Easter services at Union Hill Baptist Church, Oneonta, began a day early as church members read aloud the New Testament. Starting at 6:30 a.m. Saturday, 90 individuals ranging in age from grade-schoolers to senior adults took turns at the podium.
Pastor Bill Barnett said the idea came from an article he’d read on LifeWay Christian Resources’ Web site titled "A Scriptural Beginning for the New Year," by Diana Davis.
"The past two years, our church has read through the New Testament from New Year’s to Easter," Barnett said. "It just seemed like a good way to complete our effort this year." He added the church would likely do the Easter read-through again.
Faced with the challenge of reading the entire New Testament aloud within 24 hours, the members easily surpassed the goal and kept going. After reading the last verse of Revelation at 1:30 a.m. Sunday, they skipped to the Old Testament, reading Psalms and into Proverbs until Union Hill Baptist’s sunrise service began at 6:30 a.m. The accomplishment provided an inspiring start to the day, Barnett said. "It was a sunrise service to remember," he said.
In addition to the 120 people attending the sunrise service and community breakfast afterward, more than 600 people attended the 8:30 and 11 a.m. services. The Friendship Baptist Association church averages between 350 and 400 on Sunday mornings. Five people joined the church that day and five more were baptized.
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