People traveling east on Stewart Avenue on the Saturday before Easter last year noticed an unusual sight on the lawn at Resurrection Lutheran Church. Roman soldiers armed with swords were guarding a replica of an ancient tomb. The scene on Resurrection’s church lawn last year caught attention from many a passerby, who honked their car horns, waved and some stopped to take photos of the soldiers guarding Jesus’ tomb.
Resurrection’s Men’s Ministry is planning to stage the event again this year. Deacon Harry Oellrich, who heads up the men’s group, says the scene is a re-enactment of the Biblical story when Pilate posted guards at the tomb to make sure no one takes the body of the crucified Jesus. “We will man it from dawn to dusk on Holy Saturday, April 4, with ‘authentic Roman soldiers’ conscripted from the men and youth of our congregation,” he said.
“It’s such a powerful visual image to all those passing by, that we decided to expand the presentation,” Deacon Oellrich said. “This year we will begin earlier with an especially somber component during the period on Good Friday (April 3) from Christ’s death up to the beginning of our evening Tenebrae service. Then on Saturday, guards will continue to stand sentinel throughout the day.”
Holy Week at Resurrection begins on Palm Sunday, March 29, with a pancake breakfast at 8 a.m. and worship services at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Worship services continue on Maundy Thursday, April 2, at 4:30 and 7:30 p.m. and Good Friday, April 3 with a family service at noon and the Tenebrae service at 7:30 p.m. Children in grades 4 and below are invited to the Easter Egg Hunt being held on Saturday, April 4 from 10 to 11:30 a.m. Easter Sunday worship will be held on Sunday, April 5, at 8, 9:30 and 11:15 a.m.
Resurrection Lutheran Church is a multi-site Christian community of faith, with the main campus located at 420 Stewart Ave., near Clinton Rd., in Garden City. All are invited to worship at 5:30 p.m. on Saturdays and at 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday mornings, with Christian education at 10 a.m. For more information, please call 516-746-4426, or visit resgc.org.
