Bradenton Easter sunrise service draws crowd of 600
BRADENTON -- Celebrating the resurrection of Jesus Christ some 2,000 years ago, a crowd estimated at 600 watched the sun rise Easter Sunday during a 6:30 a.m. service at the Riverwalk Mosaic Amphitheater and Pavilion.
The event that celebrates the resurrection was sponsored by Manatee Ministries Association and the Hernando DeSoto Historical Society.
The society was represented by this year's Hernando DeSoto, Bob Richardson, Captain Paul Webb, Queen Ellie Sharp, Princess Bailey Mosley and the Queen's Court.
The event tugged many hearts in the audience because the Rev. Wendell C. Wilson of Loving Hands Ministries, who has been a part of the Resurrection Celebration for roughly 40 years, announced that he would not be as involved in the future due to failing health.
In fact, Wilson announced that the Rev. Joseph Hamblen, assistant executive director at Loving Hands Ministries, will take over his duties at Loving Hands.
"I will still be there in the background, helping any way I can," Wilson said of Hamblen, who delivered the message on Sunday.
Christina Cook Lee, who sang "Forever" at the celebration, said she was overcome with emotions hearing Wilson's announcement. She has known Wilson for about 32 years.
"I really want to encourage Pastor Wendell to keep going," Lee said. "He just lost his wife recently, too. I hope he will continue to do whatever he can do for as long as he can."
Like many others who seem to want to struggle through the blackness of pre-Easter sunrise, Naomi Pingley and her daughter, Dorothy Boone of Palmetto were sitting in the darkness long before the event started.
"We try to come every Easter," said Pingley, who followed up the sunrise service with a service at West Bradenton Baptist Church in Bradenton. "What makes it special is all the people who gather together to worship. It's just good to be out here."
"The music and the sunrise is wonderful," Boone added.
Pingley said God has healed her many times and taken care of a lot of problems she has had.
"My family is great and we are all well," Pingley said. "He's provided for us. Anyone can have him in their lives. They just have to believe that he was born of a virgin and follow him because he is there for them all the time."
"All you have to do is feel sorry for what you have done and ask him for forgiveness," said Boone who remembers having faith when she was five. "He will cleanse you."
Bradenton's Sandy Smith came to the event with her daughter, Summer Smith, and her granddaughter, Aerial Rose Shaner and family friends, Taylor Nicole Alaniz and Taylor's mother, Christie.
The five were the first people to come at about 4:30 a.m.
"Summer is really bossy and she made us come this early so we could get good seats," Sandy Smith said.
"I never know what time I am supposed to be here so I never want to be late," Summer Smith said.
"I told my mom sunrise is at 7:30 a.m.," Aerial Rose said.
"We always come here," Summer Smith said. "Every year since Aerial was born."
"I like the sunrise," Aerial Rose said.
Asked about Jesus, the 13-year-old Aerial Rose had a quick reply.
"He's a pretty cool dude."
Richard Dymond, Herald reporter, can be reached at 941-745-7072 or contact him via Twitter@RichardDymond.
This story was originally published March 27, 2016 at 9:22 PM with the headline "Bradenton Easter sunrise service draws crowd of 600 ."