A DEATH
HAS OCCURRED
When: April 5, 2026 from 7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Location: AMG Funeral Home Lawn & Parking Lot
At the gentle break of dawn on Easter morning, we hope you’ll join us for Arlington’s 67th Annual Sunrise Service, a beloved and cherished community tradition rooted in reflection, hope, and renewal, with the rising sun serving as a metaphor for light overcoming darkness, life overcoming death.
This year’s service will begin at 7:00 a.m. on Easter Sunday, April 5, and will be held in the Arlington Funeral Home parking area, a location offering both comfort and flexibility. Guests are welcome to sit outdoors and take in the quiet beauty of the morning, perhaps wrapped in a blanket, or remain in their vehicles and listen to the live radio broadcast.
Arlington’s Sunrise Service has found its home in different spaces of our grounds for more than six decades. Each setting offered its own sense of meaning and connection.
For many years, the service was held in the Garden of the Old Rugged Cross, where reenactments of the moment the stone was rolled away brought to life an enduring symbol of resurrection and faith. During bad weather, we were thankful to partner with Mt. Healthy United Methodist Church and use its space, ensuring the service could continue without interruption.
In 1989, the service moved to the South Lawn of the Lakeside Chapel, where the rising sun over Arlington Lake and the familiar, noisy calls of Canada geese became part of the experience.
Recently, the challenges of the 2020 pandemic led to a new format: a carefully arranged outdoor service centered at the funeral home, with audio broadcast directly to attendees’ vehicles. What started as a necessity has become a preferred tradition, offering both accessibility and a uniquely personal way to participate. We are lucky to have Alecia Braddock presiding over this year’s service. The Easter Message is “An Uncloudy Day.” We look forward to welcoming you on Easter Morning.
This Easter, as Arlington celebrates its 67th 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.
Please join us in welcoming the sunrise as we continue this timeless tradition of renewal and joy. Easter morn awaits all of us!
