by Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P., Certified Open Adoption Practitioner and Founder of Lifetime
Here we are. The churches are literally closed. People are searching for hope like that missing Easter egg you put somewhere last year. Now more than ever, we need the promise of the Resurrection and God’s triumph.
For many, a COVID-closure Easter feels like something that can wait. But let’s not lose the meaning of Easter. Especially right now, we need the reminder of our true hope, of the power of the One who raised Jesus from the dead.
With a minimum amount of prep, your Easter Sunday spent at home can still be memorable and meaningful. This year, it’ll just look like church in your living room instead of at your church’s sunrise service.
Here’s how you can celebrate Easter at home, in seven easy steps:
1. Prepare Something to Share
A few days before Easter, ask the members of your household to prepare something to share with the family. As Corinthians says, “When you come together, each of you has a hymn, or a word of instruction, a revelation, a tongue or an interpretation. Everything must be done so that the church may be built up.” (14:26).
If you have children, you could provide a few ideas based on their interests:
- Lead a song that they like
- Read a Bible verse
- Bring a board book about Easter
- Lead you all in prayer
- Give a few insights about the passage from Scripture
- Draw a picture about the real, first Easter
2. Select Songs
Decide together which songs you’ll sing about the Resurrection. You could visit YouTube to find videos with song lyrics. Or, you might try downloading a few songs to play, and read the lyrics on your phones.
Begin with upbeat songs, and let your kids play instruments, dance, or whatever helps make joyful noise toward Jesus.
3. Choose Warm Ups to the Bible Reading
For your own family’s Lord’s Supper/Communion during your at-home celebration of Easter, make sure you have crackers or bread and juice on-hand.
If you have children, use YouTube for Biblically-based videos to watch together. Try searching for “Resurrection Easter kids.” Then, you might provide them with paper and markers so they can draw what they’ll be hearing. Let your kids act out what they hear in the Bible story and give them some props. After that, everyone can offer their unique part of the service (from step 1).
4. Select a Bible Passage
Some ideas include:
- John 20:1-29
- Luke 24:1-12
- Matthew 28:1-15: Pick a Resurrection account. Smaller kids may need a storybook-Bible version.
- Luke 24:13-35: The Road to Emmaus.
- 1 Corinthians 15
5. Ask Questions
Next, you might ask each other questions to reflect on the Easter story. If you have younger kids celebrating Easter at home, feel free to keep this simple and short! Here are some possible questions:
- What does this tell us about God and what He wants us to know about Himself?
- Why does this matter? What does it look like in your own life?
- What are these verses saying, in your words?
- What verse sticks out to you, and why?
- What are you thankful for?
6. Pray Together
Keep it real and worshipful. Ask your husband to lead the family in prayer. Or, if you have older children, you might ask one of them to do this part.
7. Sing One More Song
The last step is to finish Easter at home with one more celebration song.
The goal of your Easter at home shouldn’t be to perform well enough for a Hallmark movie or for it to go off without a hitch. While you plan your Easter at home, ask that He would be worshiped and adored by your family.
About the Author, Mardie Caldwell, C.O.A.P.
Mardie Caldwell is the Founder of Lifetime Christian Adoption and Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P). She has been dedicated to bringing adoptive couples and birth parents together in order to fulfill their dreams since Lifetime’s inception in 1986.
A trailblazer in open adoption, Mardie has generously provided her knowledge, experience, and caring heart at media appearances around the world. Many first met Mardie through one of her media appearances in as one of the most experienced adoption experts in the U.S.
Founder of Lifetime Adoption, adoptive mom, adoption expert, and Certified Open Adoption Practitioner (C.O.A.P).
Since 1986, adoption expert Mardie Caldwell has been dedicated to bringing couples and birth parents together in order to fulfill their dreams.
“Many years ago, I was also searching for a child to adopt. We didn’t know where or how to get started. Through research, determination, and a prayer, our dream of a family became reality. I started with a plan, a notebook, assistance from a caring adoption consultant and a lot of hard work; this was my family I was building. We had a few heartaches along the way, but the pain of not having children was worse!
Within weeks we had three different birth mothers choose us. We were overwhelmed and delighted. Many unsettling events would take place before our adoption would be finalized, many months later. Little did I know that God was training and aligning me for the adoption work I now do today. It is my goal to share with our families the methods and plans which succeed and do not succeed. I believe adoption should be affordable and can be a wonderful “pregnancy” for the adoptive couple.
I have also been on both sides of infertility with the loss of seven pregnancies and then conceiving by new technology, giving birth to a healthy daughter. I have experienced first-hand the emotional pain of infertility and believe my experience allows me to serve your needs better.
It is my hope that for you, the prospective parents, your desire for a child will be fulfilled soon.”
