Easter Sunday will be "early" this year! I'm sure you've already realized this if you've looked ahead at your monthly calendar for March, 2008. But... do you know why it's early this year? A friend sent an email to me this week explaining "why" ... answering some interesting questions about Easter.
First, it's always the first Sunday after the first full moon after the Spring Equinox (which is March 20). The Easter date is based on the lunar calendar used by the Hebrew people to identify Passover. Based on all the information above, this year Easter will be March 23.
The amazing fact that you might not realize is that this Easter is the earliest that any of us will ever see for the rest of our lives. Really. The next time Easter will be this early (March 23) will be the year 2228 (220 years from now). Another amazing fact is that only folks who are 95 years old or older have ever seen Easter this early. The last time it was this early in the year was in 1913... so if you are 95 years old (plus), you are one of the few who were around for that Easter. The last time that Easter was earlier than that was in 1818 ... and I don't think any of us were around for that one!
Easter has a lot of cultural and religious significance especially to those who celebrate the Christian faith. But for some people Easter is just another sad day without enough food, money, and no place to live. Even in our beautiful coastal Panama City, there are homeless people. Most of them will find their way to the Rescue Mission in downtown Panama City. And if we didn't have the Rescue Mission, many men, women, and children would have no place to stay while trying to get back on their "feet."
The people who find themselves in unfortunate circumstances need some help and hope. The Easter season offers the hope of redemption to those who believe. When you help the Rescue Mission, you also offer hope to those who have no place else to turn. The following paragraph is from an email that I received today from the Rescue Mission... it tells how you can give "hope and a new beginning" to people who need some help.
"It only costs $1.92 to provide a warm Easter meal to a hungry, homeless person. Please consider a special gift of $19.20 to feed 10 people… $38.40 to feed 20 people… or $192 to feed 100 of Panama City’s homeless. And whatever you give this Spring. . . in March and April . . . will be matched by our generous friends at the Feinstein Foundation to help end hunger! After all, Easter should not be just another day of sad existence for anyone."
Easter, 2008, can be your chance to give the gift of a Spring blessing to someone who needs help and hope!
Volunteer Opportunities
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Easter Egg Hunt- March 22. Needy families will hear the Resurrection story, hunt for 1,000 eggs, enjoy a picnic lunch, and receive Easter baskets.
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Easter Dinner- March 23, 2008
Panama City Rescue Mission, P. O. Box 2359, Panama City, FL 32402
Panama City Bargain Center 401 E 6th St Panama City, FL 32401 Tel (850) 215-5778 panamacitybc1@pcrmission.org | 4th Street Emporium Household appliances repaired and re-sold. Tel (850) 215-3720 | Donation Center/Production 1801 E 11th St Panama City, Fl 32401 for pick-up: 850-769-5777 donationcenter@pcrmission.org |
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Hi Jan: Thanks for pointing it out. I had almost forgotten about the last time I celebrated Easter this early. I was a mere child then, and remember getting up early, lighting the candles (we did not have electricity then) going out back to go poddy (no indoor plumbing way back then) and then lighting the pot-bellied stove to get some warmth in the house.
The night before we (Mom and I) went out to the hen house (chicken coop to some of you) and got eggs for coloring. Such pleasant family memories from a time gone by. Ah yes... 1913... those were the days. Thanks for the reminder... I had almost forgotten. Take care...