A timid sun greeted worshipers early Easter morning, but that did not dampen spirits of those gathering for a community sunrise service at Hillcrest Memorial Park on Sunday, April 17.
Hillcrest Baptist Church on Deans Bridge Road hosted the service, and Dr. Dwayne M. Boudreaux, associational missionary minister for the Augusta Association of Baptist Churches, delivered the message of grace and hope in the resurrection of Christ. Before the service, Boudreaux said the theme of his sermon would be that “we don’t serve a dead king but a risen savior.”
the Augusta Association of Baptist Churches. Staff photo by
Debbie Reddin van Tuyll
That was one of the first topics Boudreaux addressed in his sermon.
“This is a glorious day to celebrate an empty tomb and filled hearts,” Boudreaux told the 50 to 75 worshipers who gathered among the pines below the Chapel Mausoleum. “There is no consequence of the cross without the resurrection.”
Boudreax was referencing the Christian belief that Jesus’s died and was resurrected to offer them eternal life.
Scriptures in the Chapter 11 of the Christian Bible’s book of John refer to Jesus telling his followers that “those who believe in him will yet live,” Boudreaux said.
Throughout the service, the sun rose higher and higher in the sky so that it was shining brightly as Boudreaux neared the end of his sermon. He pointed to the sunshine filtering through the trees and reminded listeners, “That’s a sunrise, but we know of the Son rise.”
Boudreaux left those gathered with two admonitions. The first was, “Rejoice, Church,” and the second was to spread the news of salvation.
He urged worshipers to “go tell, go tell, go tell, Augusta!”
