Arlington’s 66th Annual Easter Sunrise Service
When: April 20, 2025 from 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Location: AMG Funeral Home Lawn & Parking Lot
As dawn softly awakens on Easter morning, we warmly welcome you to attend our 66th Annual Sunrise Service – an enduring community tradition.
This year’s Sunrise Service begins precisely at 7:00 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 20th and is held at the Arlington Funeral Home’s parking lot, which offers both comfort and convenience whether you prefer to soak in the fresh morning air, perhaps under a warm blanket or remain cozied up in your car, tuned to the live radio broadcast.
The History Behind Our Sunrise Service
For over six decades, the location of our Sunrise Service has meandered through Arlington’s grounds. For many years, it flourished in the serene Garden of the Old Rugged Cross, where amateur actors reenacted that most profound moment when the stone sealing Jesus’s tomb was shockingly discovered rolled away, revealing an empty tomb – a testament to Christianity’s resurrection and faith. As always, the weather was a determining factor, and on those inclement mornings, Arlington was grateful to partner with the Mt. Healthy United Methodist Church, where those attending the service moved to seek more comfortable shelter.
In 1989, the service was moved to the South Lawn of the Lakeside Chapel, where attendees enjoyed the scenic view of Arlington Lake and other wonders of nature, including the sometimes noisy honking of Canada Geese. Of course, this new location also ensured the service could seamlessly retreat indoors if nature demanded.
But, the unforeseen upheaval of 2020’s pandemic inspired our latest and most adaptable arrangement: transforming the Arlington Funeral Home parking lot into a space of worship and reflection. A stage rose at the front of the funeral home, and the service was broadcast into the intimacy of car radios or, if preferred, open-air seating close to the stage. The convenience and comfort of this arrangement have proven such a success that it has quickly become the new normal.
Event Details
This Easter, as Arlington celebrates its 66th iteration of this community tradition, we invite you to gather with friends, neighbors, and family to experience the beauty of the dawn and the power of community. The Reverend Dr. Kathy Engelhardt of Unity of Garden Park will lead an approximate 40-minute service, guiding us all in contemplation, celebration, and gratitude.
Please join us in welcoming the sunrise as we continue this timeless tradition of renewal and joy. Easter morn awaits all of us!
- SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2025
- SERVICE BEGINS AT 7 am
- oN THE LAWN AT THE ARLINGTON MEMORIAL GARDENS FUNERAL HOME
- BRING YOUR LAWN CHAIR TO SIT OUTSIDE, OR YOU CAN LISTEN TO THE SERVICE from your CAR RADIO
