My favorite Easter hymn. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.
GOOD AFTERNOON and Happy Easter from southeastern Minnesota, where the snow falls thick and fast. The setting appears more Christmas than Easter as snow layers the landscape and slicks roadways. We expect up to eight inches in this winter spring storm.
Nearly everything about this Easter has changed. No in-house worship. No gathering with family. No Easter chocolate purchased (because I avoided crowded grocery stores). And now this snow.
But one thing remains unchanged. Christ is risen! Even though the doors of our houses of worship are closed, we can still celebrate. This morning I awoke at 7 to start my day, preparing my usual bowl of oatmeal and cup of coffee before the 8 a.m. Easter worship service live-streaming from my church, Trinity Lutheran in Faribault. (You can now view the service on YouTube.)
As I watched and listened to the service, I noted the lilies and other spring flowers adorning the sanctuary as usual on Easter. I heard the organ and other music and the joyful voices of selected singers. And I listened to the uplifting Easter message about the resurrected Lord.
Eggs dyed with my mom many years ago. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.
Afterwards I reflected on Easters past—on my favorite childhood Easter hymn, I Know that My Redeemer Lives; on family gathered. Ham dinners. Easter egg hunts.
And I thought, too, about how, today, I expected to have our three adult children (and spouses) and our grandkids here. We haven’t all been together since Thanksgiving. If the power doesn’t go out in this storm, we’ll connect via video later this afternoon.
“I am the resurrection and the life.” A stained glass window in the Trinity Lutheran Church sanctuary, Faribault, MN. Minnesota Prairie Roots file photo.
So much has changed. And yet the essence of Easter remains, as shared in my blog post today for Warner Press. Click here to read that post, “Fear Not This Easter.”
A most blessed Easter to you, dear friends. Stay safe at home. Be well. And know that you are loved.
TELL ME: How are you celebrating this Easter?
Disclaimer: I am paid for my work as Warner Press blog coordinator and blogger.
© Copyright 2020 Audrey Kletscher Helbling
Minnesota Prairie Roots 
I grew up in Faribault, Minnesota and many of my relatives went to Trinity Lutheran Church. We now live in Colorado, where it is snowing here also. Happy Easter to all. May we all experience the new life that spring brings ….
Patricia, welcome back to your hometown via my blog. I’m happy to have you here from Colorado. Many blessings to you and yours.
We celebrated Easter this year by attending the virtual service of our church, the Episcopal Church of St. Clement in Alexandria, VA. In the afternoon we had Face Time sessions with our daughter’s family in Fredericksburg, VA, and our son’s family in London, England.
Charles, thank you for stopping by from Virginia with how you celebrated Easter. I’m thankful you had that worship time and virtual time with your family. We just finished video chatting with our family in Minnesota and Wisconsin.
We don’t celebrate like most Christian people. I celebrate in the outdoors where all things are possible and beautiful glory is surrounding me all the time. Since our “worship” has also changed with the current situation we stayed at home. Took joy in the blessings we have. The large back garden (large by Dutch standards compared to many who live in the area in apartments or in small row houses with no or even smaller gardens), watched our chickens do funny chicken things, and laughed. Then as the day warmed up (sorry to hear about 8 inches of the white stuff there) we watched the bees and butterflies going about their godly work without care of our human worries. Hummmm- human worries. Why did the creator give us such power as worry? For reflection on how to protect the planet and universe that was created. That is what I think. But, I don’t know if that is true, I haven’t met the creator and don’t plan on that even through this world event. My hope is that maybe I become wiser with dealing with family, friends, and my past while passing through this space in this time of pandemic. Only the universe has the answers I seek, only the creator truest knows what each of us was placed here to accomplish in our given time. Why he wired us differently than others is a burning question of mine that I will most likely never get answered but with age, wisdom, and experience I can only hope that I make the choices that will fulfill my destiny per the purpose I was given by whoever created me. Amen. Thanks Audrey for your blog and the connections I have made through your blog. These are blessings too in my world. Happy Easter!!!
Paula, it’s good to hear from you and to know that all is well with you and your hubby in the Netherlands. Celebrating in the beautiful natural world is such a blessing.
I appreciate you also and consider you a blessing. Be well, my friend, and happy Easter!
God is a constant no matter the day, Jesus has risen and is alive in all who believe in him. Easter is a day on the calendar to remind us of His resurrection and glory. This will be one to remember indeed. Rick, Gavin and I gave thanks at our humble table with all the fixings in front of us, we are thankful to be healthy and alive. We had 2 video chats with both sides of the family so that was good but still miss the physicall hugs and smooching those babies cheeks!. Hope your day was good Audrey…despite the snow 🙂
Jackie, you are so right about God’s presence. This truly was an unusual Easter. We are used to not having our entire family together many times, so maybe for us it’s easier than for you. Randy and I made a big Easter dinner, too, just for the two of us. We also video chatted with the “kids” and grandkids. We’re all missing each other terribly. I so want to hug the grandkids…
We didn’t have enough to shovel, so that was good. I started my 7 chosen churches with Trinity, as they were the only at sunrise and I was awake. Theme of the day seemed to be “fear”, “don’t be”, guess that was to be expected. The church effort in this mess has been extraordinary, a blessing. I could have had twice the church services, from the modest attempt to full technical, polished expertise to Fr. Doyle singing yet! who knew?! I miss the physical effort and personal responsibility of falling out at some early hour, pulling myself together, deciding to wear a nice blouse vs. jeans and shirt under choir robe, spending a whole morning being part of something that makes a difference. For me of course it’s music, but the Sat. pre-rehearsal warm-ups, carrying plants around the church, viewing the annual art show, it’s all Holy Week. Also the interactive portrayals on Good Friday, many are done here on various scale. I need to support all these efforts at some level. I applaud each reminded viewers the big work of the church goes on with food distribution, counseling, sheltering, outreach. And now we have the storms again, how does one social distance in that?! I did “I Know That My Redeemer Lives” 4 of the 7, one even did all 8 verses! He IS RISEN! God bless, Audrey and on to next year.
Sandy, thanks for your synopsis of Easter Sunday services. I agree that our faith leaders, staff and volunteers are doing a great job, finding new and creative way to share God’s Word and worship with us. I am grateful.
We had enough snow to shovel here. That was my task yesterday morning.
God bless you, too.
It was certainly a different Easter. One thing I know now is I took my previous life for granted.
I think we could all say that.