By Elna Seabrooks
Staff Writer
HOULTON — A rose-colored sky peeked through the darkness as warmer than normal temperatures created a stark contrast from earlier years for the Easter sunrise service on the porch at St. Mary of the Visitation in Houlton.
Houlton Pioneer Times Photos/Elna Seabrooks
COMMUNITY BREAKFAST — Tayler Cole and Olivia Gervais visited tables with coffee and muffins. Seated are Capt. Irma Pearl of the Salvation Army, John Folsom and Joshua Carr.
Some 60 or more faithful attended the 6 a.m. ecumenical service sponsored by the Southern Aroostook Ministerial Association (SAMA) as the Salvation Army Band played “Christ The Lord Is Risen Today.” Immediately following the hymn, words of welcome and exclamations of “He is risen!” lifted up the eternal message of renewal told in the Bible about the resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Marilyn Roper said she was happy to see so many denominations represented. “This is a glorious Easter morning,” she said. “For so many years, I can’t even remember how many, we used to be at the barracks with terrible rain, snow, sleet. You name it, we had it. This is the most beautiful Easter that I’ve experienced here because it’s so warm and so beautiful. Usually, we are really wrapped up and freezing,” said Roper. Her husband, Harrison Roper who played the trumpet, said it was the first time he played with the band when it wasn’t snowing and sleeting.
Reconciliation theme
Rev. Robert “Bob” Johnston spoke to the assembled worshipers on SAMA’s seasonal theme of reconciliation. During his remarks to the congregation, he said never did he think as a Baptist, he would be at a Catholic church for such a service.
Rev. Dale Holden, retired pastor of the First Congregational Church of Houlton UCC puts more food on the table while Jean Johnston looks on. As the service ended, Rev. Johnston said SAMA’s Lenten theme “in all of our churches focused on how we need to be reconciled to each other in our traditions, but mostly to the community. This is a conclusion to what’s been going on during lent. We didn’t have this kind of fellowship when I was a youngster here in town everyone was very independent. This is a whole new thing. It runs the gamut of all traditions. Folks are here from every church in town.”
From the porch of St. Mary’s, most, if not all, drove or walked to the First Congregational Church of Houlton, United Church of Christ, for a community breakfast where no holds were barred for an expansive buffet. Rev. Marc Fuller, the pastor said, “it’s been a tradition that we always do the breakfast after the sunrise service. Young people made this morning’s breakfast and the ladies in church are putting it together.” Among the many breakfast items were quiches, eggs, fruit, sausages, pancakes, a variety of muffins, hash browns, coffee and juice. 
Band members, Harrison Roper, Peter Carr, Jenna Carr and Capt. Irma Pearl play for the sunrise service.
Tayler Cole from Military St. Baptist Church, said she made scrambled eggs and got up at 5 a.m. But, she really wanted to start earlier. She goes to church with Olivia Gervais who made pancakes. After food was reheated, they and other young people visited tables to dish up refills and serve guests. Commentary on the church service and the food was unanimous — “great.”
