Compiled by The Bedford Citizen
Scores of residents, children and grandparents alike, gathered at the edge of Fawn Lake to celebrate Bedford’s 66th annual interfaith dawn service on Easter morning.
The Ecumenical Brass Ensemble under the direction of John Bridgeman opened and closed the service, with Bob McClatchey’s vintage MIT accordion accompanying the hymns. Cheryl Pespisa of First Church of Christ, UCC shared a Scripture reading; Janet Powers of First Parish read Mary Oliver’s poem, Spring; Dee Russell of First Parish shared the closing words.
Channeling Mary Magdalene this year’s organizer, Dawn LaFrance-Linden of First Parish, prompted a round of applause. Reading a text by Tess Baumberger, LaFrance-Linden brought the service face-to-face with the resurrection through Mary Magdalene’s first-person, albeit fictionalized, account. After the service, LaFrance-Linden confessed her membership in the MIT Shakespeare Ensemble during the mid-80s.
At the end of the service, participants were invited to return to First Church of Christ for a celebratory Easter breakfast.
The interfaith service was begun in 1951, by Doris and Reed Webber of the First Church of Christ, Congregational, UCC. For most of its 60+ years, the service has relied on lay leadership from participating Bedford congregations: First Baptist Church, St. Paul’s Episcopal Church, First Church of Christ, UCC, the Parish of Saint Michael, and First Parish in Bedford, UU. Next year’s service will be organized by First Baptist Church.
New members of the Easter Dawn service committee are always welcome, and new brass players are also invited to participate in next year’s service. Interested? Email [email protected] and we’ll help to make the connection.
Loading ...
