Macon church holds 99th Easter sunrise service

Christians from across Middle Georgia and around the world rose in the darkness Sunday to celebrate the Resurrection.

About 100 people attended the Easter sunrise service at Mulberry Street United Methodist Church in Macon. The service has traditionally been held on Coleman Hill but was moved inside due to the threat of rain.

The church has held the service for 99 years. It is organized by the Catherine Daughtery Sunday School class. Earlier notices said this was the 100th year, but the church's historian did further research and determined this was the 99th, said the Rev. Sam Lamback, who delivered the sermon.

He began by mentioning the terrorist attack in Belgium last week that killed at least 31 people.

"Our hearts yearn for the power of God to be at work in the world," he said. "The power of God is alive and well, and God charges us with its implementation in the world."

Lamback attended the Easter sunrise service on Coleman Hill as a child. Later he would attend one in Vietnam. He served 30 years in the Army, including 24 as a chaplain.

He referred to a military slang term "o dark thirty," which is the time between midnight and dawn, and often when the military launches its most important missions.

He said those who rose before dawn to attend Easter sunrise services are part of an important mission as well.

"You comprise a special forces unit for God," he said. "You are trained for Easter's secret mission. You are here to receive your operations order, to infiltrate the world in the service of the kingdom of God."

Marilyn Armstrong, a member of the church, has attended its Easter sunrise service for about 10 years.

"It's just an inspiring morning," she said.

She estimated that more than half of the people at the service Sunday were not members of the church.

Although it was moved inside due to the threat of rain, it didn't actually rain during the service. Lamback said there also concerns that the ground would be too wet outside.

Sunrise services are typically timed to be held as the sun is rising in the background.

After the service, Lamback recalled attending a sunrise service at Phu Bai Combat Base in Vietnam following a 60-day field operation.

"It was very moving," he said. "That was my first year in the ministry."

This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 9:18 PM with the headline "Macon church holds 99th Easter sunrise service ."