Preachers prepare for Easter crowds
Expecting crowds triple the size of the usual congregation for Easter Sunday service, Pastor John Huffman of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach devised a sermon that is sure to engage all worshipers.
Such was the task of several local pastors as they developed today’s orations.
“My topic is what Starbucks, Harry, Wilberforce, Easter, Jesus and the Church all have in common,” Huffman said. “People will have to come to find out who Harry is.”
Rev. George Crisp, who will lead a sunrise service as well as traditional services at Christ Church by the Sea United Methodist, agreed that you “have to be a little more polished” in giving your message on Easter, though he never makes note of the increased turnout the celebration brings.
“Some pastors make jokes about Christmas and Easter Christians, but I’m just happy to have all folks here,” he said.
Nearby at Liberty Baptist Church, Assistant Pastor Eric Johnson imagined there was a little pressure on Pastor Dwight Tomlinson to find a subject that meets the heavy demand of the most important religious feast of the Christian liturgical year. Tomlinson decided to discuss seven evidences for the resurrection.
“Every year about this time, someone comes out with a new discovery, a new book, a new code, a new movie, an old box of bones somewhere that’s reported to prove Jesus didn’t really rise from the dead,” Johnson said. “He will be addressing that in his sermon.”
Fairview Community Church’s recently installed Rev. Sarah Halverson expected today to be “pretty big” and will tell the story of the resurrection from the perspective of Mary Magdalene, the first witness to the empty tomb.
As a progressive minister, she said Easter presents a challenge.
“We try to make sense of what the resurrection really means to us today, and it is difficult because we live in a very scientific world that has a very hard time believing in an empty tomb and that Jesus was raised from the dead,” Halverson said.
Drawing on the experiences of some of his friends who were recently sworn in as U.S. citizens, Senior Pastor Bill Gartner at Harbor Christian Fellowship will compare the meaning of eternal, heavenly citizenship with that of national citizenship.
“Easter is really a recognition of our eternal salvation and our eternal kingdom,” Gartner said. “I think it’s a timely message that highlights our church’s involvement in intercultural ministry.”
Leading services at St. John Vianney Chapel on Balboa Island and at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church on the peninsula, Msgr. Lawrence Baird’s message with center on the joy the holiday represents.
EASTER SUNDAY SERVICES
COSTA MESA
Christ Lutheran Ministries
760 Victoria St., Costa Mesa
6:30 a.m. — Easter sunrise service in the courtyard at the church
7:30 and 10:30 a.m. — traditional services
7 to 10 a.m. — Easter breakfast
The Crossing
2115 Newport Blvd., Costa Mesa
8:30, 9, 10, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m. and noon — traditional services
Fairview Community Church
2525 Fairview Road, Costa Mesa
10 a.m. — traditional service
Harbor Christian Fellowship
740 W. Wilson St., Costa Mesa
www.harborchristianfellowship.net
10 a.m. — traditional bilingual service followed by Easter — egg hunt
Harbor Trinity Church
1230 Baker St., Costa Mesa
9 and 10:30 a.m. — traditional services
Rock Harbor Church
345 Fischer Ave., Costa Mesa
Services held at the Pacific Amphitheatre at the Orange County Fairgrounds, 88 Fair Drive, Costa Mesa
9 and 11:15 a.m. — the latter service will have ASL interpretation
NEWPORT BEACH
Community Church Congregational
611 Heliotrope Avenue, Corona del Mar
6 a.m. — Easter sunrise service at Lookout Point on Ocean Boulevard
8 and 10 a.m. — traditional services
Christ Church by the Sea United Methodist
11400 W. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach
6:30 a.m. — Easter sunrise service where 14th Street hits the seashore in Newport Beach
10 a.m. — Worship and Sunday school for children and youth
11:15 a.m. — Fellowship
Liberty Baptist Church
1000 Bison Ave., Newport Beach
8:30 and 11 — traditional services (children’s egg hunt following 11 a.m. service)
10 a.m. — Easter potluck breakfast
5 p.m. — evening service
Newport Mesa Church
2599 Newport Blvd., Newport Beach
9 and 11 a.m. — traditional services
Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church
1441, W. Balboa Blvd., Newport Beach
8 and 10 a.m. and noon — traditional services
St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church
600 St. Andrews Road, Newport Beach
7, 8:30 and 10:15 a.m. — traditional services
St. John Vianney Chapel
314 Marine Ave., Newport Beach
(949) 675 — 2221
8, 9:30 and 11 a.m. — traditional services
St. Mark Presbyterian Church
2100 Mar Vista Drive, Newport Beach
8:30 and 10:30 — traditional services
10 a.m. — children’s egg hunt
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