NEWS LINKS

Easter - April 8, 2007

Easter Sunday services at First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton on April 8, 2007, gave those attending a choice of three very different types of worship experiences.  Our Sunrise Service was held at 6:30 a.m. and led by Rev. Caryle Aitken Wilkie.  It was held partly in the Courtyard and partly in the Chapel due to the cold weather.  Our Sanctuary Services at 8:00 and 9:30 a.m. were in a traditional style, led by Rev. Dr. Paul Kirbas, with music provided by our Westminster Choir, accompanied by a Brass Ensemble, organ, and piano. Our 11:00 a.m. Ministry Center Service was a Celebration Service, with contemporary music sung by Sharon Urban, MaryBeth deBolt, Keith deBolt, who also played the guitar, and Trevor McMaken, who also played keyboard,  accompanied by guitars, trumpet, and drums.

The Sanctuary was beautiful, with decorations of Easter lilies and special Easter banners, and the cross hanging above the choir. David Lincoln led the Westminster Choir.  They were accompanied by the Brass Ensemble as well as the organ and piano.

Rev. Dr. Paul J. Kirbas read from John 20:1-18.  His sermon "Why Are You Weeping?" is available in mp3 or real audio format from our sermons page. Caryle Aitken Wilke and Paul Kirbas then invited all who believe in Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior to participate in Communion.  Worshippers came forward singing hymns that had been printed in the bulletin as they waited to partake in the feast of the Lord.

Some of the members of the congregation came forward to stand with the choir as the worship service was concluded with all joining in singing Handel's "Hallelujah Chorus."

Our Easter service at 9:30 a.m. was so well attended that every seat in the Sanctuary and balcony was filled.  An overflow area had been prepared in the Ministry Center; and over 100 worshipers were able to experience the traditional Easter service there, with high-quality sound sent directly to the Ministry Center speakers and video from the Sanctuary projected onto the large drop-down screen.

The Ministry Center had also been beautifully decorated for Easter; and the projected image of Jesus and decorated Easter cross, along with the Easter lilies enhanced the worship experience for those in the overflow area.

Although First Presbyterian Church has been offering Celebration Services on the second Sunday each month for the past two years, the 11:00 a.m. worship service on April 8, 2007, was our first Easter Sunday Celebration Service.

Caryle Aitken Wilkie and Paul Kirbas invited worshippers to come forward and partake in Communion.

Contemporary music was enjoyed as people waited to receive Communion.  The vocalists were Sharon Urban, MaryBeth deBolt, Keith deBolt, who also played the guitar, and Trevor McMaken, who also played keyboard.

Our other Easter Celebration Service musicians were Jerry Coleman, drums, David Berger, guitar, Bill Walter, bass guitar, and Dave Beering, trumpet.

The music ensemble from the first Easter Celebration Service held at First Presbyterian Church of Wheaton.

Our thanks to George Miller, Derrick Rohl, and Bob Stevens for the photos!

Additional thanks are due David Lincoln and Trevor McMaken for all they do for our music ministry; to Sue Massaro and Derrick Rohl, for all their work with the slides - finding the images, typing in all the lyrics to the songs, running the equipment during the service, and to Derrick for doing the podcasts; to Jo Albert and the Celebration Service Committee for all their work planning these services; to Beth Burgess and the Visual Arts Committe for all their work finding images for our bulletins and decorating the Sanctuary, Ministry Center, and our church; and to John Herndon and the Audio Video Ministry Committee for all their work handling the sound and video requirements for the different types of worship services and other church events; and to all the many others who do so much for our church.