In commemoration of Easter Sunday, we sought...

In commemoration of Easter Sunday, we sought out the organizers

behind an Easter sunrise service on the beach.

We found that Joan D’Ardenne, a Philadelphia native, came up with

the idea for the Christ Church by the Sea sunrise service with

parishioner David Draper.

Now in its 15th year, D’Ardenne may be attending for the last

time, as a job change has prompted her to move to Indianapolis to be

closer to her sister and her family. Daily Pilot Editor Tony Dodero

discussed the sunrise service with D’Ardenne.

How did the sunrise service come to be?

At the Methodist church I grew up in Pennsylvania, we always did a

sunrise service and my family was very active in it. When I moved out

here, I told the minister I can’t believe you don’t have a sunrise

service, with the beach right across the street.

What was the first year like?

We had no clue that anybody would show up. We advertised in the

paper. We made fliers, and we advertised the sunrise service and the

other church services we had. We rolled the fliers up and hung them

on door knobs. We did that for years. We did it the Saturday before

Palm Sunday. That’s how many people learned about it. It’s become a

family tradition for people. We have families that come from

Riverside and San Bernardino. Some come down from Redlands every

year. We were there at 5:30. It got to be like 6:15 and a handful of

people were there. Then all of a sudden, people came from everywhere.

People came on bikes, they brought their dogs. They came with their

beach chairs and blankets. It gives me goose bumps every time I think

about. The first year we had 150 people. The most we had was 450.

What does it average in attendance?

Last year we had 350. It plays into the weather. We’ve had only

one year where it rained. And we had 102 show up in the rain. And

they wanted to go on the beach, but we didn’t because it wasn’t a

drizzle -- it was a downpour.

Why is it so popular?

I think the draw of it is it’s the beach. Going into a church is

threatening to them. But the beach is a nonthreatening environment.

And it’s Easter, so they want to go to church, which I think is

great. I look as this service as more of an outreach to the

community. Because we have a very small congregation. We have had

people become members of our church after attending the sunrise

service.

Has the service surpassed or met or failed to meet your

expectations?

I think it has surpassed it -- hearing the people say it’s a

family tradition and that they look forward to it and the distance

that they travel to come to it. I was hoping it would be like that.

Now that your leaving have you done anything to ensure that it

will continue on?

I’ve had more offers to stay with people next Easter. Even though

I do all the planning. The help of all the volunteers -- that’s the

only reason it works. Everybody says this is a lot of work, planning

this service. Yes, it’s a lot of work, but to me it’s fun; it’s not

work.

What’s it like to see the sunrise come up on Easter morning?

First of all, lots of times, we don’t even have a sunrise. Being

on the beach it can be so overcast. But last year, the sun came

through the clouds; it was beautiful. It’s Easter morning, and the

beach is so beautiful, and you’re at the ocean. We’re celebrating

that Christ has arose from the dead, and to be there with the ocean

and beach that God has created is a very inspiring experience. A

couple years, when the minister has been giving his sermons, we’ve

actually had a school of dolphins jumping around. It’s almost like

they come on cue. It’s like -- how do they know the right time to

come?

What’s next for you?

It’s yet to be known. I’m moving to the Indianapolis area to be

closer to my sister and her family. I hope to get a job in event

planning and trip planning. When it’s minus 10 in the middle of

January and a foot of snow, I’ll miss the weather. I’m not looking

forward to that part, but I’m looking forward to being closer to

family. I don’t know what job I’ll end up with, and it’s exciting to

think I don’t know what lies ahead.

What would you like to say to your fellow parishioners as you

leave?

I hope the service continues, and I would like to thank everyone

who has helped out for the last 15 years. And I’d like to thank the

people who attended. Their attendance and the people who come are

what makes the service special. For those who have never attended, I

encourage you to come. To me, there is not a more glorious way to

start Easter morning than to go to a sunrise service on the beach.

There are people of all faith who come. The songs that we sing or

hymns that we use are very familiar to people. It’s been a lot of

fun. I will definitely miss doing this service.