What will you do for Easter, Passover.....

[ctozrn]

Hey everyone,

I was just curious what everyone's plans were for this weekend? We have such a diverse group here so I am sure the answers are interesting! It has been in the mid 80's here in NC until today. It is going to be in the 50's for the weekend with lows in the 20's! I have been sleeping with my wimdows open so I am pretty bummed about closing them. Oh well, you know what they say, "When God closes a window, he opens a door...." I hope it won't be too windy!! Lol :lol:

Well, do tell what your holiday plans are! I have my kids this weekend and plan to go to church. Other than that I am not sure. I miss the days when they were little and would hunt for eggs. They are teenagers now. I don't think an egg hunt would go over too well!

Have a Happy Easter, Passover, or whatever else you may be celebrating this weekend! :p

[Lydia]

It will be a quiet weekend with my family. Oh, and I'll probably eat way too much at our Easter dinner. :)

[Vanessa White]

I am heading off to Richmond, VA., to visit my sister and her fiancee. My daughter is with me, so Easter egg hunts and easter baskets are totally in order!!! My sister is going to have the same type of weather as Christine mentioned, which is normal for those of us from NEPA!!!!! It will seem tropical to us. It is actually snowing here today in honor of our departure I guess. I am hoping to get to church on Sunday, hopefully a Methodist celebration in the Richmond area, and to have some reflection time tomorrow between noon and three. TOmorrow is a really intense day for me, I feel the impact of it pretty fully. Be safe and enjoy all, LOve, peace and prayers, Vanessa :love: :love: :love: :pray: :pray: :pray:

[ladyinred]

Is it easter already??? No seriously I don't really have plans and don't really have any traditional stuff I do around here. I bought my son a set of books he wanted, which I will probably give to him on easter with a chocolate bunny. ( Of course with one for me too, I wonder if I can find one in dark chocolate?:rolleyes: ) Then we will probably take in a movie , then see my ex and check on how her mother's doing(She just had a heart attack) and bring a bouquet of spring flowers to her... :flower: :flower: :flower: Other than that who knows?

[Zerbie]

We have no plans for Easter. My husband has rehearsals all weekend (I couldn't believe they are rehearsing on Easter!)

Saturday I will probably work on a paper for school. Ha!
Sunday morning I'm singing at a church way across town - thank goodness I at least have SOMETHING to do that day, maybe my colleagues will want to linger around for lunch or something, but I would guess they might have holiday plans.

I've got color dyes, baskets, grass, and many soft furry creatures with long ears who want to have a party. Other than that, it's just me by myself all day! :'( :'( Aghhhh!!!!!

[kara speltz]

Hey everyone,

I was just curious what everyone's plans were for this weekend? We have such a diverse group here so I am sure the answers are interesting! It has been in the mid 80's here in NC until today. It is going to be in the 50's for the weekend with lows in the 20's! I have been sleeping with my wimdows open so I am pretty bummed about closing them. Oh well, you know what they say, "When God closes a window, he opens a door...." I hope it won't be too windy!! Lol :lol:

Well, do tell what your holiday plans are! I have my kids this weekend and plan to go to church. Other than that I am not sure. I miss the days when they were little and would hunt for eggs. They are teenagers now. I don't think an egg hunt would go over too well!

Have a Happy Easter, Passover, or whatever else you may be celebrating this weekend! :p

This is my very favorite time of year. I'm Catholic and we Catholics really do know how to do liturgy, and my parish in particular. Tonight we celebrate the Last Supper with Mass and the washing of feet. It's such a beautiful ritual, washing a stranger's feet. Really puts you in mind of Jesus.

Tomorrow my parish does what they call, "The Living Stations of the Cross," at noon. I've never been a big fan of the stations, until I experienced this and it's beautiful and awesome and really makes you feel you're there with Him. We follow that up with a Group Reconciliation to prepare us for the Easter celebration.

On Friday night, we have a Eucharistic service as well as adoration of the cross.

Saturday night we celebrate Easter vigil. That's when we welcome our new Catholics, a number of them will be baptised right there (fully dunked) in a trough that sits on the main altar surrounded by blooming plants. We welcome some 30 people each Easter. The Gospel is told in Liturgical Dance, believe me a sight to see.

I totally love this time of year; it's such a time of hope.

Hope all of you experience that hope as we celebrate Passover, Spring, Resurrection and so much more.

Kara

[Rick336]

Tomorrow, Good Friday, me, my neice and her three kids will put flowers on the graves of our family members who have passed away over the years. This is an Easter tradition here in the South. Since most Christian families around here do this, the prettiest places in town at Easter are the cemetaries with their thousands of colorful spring flowers.

The most beautiful is the Old Salem cemetary near downtown Winston-Salem. On the Saturday before Easter, family members from all over the county go to that graveyard and scrub the headstones with soap and water. Then they decorate the graves with daffodils, tulips, lilies, and azalias. On Easter Sunday morning 10,000 people will gather in the town square just before daybreak and walk silently to the graveyard. As they walk, church bands play hymns along the way.

