Easter Sunday by Sue Anderson

Back in the Day at HPFUMC

During this time of staying home, I find myself reminiscing about my childhood a lot. I decided to share with all of you, my memories of Easter Sunday at HPFUMC back in the day. My family moved from Canal Winchester Ohio in Nov. 1955. We lived in Detroit while my parents searched for a house to buy. They found one in the Ferndale part of the Hazel Park School District and we moved in May 1956. Since we would be going to HP Schools, they chose HPFUMC to be our new home church. At that time, there were more pews in the sanctuary than there are today. The Chancel area stopped flesh with the front wall. (Chancel area was enlarged early in the 2000s). The library where we now hold coffee hour was called the annex area and had additional pews there. On Easter Sundays, folding chairs were added in all the aisle ways and at the back of the sanctuary. I can still hear my mom telling us to hurry getting ready for church on Easter Sundays. She always wanted to get there early in order to get a seat! Can you imagine that being the normal today? Praying for a day when that is our normal once again.
We always got a new outfit for Easter. As a girl, I’d get a new dress (sometimes a new-to-me hand me down from my two older sisters. They were close in age and Mom always made them the same dress in different colors. Therefore, I got the same dress in two colors. Lol) Anyway, I got a new dress, dress “Mary Jane” shoes, frilly socks, white gloves and of course, a new Easter bonnet. My dad would get Mom an orchid corsage and sometimes he even bought us girls a small corsage.
As a teenager, we had an active MYF (Methodist Youth Fellowship) group. I can remember going out to Bloomer State Park very early Easter Morning and holding a sunrise service there. If I am remembering correctly, we had breakfast there afterwards. This Easter Sunday will be very different for all of us. Maybe in our isolation this year, we will have time to ponder the real reason for celebrating Easter. We may not gather in our beautiful sanctuary but you all will be in my prayers. Our families won’t be gathering around our dinner table but I’m hoping to gather our children and grandchildren around their “screens” as we gather via zoom. Hope you and your families gather in whatever fashion you have available. I like Pastor Joe’s suggestion of celebrating Holy Week as a church when we are free to roam again.
Alleluia! Christ has risen! May you and your families be well and safe. Happy Easter!
Sue Anderson