A few years ago a young lady told me - "We really blew it last Sunday!" Luckily she was not a part of our congregation! She went on to explain that on Easter Sunday they had used all the Bells and Whistles that their congregation could muster. She admitted that it was a very impressive service and enjoyed by all.
But her concern was...
What were returning visitors going to think when they returned the Sunday after Easter? The service that was modeled on Easter wasn't close to the one that would be modeled the Sunday after.
If you're prone to do a direct mail piece the week of Easter inviting your community to your Easter service, the Sunday after may actually be more important than Easter. Why? Because many already have a church for Easter - the old family church, maybe they will worship with grandparents, maybe with another friend, etc...
But, the Sunday after Easter may be the first time they are able to check out your church. Unfortunately, many years ago the Sunday after usually had low attendance. Why? How can you top an Easter service that had all the Bells and Whistles of the week before? People know the level of excitement would be less than the week before.
Of course Easter should be a very special day - that's without question! But where do we draw the line so the Sunday after is another mini-Easter as every Sunday should be?