When the crowd reaches the cemetary they stand among the gaves for the state's largest sunrise service. There are several thousand graves there so imagine what that looks like on Easter morning when the early sun breaks the horizon and shines on all those folks standing among the flowers.

The Old Salem sunrise serivce has been a tradition since 1773.

After church I'll go to my brother's house where the family will gather for Easter dinner. Last year we had 30. After dinner the kids will hunt eggs in the yard while the adults sit on the porch and talk.

I hope y'all have a happy Easter.

Rick

[JudB]

I am especially joyfull because my son (age 27) will attend my very gay affirming UCC chuch with me on Easter Sunday morning. Many friends will be there ,and it will be a special time when all those in my life can come together. We even have a brunch after. All will be good.

[u-dog]

That sounds like a wonderful way to spend Easter and good opportunity to connect with your boy!

I grew up in Cleveland (Southwest suburbs, not far from the airport) where is your church? what denomination? Did you grow up in the "mistake on the lake" too? Do you remember when Mayor Perk's hair caught on fire? Or when the cuyahoga river did? Not exactly our glory days.. sigh

[JudB]

Actually, I kind of like Cleveland although I think I would have more fun in a larger city. Cleveland has come a log way, but there are always problems to deal with. The lake front around E. 9th has been developed nicely. I even live on the lake; it is my backyard. That is where we have Pride. I am on the Pride board this year.

I am a member of a gay UCC church, Liberation United Church of Christ.

It is always good to hear from a another Clevelander.

[revtj]

I am a member of a gay UCC church, Liberation United Church of Christ.

LOVE IT!

It's bound to be more life-giving than First Assimilationist BMW in Willow Springs :lol:

For Easter I will worship alone. I did Maundy Thursday at my home congregation, and Good Friday today at the church that houses my nonprofit office, but Sunday it's about ME & the RISEN LORD.

[u-dog]

I'm still a Cleveland Booster! I don't think anyone has seriously called Cleveland the "mistake on the lake" in a couple of decades but when I was growing up, Cleveland was at its "nadir". we had the opportunity to visit University Circle a year or so ago and I was amazed at how much nicer it is now than it used to be. When my pals and I used to take the Rapid over to go to the art museum or to catch a CLeveland Orchestra concert (up in the "nosebleed" section of the peanut gallery) at Severance hall the area had a metaphorical "reek of decay" like you were experiencing something grand right before it breathed its last. I was happy to see it has come to life again. My son and I went to a CO concert a year ago and I was totally blown away by the inside of Severence Hall... what an AWESOME space that is. totally worthy of the great Cleveland Orchestra.

What part of town is Liberation UCC in? Did it used to be called something else in the Bad Old days?

dave

[Sherrie Z]

I've got color dyes, baskets, grass, and many soft furry creatures with long ears who want to have a party. Other than that, it's just me by myself all day! :'( :'( Aghhhh!!!!!


But besides the easter baskets and fuzzy bunnies, you'll have us! Here on the Soulforce forum ... wink wink : )

[SeesTheForest4itsTrees]

Just a friendly Easter courtesy reminder: Be careful in hiding eggs in grass. This time of year, many lawns are sprayed with pesticides, fertilizers.

I am not much of an egg eater, but as we approach egg salad week next week, anyone have any delicous receipes?

[bryanf]

I'll be praying an Easter Prayer at three different services. After that we are going to a big ole cookout and be more than joyful at the end of lent. Hello chocolate!

[Rick336]

bryanf,

I'm with you on the chocolate. I went out and bought me a big chocolate bunny. After I return from my brother's house on Easter Sunday, I'm gonna attack that bunny, ears first. Yum yum!!

Rick

[Zerbie]

Thank you Sherrie!

I've actually been getting quite sad about the alone on Easter afternoon thing. I probably SHALL look for fellow SFer's online that day!

Easter is my favorite holiday, and this will be our first time not spending the day together since hubby & I met.:( But it's not terrible - he'll be home by 7pm - so we can have dinner and the evening together.

Here's the revised plan:
Morning - singing in service across town, various musician friends will be participating
Afternoon - finish researching term paper, and linger on the forum ;)
Evening - special holiday dinner with hubby

Ooh - chose recipes this afternoon! Cream of parsley soup, Pasta with asparagus cream sauce, and layered berry parfaits. :p :) :rainbow: Then jellybeans, of course.

Hubby has already given me a new bunny for the collection, too. :love:

[bryanf]

bryanf,

I'm with you on the chocolate. I went out and bought me a big chocolate bunny. After I return from my brother's house on Easter Sunday, I'm gonna attack that bunny, ears first. Yum yum!!

Rick

I am feeling you there. As soon as I get that evening up to Winston-Salem, NC I am going to eat that Godiva Chocolate Bunny I bought last weekend in Winston. Oh yeah.

