Despite the rain, one annual Easter service tradition continued Sunday morning at Pioneer Farms, under a cover of darkness.
In the predawn hours, it was difficult to make out the landscape, which dates back more than 150 years. However on this Sunday, the location was more than a historical site.
It served as a backdrop for a special service for hundreds of members of the Holy Word Lutheran Church.
"It's a great place to have this, and to have church as the sun is rising is incredible on Easter Sunday," Church Vicar Paul Bowe said.
While the location may be great, the same could not be said for the weather this year.
"We heard that the forecast was supposed to be really good and really sunny, and it rained this morning," Bowe said.
The drizzle did not stop more than 500 people from attending the 45-minute service.
Many came armed with an umbrella, as they listened to one main message.
"Just a simple Easter story that Jesus Christ came and died on the cross and he promises forgiveness to everyone that turns to him," Pastor Donald Patterson said.
While the story may be simple, Patterson said the planning process can be made difficult by Mother Nature.
"It gets a little stressful, because it is weather dependent," Patterson said. "Four out of the last six years, it's been rained out, and it really could have been rained out today but it wasn't."
Patterson did not allow the wet weather to dampen the mood.
"It's God's parade and if he wants to rain on it, that's his deal," he said. "That alleviates the stress and makes us laugh about it."
This is the 25th year the church has held sunrise service at Pioneer Farms. According to Patterson, rain has been a slight interference only five times in those 25 years.
"I started off the service saying, ‘If you think we're crazy for having it in the rain, you're crazy for being here in the rain, so let’s be crazy together’,” he said.
Church officials said their attendance was lower than the 700 people expected to attend the service. However, some are encouraged by those that did come out, despite the less than perfect weather.
"It shows that people are loving to celebrate this time of year and Easter, it's really neat to see," Bowe said.
For those who did not make it out to the sunrise service, there was a separate Festival Service held later in the morning at the church.
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"The rabbit is well known as a sexual symbol of fertility. In various parts of the world, religions which developed from Babel also associate the rabbit with periodicity, both human and lunar (Egypt, China, etc.). As you may remember, the Mother Goddess Semiramis (Easter) is associated with the Moon. In other words, the Easter bunny symbolizes the Mother Goddess. Annual Spring time fertility rituals are associated worship of the Mother Goddess and Tammuz, the reincarnation of her husband Nimrod."
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