Free of walls and a conventional religious atmosphere, an outdoor pavilion overlooking a tree-lined lake just may be the ideal setting for a community Easter service.
But melding the spiritual and natural worlds during spring when the Earth itself is being reborn is hardly a groundbreaking concept, so why stop there? Why not follow up a program of Bible teachings and acoustic music in the park with a petting zoo, carnival games and cotton candy?
That's the thinking of Dan Sexton, pastor of Calvary Chapel-Ellicott City, a nondenominational congregation of 150 that meets in the auditorium of Centennial High School.
Though Easter in the Park is marking its third annual appearance at Centennial Park, the fair is a new component this year.
"The concept of pews and a steeple is not a part of my history," said Sexton, who was raised in a family that did not attend religious services.
"I don't have a lot of ideas about what a church should look like," the 36-year-old Florida native said.
But he does have a very specific notion of what a church should do, and that is to teach the Bible verse by verse, chapter by chapter.
"It's an unusual style of teaching, and it isn't as prevalent as it should be," said the pastor, who prefers "teaching" to "preaching." He said he plans to use Gospel accounts from the Bible on Sunday to explain Jesus' death and resurrection.
The idea of holding a community-oriented service in the park on such a revered holy day was an epiphany for Sexton two years ago, he said.
Describing Howard County as a community-oriented place where residents focus on family, sports and the outdoors, he felt a community Easter service would be well-received.
When the first event was held in 2007, the temperature was 19 degrees and it snowed, he recalled. Still, 200 hardy souls turned out. Last year's event attracted between 400 and 500 people, he estimated.
The decision to hold a full-fledged Easter Fun Fair after simultaneous services for adults and children came last year, when many families hung around after the service to enjoy the park. So this year, there will be pony rides, face painting, a duck pond, beanbag toss and more. Volunteers have assembled 1,000 goodie bags for kids.
But it will not be a day for proselytizing, the pastor said.
