A Glorious Easter Sunday

Easter at St. John's is a glorious celebration. Our Altar Guild works very hard to clean and arrange the sanctuary so it is truly beautiful, complete with many dozens of lillies. Our first worship service of Easter morning actually begins across the street in the Old Gray Cemetery, one of the oldest graveyards in Knoxville. We gather amid the tombs and proclaim the news that He is risen. After reading the Gospel and praying, we process across the street into our beautiful sanctuary. A thousand thanks to Owen Peterson, our church photographer extraordinaire, for sharing these images.
Easter is the highest of "high masses" and comes complete with the banner and torch bearers, the Bible bearer, and one of my favorites, the ecclesiastical kite, representing the Holy Spirit.
Pastor Steve shares the good news that He is risen, He is risen indeed!
In between worship services the children gather to decorate the cross with flowers. Even though Jacob is almost 15 he helped out with the decorating. Notice Jacob's spiffy yellow bow tie, part of his Easter fashions.
Jacob didn't hog the ladder and many children played a role in completing the cross. Notice Jacob at the right right, with his friends Andy and Sarah.
This is the same cross that stood throughout Lent draped in purple, and then was draped in black cloth from Good Friday until Easter morning. Children of the church often pick flowers from their yards to bring for the cross.