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Thursday
March 11, 2010 Since 1922 |
Easter sunrise celebration moves inside
By Barrett Goldsmith
Baytown Sun Published April 9, 2007 About 50 Highlands worshippers woke up and rose up above the rain, the cold and the temptation to stay in bed and came to Second Baptist Church for a sunrise celebration of the day when Christians believe Jesus rose up from his tomb and took his place as their eternal savior.
Though Baytown’s sunrise service scheduled for Sunday was cancelled last week due to a lack of interest, the Highlands service merely moved from outside — it was scheduled to take place outdoors at Resurrection Baptist Church — to the inside of Second Baptist, 400 E. Wallisville Road.
On a day often marked by conciliatory words of welcome to visiting worshippers, the message at Highlands this Easter Sunday was by no means diluted.
“We celebrate Jesus not because he died on the cross, but because he came alive in his tomb,” Second Baptist Pastor Beau Rosser said. “It’s tempting for us to be politically correct when we’re warming by the fire of a nonbeliever, but Jesus wasn’t politically correct, he was eternally correct. No other religious figure is still alive, but Jesus is still alive.”
Rosser said most people had followed the lead of Peter, who he said distanced himself from the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. He said he is surprised more people were not already celebrating Christ’s resurrection, even at 7 a.m.
“I don’t understand why there is an empty seat in this house,” Rosser said. “I don’t understand why people aren’t dancing in the street. I think we’ve given up on our community. We call the souls of this city to the cross.”
Down the road at Resurrection Baptist, the hungry souls of the city were called to a free breakfast buffet with all the traditional Southern trimmings – eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy and sausage.
Phillip Morris, the pastor at Resurrection, was pleased with the turnout, though said it would have been higher in better weather.
“But these people came out and celebrated the Lord’s resurrection, and that’s always an exciting thing,” Morris said.
Morris earlier took time to raise money for the Highlands Ministerial Alliance, which is running a food bank in the Highlands area for needy families.
Vickie Leach provide the service’s special music, using her raw Texas twang to put a country spin on songs of worship.
Baytown Sun Published April 9, 2007 About 50 Highlands worshippers woke up and rose up above the rain, the cold and the temptation to stay in bed and came to Second Baptist Church for a sunrise celebration of the day when Christians believe Jesus rose up from his tomb and took his place as their eternal savior.
Though Baytown’s sunrise service scheduled for Sunday was cancelled last week due to a lack of interest, the Highlands service merely moved from outside — it was scheduled to take place outdoors at Resurrection Baptist Church — to the inside of Second Baptist, 400 E. Wallisville Road.
On a day often marked by conciliatory words of welcome to visiting worshippers, the message at Highlands this Easter Sunday was by no means diluted.
“We celebrate Jesus not because he died on the cross, but because he came alive in his tomb,” Second Baptist Pastor Beau Rosser said. “It’s tempting for us to be politically correct when we’re warming by the fire of a nonbeliever, but Jesus wasn’t politically correct, he was eternally correct. No other religious figure is still alive, but Jesus is still alive.”
Rosser said most people had followed the lead of Peter, who he said distanced himself from the crucifixion and resurrection of Christ. He said he is surprised more people were not already celebrating Christ’s resurrection, even at 7 a.m.
“I don’t understand why there is an empty seat in this house,” Rosser said. “I don’t understand why people aren’t dancing in the street. I think we’ve given up on our community. We call the souls of this city to the cross.”
Down the road at Resurrection Baptist, the hungry souls of the city were called to a free breakfast buffet with all the traditional Southern trimmings – eggs, bacon, biscuits, gravy and sausage.
Phillip Morris, the pastor at Resurrection, was pleased with the turnout, though said it would have been higher in better weather.
“But these people came out and celebrated the Lord’s resurrection, and that’s always an exciting thing,” Morris said.
Morris earlier took time to raise money for the Highlands Ministerial Alliance, which is running a food bank in the Highlands area for needy families.
Vickie Leach provide the service’s special music, using her raw Texas twang to put a country spin on songs of worship.