easterTide
Easter Sunday is only the beginning!
A great fifty-day feast (known as “Eastertide,” “Easter Season,” or “Easter Time,” as well as “Paschaltide,” “Paschal Season,” or “Paschal Time”) kicks off on Easter Day and finishes on Pentecost Sunday.
Easter is the high point of the Church Year, reflected in the fact that our Lenten fast only lasts forty days (not including Sundays), while Easter is fifty days. It makes sense that we would party for so long! After all, the main point of the whole gospel is to prepare us for an eternal celebration and the Great Feast of the Lamb!
During Eastertide we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, who overcame death and opened to us the gate of everlasting life.
So let the feasting begin!
When & How is Eastertide Celebrated?
Easter Sunday begins this season and it continues for 50 days until Pentecost Sunday. It is to be celebrated in joyful exultation as one long feast day, as one “great Sunday”. It is preceded by Lent & Holy Week and followed by the season after Pentecost, often called Ordinary Time.
Questions to Ponder during Easter
What brings you joy?
How could you make more space for that in your life?
What new life might God be calling you to this spring?
Creative & Contemplative suggestions
Fish over a fire
Make a fire in the back yard and have fish and bread, like Jesus and Peter did, after Jesus was raised from the dead and visited his disciples. Read John 21:1-19 together.
book of common prayer
Daily readings for the first week of Easter can be found on page 723 of the BCP. We are in Year B. Following this week, return to the daily lectionary readings.
party and feasting!
Practice hospitality. Purchase special food or gifts. Plan special outings or dates with someone you love.
decoration
Decorate your home with flowers, a homemade banner, or a special centerpiece at the table. Plant a garden or a flower pot.
notice new life
Go on a hike and look for signs of new life. Sketch or take pictures of what you find.
call & response
Begin your days or meals with, "The Lord is Risen!" and "He is Risen Indeed!"
books and music for eastertide
Family & Children's Books:
- Something Better Coming by Megan Saben (ages 3-8)
- Darkest Night, Brightest Day by Marty Machowski (ages 5-10)
- A Jesus Easter by Barbara Reaoch (ages 5-12)
- The Story of God With Us by Kenneth Padgett & Shay Gregorie
- The Wonder of Easter: An Easter Journey for the Whole Family. A flexible devotional (different discussion suggestions based on age, 34 chapters, but if that's unrealistic just do the ones highlighted in grey, about 15) that walks the family through Luke's Gospel and parts of the the Old Testament to explore Christ's suffering and the limitless power of Easter. (**Note: this devotional would be suitable for the time of Lent & Eastertide.)
Eastertide Playlist by The Rabbit Room on Spotify
