As Easter will be celebrated all over the world this Sunday, thousands are expected to gather at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. for the annual Easter sunrise service celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ. According to CBN News, more than 7,000 people are expected to unite together in prayer and worship as the sun comes up over the National Mall. The service is hosted by the National Community Church, and anyone who wants to attend is welcome.
The pastor of National Community Church and bestselling author, Mark Batterson, will be speaking at the service, and Gospel singer Todd Dulaney will be leading the worship service.
Discussing the magnitude of the event, Batterson said, “My wife, Lora, and I first attended this service about 25 years ago. There’s something special about standing on those historic steps: it’s larger than life. When thousands of people are gathered there, singing as one, it echoes a little louder, a little longer.”
Pastor Amos Dodge, who hosted the first service in 1979 which had about 100 attendees, shared what makes this event special. Dodge explained that during the sunrise on Easter morning, thousands gather to “declare that Christ is risen.” He shared that he never expected the event to grow to become an internationally recognized gathering of thousands of people all coming together to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Heather Zempel, an organizer of the service, shared that this event is even more astounding than the famous and beautiful Cherry Blossom Festival, noting that hearing thousands of people singing and worshiping together is an unforgettable experience.
With many joining the celebration, the 1,700 chairs are expected to fill up quickly, but attendees have plenty of room to find a spot on the lawn or on the steps of the Memorial.
As the world celebrates the resurrection of Jesus, and as people unite in worship and praise, all are reminded of the power of God, faith and prayer, and encouraged to continue spreading His light throughout the world.