The First Lutheran Church will have special music at both the 9 a.m. Contemporary Worship Service and the 11 a.m. Traditional Worship Service on Easter Sunday, March 31st.

The 9 a.m. Contemporary Easter Service in the lower level of the church will celebrate “Christ is Risen” with Holy Communion. The service will include Easter music, scripture readings, the Easter message by Pastor Mark E. Swanson, as well as observing Holy Eucharist. Congregational songs lead by the Sacred Fire Team will be “He is Risen,” “Glorious,” “Remembrance” sung at the communion, and “All the Earth Will Sing Your Praises.”

Childcare is provided at both worship services. The Contemporary Service is family friendly in a relaxing environment and about 45 minutes in length. The service will be video recorded and available online via the following: Facebook, Vimeo, and the Church website www.flcjny.org. The Sacred Fire Praise Team members include Kimberly King, Worship Leader & Coordinator of Contemporary Worship, Les King, Andrea Magnuson, Doug Anthony, Elaine Rissel, Brenda Ecklund, and Jonah Gruber.

There will be a half hour of special prelude music beginning at 10:30 a.m. prior to the 11 a.m. Traditional Worship Service in the church nave. Musical selections will include organ & piano solos Easter Morning, Joyous Dawning by Margarethe Hokanson, Prelude in B Minor by J. S. Bach, and There is No Greater Love – arr. by Harold De Cou, performed by Brian A. Bogey; a vocal duet, Behold the Man arr. by Tom Fettke and sung by Peter & Kimberly Larson; a trumpet solo, Andante from the Trumpet Concerto in B-flat by Franz Joseph Haydn and performed by Brandon Caruso; Fanfare for Easter by Sondra Tucker, and performed by the Good News Handbell Ensemble directed by Karen Linn; and Because He Lives by William & Gloria Gaither, sung by Julie Costantini.

The 11 a.m. Traditional Worship Service with Holy Communion and Pastor Mark E. Swanson preaching, will include festive Easter congregational hymns with organ and brass including Jesus Christ is Risen Today, Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds, That Day with Joy was Bright, and Thine Is the Glory. The choral anthems sung by the First Lutheran Choir will include Early in the Morning by Clifford McCormick and Be Joyful and Sing by Benjamin Harlan, accompanied by organ and trumpets. During communion Marika Koch, soprano soloist, will sing Alleluia (from Exsultate, Jubilate) by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart. The organ postlude will be Carillon de Westminster by Louis Vierne.

Worship participants at the 11 a.m. Traditional Worship Service will include the Rev. Mark E. Swanson, Pastor; Brian A. Bogey, Organist/Choirmaster; Brandon Caruso and Glenn Utter, trumpeters; Julie Costantini, Liturgist; Fran Guichard, Lector; and Marika Koch, Hymn Cantor. This service will also be video recorded on our First Lutheran Church Facebook page, and on our church website www.flcjny.org. The public is cordially welcome to attend.