The Community Easter Dawn Service will return to Morgan Memorial Park on April 5, bringing together local congregations for a bilingual sunrise gathering overlooking Hempstead Harbor.
Set against the backdrop of the harbor and a 16-foot cross erected near the jetty, the annual service has become a staple in Glen Cove since it was first established in 2016 by three churches seeking to create a shared space of worship. Now in its 10th year, the event is organized by a coalition of seven local churches and continues to emphasize unity across denominations.
Gaitley Stevenson-Mathews, an elder in the Presbyterian denomination and chair of the organizing committee, said the service is designed to complement traditional Easter worship.
“The service has always been intended not as a replacement for worship at one’s own church, but rather as an opportunity for area churches and all who celebrate Easter to come together briefly at the start of the day, united by a shared faith,” Stevenson-Mathews said. “It is not meant to take the place of one’s regular Easter service or fulfill any obligation within one’s own tradition, but rather to complement those celebrations.”
He added that the structure of the program reflects that intention.
“For this reason, the gathering is kept to approximately 30 minutes,” he said. “It is not a full Mass, does not include Communion, and the Easter message — typically shared by two or three clergy — is also shorter than one would typically experience in a full service.”
Clergy leading the service will include Rev. James E. Booker of Calvary A.M.E. Church, Pastor Raul Martinez of Iglesia Ciudad Casa de Dios Internacional, Pastor Tommy Lanham of Glen Cove Christian Church and Rev. Roger C. Williams of First Baptist Church.
Assisting with the service will be Merle Richards, choir president and evangelist at Calvary A.M.E. Church; Claudette Bryan, evangelist at Calvary A.M.E. Church; Donna Brady, worship leader at Shelter Rock Church; Stevenson-Mathews; and Minister Carol Buchanan of First Baptist Church.
The service will be held in person at Morgan Park and streamed live on the Easter Dawn Facebook page, allowing those unable to attend to participate virtually.
Pastor Raul Martinez, who has participated in the service for the past three years, said the event carries a powerful message of unity.
“It is a blessing to gather as one community united by the promise of the Resurrection, central to all of the Christian faith,” Martinez said.
That sense of unity is also reflected in the service’s multilingual components. Lydia Wen, a Mandarin Chinese interpreter who has participated in past services, said the gathering offers a rare moment of connection across cultures and denominations.
“Sunday morning is like the most segregated time of the week for Christians,” Wen said. “Everybody kind of goes to their own denominations, and I think this is pretty incredible to come together to do this before we all go to our own services.”
Wen added that the shared message transcends language.
“I just think it really is a reflection of heaven in the future, because there’s going to be so many different languages spoken,” she said. “Even though it’s just ‘He is risen,’ it’s such a short line, but really I think it’s profound because it’s everything that we all believe.”
Community members are also invited to take part in the service’s choir. A rehearsal will be held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, March 30. For more information on the event or to donate towards advertising contact organizers at: easterdawnglencove@gmail.com.
The service, which runs approximately 30 minutes, is open to all and will take place rain or shine.