[Sherrie Z]

Thank you Sherrie!

I've actually been getting quite sad about the alone on Easter afternoon thing. I probably SHALL look for fellow SFer's online that day!

Easter is my favorite holiday, and this will be our first time not spending the day together since hubby & I met.:( But it's not terrible - he'll be home by 7pm - so we can have dinner and the evening together.

Here's the revised plan:
Morning - singing in service across town, various musician friends will be participating
Afternoon - finish researching term paper, and linger on the forum ;)
Evening - special holiday dinner with hubby

Ooh - chose recipes this afternoon! Cream of parsley soup, Pasta with asparagus cream sauce, and layered berry parfaits. :p :) :rainbow: Then jellybeans, of course.

Hubby has already given me a new bunny for the collection, too. :love:

You're very welcome!

Your dinner sounds yummy! I think I sense another vegetarian here, maybe? (Well OK, I do eat fish, but still ...) And congratulations on the new bunny! Yay!

Whether or not we're on the forum at the same time that day, depending on the timing, either way I'll be thinking of you on Easter ... I'm glad much of the day will be nice for you ... : )

We love bunnies!!!

Have fun!

Hugs,

Sherrie Z

[Daniel]

This is the first Easter in 20 years that I will be in a pew rather than in a choir loft. It's rather nice to be 'retired'. :D I'll be going to my husband's church where he is the director of music. And then we'll come home and have a nice lunch (the Easter basket with eggs and chocolate bunnies will make an appearance at breakfast- like Rick- the ears will go first!). I have a rehearsal after that and then we're going to a friend's exhibition of drawings in the evening.

[Zerbie]

(the Easter basket with eggs and chocolate bunnies will make an appearance at breakfast- like Rick- the ears will go first!). .

NO!!!!! :'(

:lol: :lol: :lol: I almost said this after Rick's post - OMG it's not a bunny without EARS!!!

I've never been able to break the ears off a chocolate bunny. I have to eat them from the feet upwards, saving the ears for last or else when I see broken ears, I might want to cry. :o

:lol:

[Zerbie]

You're very welcome!

Your dinner sounds yummy! I think I sense another vegetarian here, maybe? (Well OK, I do eat fish, but still ...) And congratulations on the new bunny! Yay!

We love bunnies!!!

Sherrie Z

Bunnies, yay! Mr. Hoppy is happy to join the family. :D

Got those recipes out of the Vegetarian Times cookbook (the big one, about 15 years old I think?). I'm a fishatarian. Was strictly vegetarian for some years.

The parsley creme soup is very good - I've made it on a couple of other Easters. You mix silken tofu into the veggie broth to achieve the creaminess. Best with home grown parsley, but we had an unseasonably cold winter and most of my herbs died. Got bunches of parsley from the store today.

The asparagus cream pasta will be a new recipe for me to try - it has some cheeses in it, so I expect it will be rich. Then the berry parfaits, as one might expect, are a mix of blueberries, raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries, plus organic apple juice, layered over low-fat vanilla wafers. :p :D :lol:

[Sherrie Z]

Sounds so good, Zerbie! Yummies! And we have yet another item for our "me too" list, we're both (semi) vegetarians who eat fish, or as you say fishatarians ... that dessert sounds amazing! : )

Happy Easter to Mr. Hoppy and all your many other fuzzy critters!

[Rick336]

But Zerbie. The ears are the best part. That's why Hershey makes chocolate bunny ears so big. Everybody love the ears. In fact, I don't think it's officially Easter unless you've eaten chocolate bunny ears.

And peeps. You gotta eat peeps at Easter time. The yellow ones....not the pink ones. This probably sounds weird but I like peeps when they've laid around in the basket for a few days and gotten a little hard and chewy. Yum!!

But you can have all my jelly beans. I'm not a big fan of jelly beans. They get stuck in my teeth. A month after Easter when I was a kid, I'd still have jelly beans rolling around in the bottom of my basket.

I love chocolate marshmallow bunnies and eggs too. But my all time favorite are chocolate malted eggs. YEEEUUUUMMMM!!! I bought TWO bags of those things and tomorrow night I'm gonna pig out on them while I watch Columbo reruns.

Rick

[Allyson]

Happy Easter, everyone!

He is risen!

[Vanessa White]

I would also like to wish all of my friends and "family" here at Soulforce a very happy and peaceful Easter holiday and season. He is risen indeed, and today is a day of hope, new life and renewal. Vanessa :love: :love: :pray:

[Realityisinsane]

just me and some spaghetti... till i head to work tonight

[JudB]

Wow!..

So much talk of chocolate... I must get some.

Happy Easter everyone.

[u-dog]

He is risen!


HE IS RISEN INDEED!!!!!

HAPPY EASTER EVERYONE! I had a GREAT day in Church today! Preached a knock your socks off sermon (seriously, sox flying all over the place!:eek: ) Sang the Easter Hymns the whole shabang!