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A painting of Jesus on the cross hangs at Nativity of the Theotokos Greek Orthodox Church in Spotsylvania County, which is celebrating Pascha. This year, Eastern Orthodox and Western Christians celebrate Easter on the same Sunday. |
BY AMY FLOWERS UMBLE
Christians will pack the pews of area churches today, but many might not know why.
A recent poll found that most American adults see Easter as a religious holiday. But only 42 percent tied that day to the resurrection of Jesus Christ, according to a new Barna Group poll.
Easter marks the day that Jesus rose from the dead, so it's a big deal for Christians.
But the 53 percent of Americans who don't relate Easter to the Resurrection aren't in bad company. According to biblical accounts, many of Jesus' closest followers didn't initially understand the Resurrection either.
Today, many area Christians will celebrate Easter in a variety of ways.
At St. William of York Catholic Church in Stafford County, 33 people will join the faith. Easter is a traditional day for many Christians to be baptized.
At St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception in Fredericksburg, priests will accommodate the Easter crowds by worshipping at the Fredericksburg Expo Center. Salem Fields Community Church in Spotsylvania County will hold eight services.
Evergreen Church in Spotsylvania will host a surprise party, "because the Resurrection is God's greatest surprise," the Rev. Scott Roberts said.
Some other area clergy and residents shared their thoughts about Jesus' rising from the dead, and why understanding Christ's sacrifice is so important more than 2,000 years later.
Amy Flowers Umble: 540/735-1973
Email: aumble@freelancestar.com
"As believers in Jesus, we do not follow the teachings of a dead man; rather, we follow a living Savior who desires to have fellowship with us on a daily basis. The Resurrection means we can have a relationship with God rather than religion."
--The Rev. Dick Jackson, Highway Assembly of God, Fredericksburg"Christianity stands or falls on the validity of the Resurrection. In other words, you cannot have Christianity without a risen Savior."
--Rob Lundberg, Director of Stand4truth.net, a Spotsylvania-based ministry"Human loss and grief are very real, make no mistake. yet the triumph of the spirit even as our frail human bodies fail is nothing short of beautiful and miraculous. It is the cure for a world of loneliness, botox and selfishness. Resurrection is the difference between real life and the banality of mere existence. It's what matters."
--The Rev. Larry Lenow, Fredericksburg United Methodist Church
"The Resurrection was a revolution of eternal proportions. Not just religiously and politically, but also personally. And it's hard for so many of us to accept because it means admitting that God did something for us that we could never do for ourselves: defeat death."
--Todd Miller, an elder at Redeemer Lutheran Church in Spotsylvania"Jesus gave His life so that I can live in freedom. Freedom from the fear of death and to know with certainty that one day I will live in eternity with Him forever. Truly, the best gift I ever received--for real! It was as if He knew exactly what I needed."
--Cindy Marcott, Director of the local Christian Sisters Transition Program"Easter is the day to remember that the kingdom of Heaven begins here on Earth and that we, humanity, can create a new world--one of peace, happiness and joy--by practicing the golden rule and applying to our daily actions with our neighbors, our fellow human beings. Resurrection equals a daily birthing of joy, hope and love in our hearts."
--Joyce Schaller, a teacher who lives in Stafford