Easter

Easter is more than a single day—it is a full season of 50 days! That’s plenty of time to joyfully celebrate the gift of the risen Christ in our lives.

Easter season formation resources can be difficult to come by, though. Partly, the cultural focus is on Easter baskets and egg hunts. Lent and Holy Week programming and preparation may have exhausted resources and effort. And, for some of us, Easter marks the approaching end of the program year, and the beginning of summer.

Wherever you are, take a look through these resources to inspire and equip you for the full 50 days and beyond!

Telling the Easter Story

Resurrection Gardens

Resurrection Gardens are a visual reminder of the promise of the empty tomb. The links below can provide inspiration, but adapt to your own abilities, space, and circumstances.

Resurrection Set

Illustrated Ministry’s Resurrection Set ($) is like an Easter version of a nativity set. It is a fun and meaningful activity for families to do at home during the Easter season and for churches to share with their communities.

An Illustrated Resurrection Set

Easter Books

Keep the Easter focus on Jesus’ resurrection by including faith-based books in Easter baskets.

9 Children’s Easter Books
Look and Find Easter Stories for Young Children
by Laura Alary: Make Room / Rise / Breathe

Alleluia. Christ is risen.

The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.

Easter at Church

Here are some ideas for drawing attention to the themes and events of the full Easter story, in gathered settings.

Stations of the Resurrection

While many may be familiar with the Stations of the Cross (Via Dolorosa) of Holy Week, the Stations of the Resurrection (Via Lucis) provide a framework for us to meaningfully reflect on the joy and hope of Christ’s Resurrection. This can be an individual, small group, or congregation-wide devotion, interpreted in a variety of ways. Two to consider:

This downloadable art installation from Scott Erickson is an accessible way to invite the community into the fullness of the Easter story.
The Church of England offers a liturgical framework for the Stations of the Resurrection in the Easter section of their Common Worship materials—click on “Stations of the Resurrection” at the link to go straight to the relevant information.

Illustrated Ministry Easter Resources

Illustrated Ministry offers a wide variety of resources for marking the full Easter season. Of particular interest may be:

Good News: An Easter Pageant ($), which is an intergenerational and adaptable script for telling the Easter story.
Lots of Easter coloring pages ($), which can be used in group formation and fellowship settings, or distributed for at-home use.
Storytelling with Shapes ($) is a tactile way to engage with the Easter story.

Easter Fellowship Kit

The Christian Formation team in the Diocese of New Jersey is pleased to offer this Easter Fellowship Kit for use in congregations, ministries, and homes throughout the diocese. All items are designed for flexible use in a variety of settings. Feel free to use and/or adapt whichever pieces work in your context.