Religion

Worshippers welcome Easter at sunrise in uptown service

The Rev. Erika Funk, associate pastor for mission at First Presbyterian Church, delivers the benediction at the sunrise service in Romare Bearden Park early Sunday, April 5, 2015. Members of five churches – Caldwell Presbyterian, Grier Heights Presbyterian, First Presbyterian, First United Presbyterian and St. John’s Baptist – joined together for the uptown service.
The Rev. Erika Funk, associate pastor for mission at First Presbyterian Church, delivers the benediction at the sunrise service in Romare Bearden Park early Sunday, April 5, 2015. Members of five churches – Caldwell Presbyterian, Grier Heights Presbyterian, First Presbyterian, First United Presbyterian and St. John’s Baptist – joined together for the uptown service. ROBERT LAHSER rlahser@charlotteobserver.com

The choir from Caldwell Presbyterian sang “Because He Lives” as the service started in the dark at 6:30 a.m.

The Rev. Erika Funk, associate pastor at First Presbyterian, delivered the benediction. And all the clergy joined the congregation in singing “Oh Happy Day” and “They’ll Know We Are Christians (By Our Love).”

On Easter, the most important day on the Christian calendar, followers of Jesus Christ mark with joy his resurrection from the dead.

The other churches who turned out members for the service: First United Presbyterian, St. John’s Baptist and Grier Heights Presbyterian. Tim Funk

This story was originally published April 5, 2015 at 4:02 PM with the headline "Worshippers welcome Easter at sunrise in uptown service."

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