By Ben Robinson
Staff Reporter

brobinson@thepccourier.com

COUNTY — With Easter just around the corner, Pickens County churches and organizations have planned activities to commemorate the season.

Easter Sunday is set for April 5, and Hillcrest Memorial Gardens will once again host a sunrise service beginning at 7 a.m. that day. The guest speaker at the event will be James Lawson, student minister at Secona Baptist Church in Pickens. The Secona praise band will provide music for the service.

The Table Rock State Park visitors center will also host a sunrise service at 7 a.m. on Easter Sunday. Candy Watson will be the guest speaker for the service, which could be moved to the Table Rock Lodge in case of rain.

Easley First Baptist Church will present the musical “The Rose of Calvary” at 10:15 a.m. on Easter morning.

Rock Springs Baptist Church will have a sunrise service beginning at 6 a.m. or 6:30 a.m. on Easter Sunday, depending on when the sunrise is forecast. The church will also have its two regular Sunday services at 9:30 a.m. and 10:45 a.m., as well as a special singing service that night at 6 p.m.

Nine Forks Baptist Church and neighboring Shoals Creek Baptist Church will have their annual joint sunrise service at 7 a.m. on Easter Sunday. The service is a unique opportunity, because Shoals Creek is a traditionally black church and Nine Forks is a traditionally white church. The two congregations join each Easter to celebrate their brotherhood in Christ. Nine Forks pastor the Rev. Stephen Owens will be the speaker for this year’s service, held at Shoals Creek. The Shoals Creek women’s group will provide breakfast following the service.

The Liberty Ministerial Association will hold its annual Easter sunrise service at 7 a.m. at Norris First Baptist Church. After the service, biscuits will be served.

A children’s celebration is planned at Liberty First Baptist Church from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. on Saturday, April 4, the day before Easter. The day will also feature a lunch for seniors at 12:30 p.m.