This year we decided we'd try something different...sort of.
Every year we do an Easter egg hunt and sausage cookout. In the past we've always invited church members, students and their friends and family and charged a minimal fee to help cover expenses.
This year we wanted to focus more on the neighborhood surrounding our church and work to open and build relationships with those closer to the church.
The neighborhood has a pretty nice 'mallet golf' (kind of like croquet on a much larger scale) course' along the riverside and one of our church members got permission for us to use part of it for our activity. There weren't really a lot of 'hiding' places for 1350 treat filled plastic Easter eggs! So with the help of most of our church members we sort of 'scattered' the eggs all over our section of the course in preparation for the neighborhood 'hunters'. If you look closely you'll see the colored dots all over the course.
Once the eggs were out we waited for the hunters to arrive.
Since lots of eggs were very visible it was a challenge to keep the gathering kids from beginning the hunt ahead of schedule ;-)
We had the grill and all the food ready to go for when the egg hunt and telling of the Resurrection Story was complete. A huge Thanks! to our wonderful friends at St. John's Lutheran Church in Boerne, TX. for partnering with us to cover the food costs for this event. What a blessing!
Once we thought most that were coming were there we let them go!!
We sent them out with instructions to collect 10 eggs and then come back. I think we did this three or four times before telling them to go out and find all they could, and surprisingly they complied very well. Not really sure if the little or big 'kids' enjoyed it more :-)
Once we thought all the regular eggs had been found we told them about the 12 Resurrection eggs that were hidden in a separate section. The youngest were sent out first and the rest by age groups.
When all 12 had been found everyone gathered together and one by one each egg was opened to find something that represented a piece of the Resurrection story. Our Pastor shared the significance and story of each piece so that everyone could understand what - and Who - we were celebrating.
Sorry I didn't capture any shots of the food being served but I was kind of busy then...
On Easter morning this wonderful 71 year young woman (in white) was baptized in our church here. Her dear (Christian) friends of 50 years were at her side praising God for His new child. They never gave up encouraging her and praying for her salvation... in His time. Amazing grace it is!
God, Thank you for all you are and do and all you grace and bless us with.
