Celebrate holiday at Washington Center

JIM CARLILE THE OLYMPIAN

OLYMPIA -- Easter, the most important of the Christian holidays, traditionally draws fewer people to church than does Christmas.

Easter services at the First United Methodist Church of Olympia are among the few exceptions. For 17 years, the church has been drawing too many people for its sanctuary on Easter.

Once again this year, the church will meet for two of its four services at the Washington Center for the Performing Arts, said the Rev. Dale Cockrum. He said they don't meet there just because their sanctuary is too small.

"We feel good about it because the community can gather there in a fairly neutral environment," he said. "This is a way for us to reach out and share our services with the community."

The church's Easter services usually draw about 1,800 people, he said.

Cockrum said one of the big draws of the Easter services is the music. The combined choir and youth choir will sing, there will be children's music, and organist Andy Crow will show off his skills on the recently renovated pipe organ.

"It's a Wurlitzer -- the kind of organ you'd have in a theater. We'll be using that," Crow said.

The historic pipe organ was damaged during the 2001 Nisqually Earthquake, and it cost about $35,000 to repair. Crow was one of a few local people who donated time to restore the organ.

Crow also will give a Good Friday organ concert at 12:10 p.m. Friday in the church sanctuary. Holy Thursday will be celebrated by the church at 6:30 p.m.

Services at the Washington Center are at 9 and 11 a.m. There also will be a 7 a.m. sunrise service at Forest Cemetery and an 8 a.m. traditional service at First United Methodist Church.

EASTER SERVICES

What follows is a partial list of Easter-related services in South Sound.

Lacey

- Seven Lacey churches will participate in a Good Friday event walking the Stations of the Cross on the campus of Saint Martin's College. Participants will meet at 1 p.m. Friday at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 812 Bowker St. S.E., Lacey.

The group will pause at each station to read a scripture and pray before returning to the church building. Everyone is welcome. Participating churches include: Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, Lacey Community Church, Lacey Presbyterian Church, Sacred Heart Catholic Church, South Sound Vineyard Christian Fellowship, St. Benedict Episcopal Church, St. Mark Lutheran Church and Saint Martin's Abbey.

- Christ The Servant Lutheran Church, 4300 Carpenter Road S.E., Lacey. Good Friday candlelight service at 7 p.m. Easter Sunday: 8:45 a.m. liturgical service, the 10:15 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. services are praise/celebration services. Easter breakfast served 8 a.m. to 11 a.m. Nursery care provided at all services. 360-456-2755.

- College Street Christian Church, 3816 College St., Lacey. Easter Sunday services: 9 and 10:45 a.m. Sunday school during services. 360-491-7372.

- Faith Assembly of Lacey, 5615 30th Ave. S.E., Lacey. Easter Sunday services at 8, 9:30 and 11 a.m.; Sunday school available at all services. 360-459-1444.

- Faith Lutheran Church and School, 7075 Pacific Ave. S.E., Lacey. Good Friday services are at 10 a.m. and 7 p.m. Easter Sunday services at 7 and 11 a.m. Child care is available at both Sunday services. 360-491-3552.

- First Baptist Church of Lacey, 4705 22nd Ave. S.E., Lacey. Easter Sunday services include sunrise service at 7 a.m. and an 11 a.m. cantata. Sunday school and day care available at both services. 360-491-1440.

- Korean language services, Easter Sunday service at 11 a.m. New Zion Baptist Church, 6007 Pacific Ave. S.E., Lacey. Sunday school and day care available at the service. Call 456-0191.

- Lacey Chapel, 6646 Pacific Ave. Easter Sunday service at 10:45 a.m.; Easter breakfast from 8:30 to 10:30 a.m. "Kingdom Kids," for ages 2-9 during the service. Call 360-456-4123.

- Lacey Community Church, 4501 19th Ave. S.E., Lacey. Easter Sunday service 11 a.m. Day care and Sunday school are available during the service. 360-491-1741.

- Lacey Presbyterian Church, 3045 Carpenter Road S.E., Lacey. Easter Sunday services at 8 and 10:30 a.m. Day care is available during the services. Easter breakfast from 9 to 10:15 a.m. Call 360-491-7722.

- Messiah Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2733 Marvin Road S.E., Lacey. Maundy Thursday service at 7 p.m. Good Friday service at 7 p.m. Easter for kids on Saturday from 9 to 11:30 a.m. includes Easter egg hunt and Bible lessons. Easter Sunday services 9:30 a.m. Easter breakfast at 8 a.m. Nursery care available during the service. 360-923-1961.

- North Thurston Life Center, 2425 Marvin Road N.E., Lacey. Easter Sunday service 10:30 a.m. 9:15 a.m. Sunday school for all ages. 360-493-1493.

- Sacred Heart Catholic Church, 812 Bowker St. S.E., Lacey. Holy Thursday Mass of the Last Supper at 7:30 p.m. Good Friday a Celebration of the Lord's Passion at 7:30 p.m., Holy Saturday 8 a.m. morning prayer and Easter Vigil Mass at 8:24 p.m., Easter Sunday Masses at 6, 8 and 10 a.m. and noon. No incense at 6 and 8 a.m. Masses. Child care is available at 10 a.m. and noon Masses. Call 360-491-0890.

