17th Annual Easter Celebration at the Beach

WRIGHTSVILLE BEACH, NC (WWAY) — As the sun rose slowly and the waves crashed into the sand at Wrightsville Beach, hundreds of people gathered early in the morning for the 17^th Annual Easter Celebration at the Beach.

This service is sponsored by the North Pointe Community Church at the Oceanic Pier and encourages the congregation, members of the community and visitors to partake in the celebration.

The service started with a band from the congregation playing Christian music. Breakfast was provided, with doughnuts and breakfast sandwiches available. People of all ages came out and sat on the beach for the service.

Jeff Loman, North Pointe Community Church pastor, conducted the service. He says that he sees many new and familiar faces every year.

“It’s something that continues to attract a lot of tourists who are just in the area. But it also brings back regulars. I don’t know how many people I meet every single time we do this, they’re here every year, year after year,” Loman said.

People like John Romulus and Yvonne Pugh have come to the Sunrise Service for years and see this as an enlightening experience people should experience.

“To rise on Easter Sunday morning, to worship on the beach and to hear his powerful message… Today’s message, he talked about how the resurrection is the answer and that’s what changes everything for us,” Pugh said.

“We’re very fortunate here in the United States that we get to worship without persecution. A lot of places in the world, it’s not like that. I just think we got to be thankful for that,” Romulus said.

According to Loman, many other congregations held their services at their churches. North Pointe Community church wanted to try something different.

“We wanted to make it more of an outreach event. We thought ‘what better place to do it then right at the beach when the sun’s coming up over the Atlantic Ocean.’ It provides the best backdrop and ambiance to celebrate our saviors resurrection,” Loman said.

Loman says more than 600 people came out to experience the Sunrise Service and hopes even more people will come out to enjoy Easter at the beach in the future.