Dressed in their Sunday best, churchgoers came to the First Presbyterian Church of Levittown to take part in the biggest celebrated Sunday in the Christian year.
A special holiday calls for a special service, which was led by Reverend Terri Yvette Cissé-Ofori. There were flowers decorating the inside of the church as well as musicians playing their instruments throughout the service.
“Today is Resurrection Sunday,” said Cissé-Ofori. “Normally people call it Easter, but we celebrate the rising of Christ. We believe that Jesus rose from the dead, and he’s still alive.”
To celebrate the rising of Christ, Cissé-Ofori had the church decorated with flowers, and had music playing throughout the service. The choir sang songs and hymns such as “Have you seen the Lord?”, “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name” and “Come Thou Almighty King”.
There were refreshments and snacks available to everyone who came out to Church for Easter Sunday. “Today is generally when most people come to church,” said Cissé-Ofori. “It’s just a very festive day, and very exciting.”
Cissé-Ofori was accompanied in the Easter Sunday service by her husband, Dr. David Ofori Jr., who is the Moderator of the Presbytery of New York City.
Besides the church service, Easter is a time to participate in Easter egg hunts, to eat copious amounts of chocolate, and to open Easter baskets filled with chocolate bunnies. Easter is also a time to spend with family, which is exactly what deacon Joyce Senior will be doing after the Sunday service. “When I get home from here, I will pop the port roast in the oven, and we’ll eat it later in the afternoon,” she said.
Cissé-Ofori is the first reverend of color at the First Presbyterian Church of Levittown, and she wants everyone in the community to know that people of all demographics are welcome to be a part of the church.
“We’re just hoping to welcome anyone in the community who wants to be here,” she said. “We’re open to everyone.”
