MCRD/ERR PARRIS ISLAND, S.C. -- This year the Depot Religious Ministry Center kept alive a long-standing tradition with an Easter Sunrise Service behind the Depot Four Winds Club April 11.
The service kicked off at 7 a.m. and convened at 8 a.m. with songs, prayer, Easter baskets for the children, and a breakfast at the H&SBn. Mess Hall.
"It is very traditional in the military community to have a Sunrise Service," said Lt. Cmdr. Bruce Boyle, Recruit Training Regiment chaplain. "For a lot of folks, sunrise demonstrates the dawning of a new day, that new dawning of Christ and that new era. So a lot of folks like to start that off in a morning ceremony."
Ushering in a new era for their first Easter on the Depot, Master Sgt. Richard
Stewart, Depot property control chief, and his family attended the Sunday service. It may have been the first Sunrise Service they attended, but it will not be the last because Stewart sees Easter as an important day for the Christian faith.
"It is a good thing," said Stewart. "It shows that there are Christians in the military and it is OK to be in the military according to Romans 13:1 - 7."
While wars and militaries have been around a long time, so has the tradition of the Sunrise service.
"Sunrise services have been happening since the early church times," said Boyle. "This is an ancient Christian church tradition that has happened through the centuries. It isn't faith
specific, it's specifically tim-ed at the rising of the morningsun in time with the rising of Christ. It has a great illustrative affect, and that is the reason we have sunrise service."
"We are very happy with everyone who came out," added Boyle. "What is really important about the services is that you have people from all kinds of faiths and groups who come together. So it doesn't matter if you are Catholic, Baptist, Lutheran or Presbyterian or whatever your faith is. The significance of Christ rising from the dead throws away all of those denominations that we have and points all of that towards the rising of Christ."