By SHELBA NIVENS / Community Columnist

As the Chelsea community has mushroomed in recent years, so have churches in the area.

And people turned out in record numbers for Easter services.

“This was our largest and most beautiful Easter so far at St. Catherine’s,” said the Rev. John Mark Ford, rector at St. Catherine’s Episcopal Church.

While across the road, 917 people attended the three Easter morning services at Chelsea Community Church (CCC), according to Pastor Greg Davis. Rev. Leonard Irvin pastor at Mt. Signal Baptist, said they also had their largest attendance in sometime. But the number of seats being filled are not the most important thing happening at these and other community churches, leaders say.

People accepting Christ and letting him change their lives takes top priority.

Easter services at St. Catherine’s included a baptismal service, and at CCC, a couple from the congregation shared the powerful story of their changed marriage and changed lives through video and live drama.

At Chelsea Church of God, Easter day started with a “Resurrection Celebration Breakfast” cooked by pastors Mike Kiker and Steve Wallace.

“During the worship service Remnant Youth ministered in drama and human videos,” Tammy Watkins said, “telling the story of Jesus from the time of his Last Supper to his arrest, trial, beating, crucifixion, death, burial and, most importantly, his resurrection.”

The church choir joined the celebration with songs of Christ’s victory over sin and the grave. “What a day of rejoicing in the fact that He is alive forevermore!” she said.

At St. Catherine’s and Lakeview Methodist, children took part by forming a “live” cross with live flowers and greenery.

Rev. Irvin’s message at Mt. Signal centered around the difference between Jesus’ resurrection from the dead and that of others in the Bible who had been resurrected.

“Except for Jesus, all the recorded resurrections came from a power (that of God) from outside the raised person,” he said. “The resurrection of Jesus, however, came from divine power innately within Him.”

Shelba Nivens can be reached by email at Shelbasn@juno.com.