Easter message gets new Tier venue
Ministry to use movie theater for worship
UNIVERSAL EASTER
For the first time since April 11, 2004, Protestants, Catholics and Orthodox adherents will observe Easter on the same Sunday. The older Julian calendar, which some Orthodox churches use, and the newer Gregorian version, which is followed by most Christians, usually calculate Easter on different Sundays. The next same-date Easter will be April 4, 2010. Based on the church's calculation, dates can range from March 22 to April 25.
By William Moyer
Press & Sun-Bulletin
Movies will not be the only message on the big screen at Regal Cinemas. The word of God will make its debut today when New Life Ministries of Endicott holds worship at two theaters at the Upper Front Street complex, using the movie screen to show a recorded sermon.
Easter, with its religious themes of renewal, revival and resurrection, was the right day to start a new ministry, said the Rev. Rob Campbell, executive pastor of New Life Ministries. "It's a good time of year to invite people (to Regal Cinemas) who are already thinking about what happened at Easter. It's a good teaching time," he said.
Other churches across the Southern Tier will observe Easter today in traditional ways. At some churches, mostly Catholic and Orthodox, an Easter vigil Saturday night ushered in today's celebrations. The vigil began in darkness, which symbolized the death of Jesus. A single candle, known as the paschal candle, was lit and shed light into a darkened sanctuary.
From pulpit to pulpit across the Tier, pastors will preach about new life, hope and resurrection to crowded sanctuaries, where Christians will gather to sing, pray, read Scripture and proclaim, "Christ is risen, indeed."
"Christ through the cross and empty tomb can transform our lives," said the Rev. Robert T. Peak, pastor of First Presbyterian Church in Johnson City. "We come broken and beaten into the church -- maybe wounded, hurt by someone along the way. God through Christ takes us out of worthlessness into worthiness."
Peak expects about 150 worshippers at the church's 10 a.m. service today, about 50 percent more than an average Sunday. He called Easter worship one of this congregation's three holiest observances; the others being Christmas and Pentecost, which is acknowledged as the day when the church was formed by the Holy Spirit.
On Easter, Christians believe Mary Magdalene and other women went to Jesus' tomb at dawn to prepare his body for burial after the Good Friday crucifixion. But the women found the garden tomb empty and an angel told them Jesus had risen.
THEATER WORSHIP
New Life Ministries started planning its Regal worship about 10 months ago. The church took its cue from mega-churches in heavily populated metropolitan areas which have established so-called "multi-site" ministries, whereby the sermon from the church's main sanctuary is broadcast live or viewed via videotape at a satellite location. New Life's initiative is most likely the first of its kind in the Tier or northeastern Pennsylvania.
At Regal, the church will have adult and children's sessions, both at 10 a.m. each Sunday in individual theaters. The adult service will include a worship leader, prayers and a praise band, as well as videotape of the sermon from Saturday night worship at the church on Hill Avenue.
"Churches as they expand, the growing churches, what you face is the big hurdle of finance. To build bigger is multimillion dollars. This helps us to expand the ministry and target locations where there's not this kind of ministry," Campbell said.
The idea of a "satellite" church is a slow but growing trend across the country. As some churches grow in membership beyond the capacities of their facilities, they take their current ministry -- usually via videotape -- to other locales in their communities instead of adding worship services or erecting buildings at their main locations.
New Life sent a mass mailing to households in the towns of Dickinson and Chenango to invite them to the Easter inaugural. Regal will get between $40,000 and $50,000 for a one-year lease, Campbell said. The theater was closed Sunday mornings.
Campbell said New Life's leaders realize some might criticize theater worship as a gimmick that puts method above message.
"Admittedly, it won't be for everybody," he said. "You mean you can dress down for church? You can bring coffee into the worship service? You mean there'll be music that doesn't sound like the 1850s?"
TRADITIONAL WORSHIP
Most will observe the resurrection today in traditional settings surrounded by lilies or hyacinths and other Easter symbols.
At one church in Vestal, Easter will be another reminder of hope in the midst of an ongoing struggle with its denomination about withdrawing from the regional diocese.
"We don't focus on our struggles; we focus on the great resources that God gives us," said the Rev. Anthony Seel, pastor of St. Andrew's Episcopal Church. "The resurrection message is that God makes all things new and that the power of the resurrection is available to all of us through Jesus Christ."
St. Andrew's is one of two Episcopal churches in Broome County who want to withdraw from the Central New York Diocese in a dispute over homosexuality and blessings of same-sex unions. The other is the Church of the Good Shepherd in Binghamton, whose vestry adopted a resolution in July 2006 to express its intent to seek affiliation with an orthodox Anglican province.
Seel said several of St. Andrew's parishioners have been praying since March that God will add a family each month to the membership roll. "It looks like we did add a family in March," he said.
In Vestal, the Rev. Larry F. Hendricks will preach to attendees at Grace Lutheran Church about the surprise of the empty tomb. "Culture is not one to believe things without touching and feeling," said Hendricks, who expects as many as 200 people at 9 a.m. worship. "It's a surprise for people to realize Christians base their forgiveness on faith -- what Christ accomplished."
At some Catholic churches in Broome and Tioga counties, some parishioners could unknowingly gather for the final time today to observe Easter. Sometime this month, Bishop James M. Moynihan of the Syracuse Diocese is expected to announce which churches will be closed, merged or realigned as part of a major downsizing in the works for several years.
BISHOPS' MESSAGE
In an ecumenical Easter message, regional leaders of the south and central New York jurisdictions of Roman Catholic, United Methodist, Episcopal and Lutheran churches said Christians' joy comes from God whose power resurrected Jesus.
"This new life then takes shape as we witness for God's peace, God's justice, and defeat of anything that keeps God's people in bondage," wrote bishops Gladstone Adams of the Episcopal Church, Violet Fisher of the United Methodist Church, Marie Jerge of the Evangelical Lutheran Church, and Moynihan of the Catholic Church.
The bishop of United Methodist churches in Broome and other Tier counties, as well as Susquehanna County, Pa., said Easter sends a message to the world that good overcomes evil.
"Like sunshine breaking through heavy clouds and streaming in bright rays to the earth, Christ's resurrection brings good news that God's desire is that the whole world stop violence, that there be an end to scapegoating and sacrificing others in God's name," said Susan W. Hassinger of the Wyoming Conference. "A true witness to the resurrection would be for Christians to respond to the open-armed invitation of the cross, and to proclaim an end to conflict in our homes, our churches, our nation, our world."
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