17th April 2022 will see many Presbyterians come together at daybreak to celebrate and worship the risen Lord Jesus at Easter Sunday dawn services being held all over Ireland.
The Presbyterian Church in Ireland has compiled a list of upwards of 40 venues where services are taking place that have been organised by local congregations, or gatherings involving Presbyterian churches, and others in the local community.
The earliest of the services begins at 6am, with others starting a little later, (full details on link below) Depending on the weather, each service will vary in length and involve praise, prayer, scripture reading and a short address. Some even offer a tasty breakfast afterwards!
To find out where and when the dawn services take place, visit www.presbyterianireland.org/easterdawn.
Presbyterian Moderator, Rt Rev Dr David Bruce said, “When we come together on Easter Sunday, to declare this singular truth: ‘Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!’ we affirm that Jesus is risen bodily, physically actually, historically and truly. He is risen in a way that defies the laws of biology, chemistry and physics and because of what happened that day, nearly 2000 years ago, the world is not the same and never can be again.
“As I wrote in my Easter Message, Easter explains that God pushes back the frontiers of evil and death. Good Friday’s story of death gave way to Easter Sunday’s story of new life. We live, and then die – but Christ died, and then lived.
“This reversal of the natural order which Christians celebrate with their call and response: “Christ is Risen! He is risen indeed!” describes much more than just a remarkable moment in history. We see a glimpse of the world working in a wholly different way…’ In fact we see the dawning of audacious hope.”
Dr Bruce continued, “Whether we are warmed by the sun’s dawning rays atop a hill, in a forest park, beside the lapping waters of the sea, or sitting comfortably in our pew this Sunday, let us celebrate the Good News that Christ is risen.”