- St. Benedict's Episcopal Church, 910 Bowker St. S.E. Lacey. Good Friday: 8 a.m. Holy Eucharist in the church, 10:30 a.m. Good Friday liturgy in the Panorama City chapel and 7:30 p.m. Stations of the Cross in the church. Saturday: Great Vigil of Easter at 7:30 p.m. Easter Sunday: Holy Eucharist at 9:30 and 11:30 a.m. Nursery care at both services on Sunday. 360-456-2240.

- St. George Byzantine Catholic Church, 9730 Yelm Highway, 1/3 mile east of Meridian Road, Lacey. Good Friday service at noon Matins with reading of the 12 Passion Gospels and 7 p.m. Vespers service with procession with the burial cloth of Jesus. An all-night vigil follows. Holy Saturday 6 p.m. Vespers and liturgy. Easter Sunday 9 a.m. Easter Procession and Pascal Matins and 10 a.m. Easter Liturgy followed by blessing of Pascal food. 360-413-5651.

- South Sound Vineyard Christian Fellowship, 5121 39th Ave. S.E., Lacey. Easter Sunday services include 6:30 a.m. Sunrise Service at the Jacob Smith House in Lacey and a 10:30 a.m. service at Mountain View Elementary, 1900 College St. S.E., Lacey. 360-493-6817.

Olympia

- River Ridge Covenant Church, 7945 Steilacoom Road S.E., Olympia. "The Last Supper: A Living Dramatization" 7-9 p.m. Thursday and Friday. Free nursery care provided. Free parking. Easter services 7, 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday. Call 360-923-1569.

- The United Churches of Olympia, 110 11th Ave. S.E., Olympia. Free organ concerts 12:10 p.m. today through Thursday. Good Friday services 6:45 p.m. at the Dan Evans Scout Park east of the church with procession into the sanctuary at 7 p.m.; Saturday services 5 p.m.; Easter services 8:15 and 11 a.m. Sunday; 9:30 a.m. Easter Egg Hunt; Easter brunch 7:30 a.m.-1 p.m. Call 360-943-1210.

- First Baptist Church of Olympia, 904 Washington St., Olympia. Holy Week services continue through Friday 12:10-12:50 p.m. with light refreshments available before and after services. Tenebrae services 6:30 p.m. Thursday. Call 360-357-3881.

- Capital Christian Center, 819 Olympia Ave., Olympia. "Easter Musical: Come Now is the Time" performances: 7 p.m. Thursday; 7 p.m. Friday; 4 p.m. Saturday; 6 p.m. Sunday. Call 360-943-4391.

- Saint Michael Catholic Church, downtown church at 1021 Boundary St., Olympia, westside chapel at 1835 Overhulse Road N.W., Olympia and Southside Community at Black Hills High School Commons, 7741 Littlerock Road S.W., Tumwater. Services at noon today at the Downtown chapel. Stations of the Cross with Children's Faith Formation at 7 p.m. today at the Downtown church. Holy Thursday services 7 p.m. Thursday; Prayer and Stations of the Cross noon-3 p.m. Friday at the downtown church; Good Friday services 7 p.m. at the downtown church; Easter Vigil services 8:30 p.m. Saturday at the downtown church. Easter Sunday services 7:30 a.m. downtown, 8:30 a.m. westside, 9:30 a.m. downtown, 10:30 a.m. southside, 11:30 a.m. downtown and 6 p.m. downtown. Call 360-754-4667.

- Westminster Presbyterian Church, 1925 Boulevard Road S.E., Olympia. Maundy Thursday services 7 p.m. Good Friday services 7 p.m. at the United Churches of Olympia. Easter services 9 and 11 a.m. Sunday. Call 360-357-5750.

- Capital Church of Christ meets at the Women's Club, 1002 Washington St. S.E., Olympia. Bible class 9:30 a.m. Easter services 10:30 a.m. 360-943-4308.

Tumwater

- Eternal Light Metropolitan Community Church, which meets at Friends Meeting House, 219 B St. -- Easter service at 7 p.m. 360-491-5483.

- Evangel Worship Center, 6820 Capitol Blvd. S. -- Easter service 10 a.m. The play "Confession of a Dying Man" will be presented at 7 p.m. Sunday. 360-357-3652.

- First Baptist Church of Tumwater, 708 East X St. -- Easter services 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. 360-943-1701.

- Mountain View Church of the Nazarene, 940 Israel Road S.W. -- Good Friday service 7 p.m.; Easter services 9 and 10:45 a.m. 360-943-0795.

- Tumwater United Methodist Church, 1401 Lake Park Drive S.W. -- Good Friday service noon; Good Friday prayer vigil 6 p.m.-midnight; Easter sunrise service 5:30 a.m. (at Tumwater Hill); Easter breakfast 7-10 a.m.; Easter service 11 a.m., followed by Easter egg hunt. 360-786-1416.

For more local news go to the South Sound Living section.

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