Holy Ghostwriter: Easter Weather or Not

Rev. Paul Lintern, Editor

Pastor Jeff Mutton was about to dive into his Mishmash Hash Monday morning (a specialty at Pam's Bistro and Breakfast Nook) when one of the other pastors there asked about plans for the Middlefield Easter Sunrise Service.

He paused, because he really wanted to enjoy this local delicacy, but he also didn't want to admit how nervous he gets when he thinks about an outside early morning event in weather-weary early Midwest Spring.

"Uh, fine," he blurted, then shoved his first forkful into his mouth.

"I mean, how do you get those people to come and sit on those metal bleachers at the softball field, especially when the wind is blowing snow all over?"

"Mmpgh, Mumphy," he said.

The others knew to wait until he had swallowed. They waited awhile.

"Only the hearty souls get up at five for a six a.m. service, so bundling in snowsuits and sitting on two blankets while huddled under another is natural for them," Jeff said.

"Hearty souls who know that Jesus rose from the dead, so their sacrifice is nothing in comparison," he added.

"True, but he did it in nice weather, like Florida; that's where outdoor sunrise services should be held," Vicar Victor offered.

Jeff didn't want to admit that was his greatest fear, planning everything then somehow feeling responsible for the weather if it was not perfect.

"But we trust the Lord to provide the right weather,” Jeff said, "and to keep us from frostbite, if necessary," he smiled weakly.

"That's why we plan our sunrise service inside, at 8, which is still early for our people, but any later and it would interfere with our regular Easter service. The auditorium is dark, and then little by little we bring reddish orange footlights up on stage, with sound of footsteps moving, and then a video of a tomb and the sound of an earthquake, then the stone moves and the praise band rocks to a great coming out song, and I walk up and shout, "He's Alive," Victor said.

"That way we can control everything – timing, sound, visuals, temperature – we can make Easter perfect," he added.

"Kinda thought it was pretty perfect the way God did it," Jeff muttered.

"Well, yeah," Victor said, "And so it is our responsibility to depict it as perfectly as we can, to leave nothing to chance."

"We left one thing to chance, the chance for us to believe in the resurrection," Jeff said. Everyone nodded, including Victor, after considering the comment.

"And that's the chance that gets me to bundle up on Easter morning," Pam said, as she came in to refill coffee cups.

"I'll see you at the park," she added.