial United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio, St. Boniface Martyr Catholic Church, St. John’s of Lattingtown Episcopal Church, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

A community Easter Dawn Service was held this past Sunday in Glen Cove’s Morgan Park in order to bring people of different traditions together in common worship for the holiday. Hosted by the eight member churches of the Committee for the Community Easter Dawn Service, the bilingual (English/Spanish) service began with a kilted bagpipe player (Robert Lynch) at the base of a temporarily erected cross playing “Amazing Grace.” Nearly 200 participants met at the base of the hill in Morgan Park near the playground area, and the piper and cross were stationed at a distance, near the jetty. “It was a perfect start to a beautifully moving service,” stated Dr. Belinda Zeitlin, a member of St. Boniface Martyr Catholic Church, who regularly attends the annual service with her husband Ben. After the opening song, the seven clergy, two song leaders, Sisters, Elders, and volunteers spoke “He is Risen” in eleven different languages, and the tone and message of the service was set. While theologically we may be at different places on any number of issues, the message of the resurrection is a unifying message for all people of the Christian faith. “This service certainly drove this point home and drove it home in a moving way,” stated Father Mark Fitzhugh, pastor of St. John’s of Lattingtown Episcopal Church.

Photo caption: Having just finished rehearsal for the invocation “He is Risen” in eleven different languages, Rev. Juanita Lopez with Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio leads the minister, priests, sisters, song leaders, and elders in a prayer prior to the beginning of the service. L-R (facing): Father Mark Fitzhugh, Rev. Gia Lynne Hall, Sister Maximillian Paul, Rev. Father Kevin Dillon, Sister Elvis Edith, Sister Mirabel, Fr. Chinthaka Perera, Belinda Basaca Zeitlin, Robert Lynch. L-R (backs to camera): Rev. Juanita Lopez, translator Brenda Lopez, Elder Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, and guitarist Donna Brady.

The service is intended to give those in the Glen Cove area an opportunity to share Easter worship with their families, neighbors, and friends before heading to their respective churches for Easter Mass/Easter Services. “We have found that keeping the service to a half hour and by including the Easter Service/Mass times of all area churches in the bulletin, has helped to encourage all to come together while also celebrating their individual traditions later in the day,” explained Rev. Juanita Lopez of Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio.

Photo caption: A cross was temporarily erected near the jetty in Glen Cove’s Morgan Park as part of the half hour Community Easter Dawn Service. The service opened with bagpiper Robert Lynch playing Amazing Grace at the base of the cross as those who gathered looked on from a distance.

Sponsoring churches for the service included Calvary A.M.E. Church, Carpenter Memorial United Methodist Church, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio, St. Boniface Martyr Catholic Church, St. John’s of Lattingtown Episcopal Church, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church. Pastors from seven churches were involved in the service, including Rev. Fr. Kevin J. Dillon, Rev. Joan Finck, Rev. Fr. Mark Fitzhugh, Rev. Gia Lynne Hall, Rev. Juanita Lopez, Rev. Roger Williams, and Rev. Dr. Craig J. Wright. Music for the half hour service was led by Merle Richards, Choir President at Calvary A.M.E.; Josue Correa, Associate Pastor and Ericka Bautista, Song Leader at Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio; and by Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, Elder at First Presbyterian Church and Chair of the Easter Dawn Committee. Musicians included bagpiper Robert Lynch and guitarist Donna Brady. The committee wishes to thank all involved, including the multiple local businesses and individuals who helped sponsor various aspects of the celebration. All are invited to attend next year’s service, which will be held on April 12, 2020.