This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Community Corner

Over 100 Gather for Community Easter Service in Morgan Park

Celebration was hosted by eight area churches

P. Frome, Community Contributor
|
Bagpiper Robert Lynch opens the Annual Community Dawn Service with the playing of "Amazing Grace" at the foot of a 17’ cross that was installed earlier in the morning.
Bagpiper Robert Lynch opens the Annual Community Dawn Service with the playing of "Amazing Grace" at the foot of a 17’ cross that was installed earlier in the morning. (Photo courtesy Glen Cove Community Easter Dawn Service)

Glen Cove, NY - The Eighth Annual Community Easter Dawn Service took place in Glen Cove’s Morgan Park on Easter morning, 2024, drawing residents of Glen Cove and neighboring areas for a thirty-minute celebration. Against the picturesque backdrop of the Hempstead Harbor, attendees gathered near the jetty at Morgan Park Beach, where a 17-foot cross was erected earlier in the morning in the sand, symbolizing the profound significance of Easter.

Clergy, Faith Leaders, and the Easter Dawn Choir present the Eighth Annual Community Easter Dawn Service in Glen Cove’s Morgan Park. The celebration was hosted by eight area churches.

Organized by eight local churches, the annual event has become a cherished tradition, highlighting the shared values of Easter. Established in 2016 by three local churches, the Easter Dawn Service Committee has since grown to include eight area churches. Host churches included Calvary A.M.E Church, First Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church, Glen Cove Christian Church, Iglesia Ciudad de Refugio, St. John’s of Lattingtown Episcopal Church, Iglesia Ciudad Casa de Dios Internacional, and St. Paul’s Episcopal Church.

Reverend Roger Williams, with First Baptist Church, delivers an inspiring Easter sermon, one of three pastors sharing the Easter Message as part of the service. The service was also broadcast via Facebook Live.

The featured clergy and speakers involved in this year’s service included Rev. Roger C. Williams (First Baptist Church), Pastor Tommy Lanham (Glen Cove Christian Church), Pastor Alfredo Fuentes (Embajada Cristiana Internacional New York), and Evangelist Claudette Bryan (Calvary A.M.E. Church). Additionally, Evangelist Merle Richards, Minister Carol Buchanan, and Elder Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, who currently serves as chair of the committee of churches, contributed to the service. The celebration also featured soloists Margaret Darson and Annette Stephens, Bagpiper Robert Lynch, Guitarist Donna Brady, and members of the Easter Dawn Community Choir.

Find out what's happening in Glen Covefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Pastor Alfredo Fuentes, with Embajada Cristiana Internacional New York, not only delivered a moving Easter message of hope, he joined Guitarist Donna Brady in accompanying the soloists and choir.

The bilingual service seamlessly blended English and Spanish, with "Christ is Risen" echoed in multiple languages, emphasizing Easter's global significance for Christians.

Mark Galluccio, who often attends the celebration with his family, shared, "My family loves to attend this celebration together. We particularly enjoy the music and the invocation of 'Christ is Risen' spoken in languages from around the world, truly driving home the universal message of the celebration and that we are one united family worshipping together."

A joyful moment captured as clergy, song leaders, and many attendees gather for a post-service photograph.

Pastor Tommy Lanham emphasized, "This service exemplifies the power of community coming together, transcending differences and celebrating our shared faith."

Find out what's happening in Glen Covefor free with the latest updates from Patch.

Minister Buchanani, with Frist Baptist Church, leads attendees in a closing blessing, marking the end of a beautiful Easter Dawn Service.

The half-hour celebration aims to provide Easter celebrants with an opportunity to unite as a community before attending their respective full masses or services later in the morning.

Annette Stephens of Calvary A.M.E. Church sings "Way Maker" along with the Easter Dawn Choir composed of singers from several local churches.

For more information about this annual celebration, please visit the Community Easter Dawn Service Committee’s official Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/GlenCoveEaster.

Click on link to view Facebook Live rebroadcast of the half-hour service.
https://youtu.be/0_Jn-W_KXyQ

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?

More from Glen Cove