He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.
Matthew 28:6
The April 5, 2026, Easter celebrations at Newton Highlands Congregational Church, UCC, began with a 6:15 a.m. service overlooking Crystal Lake and led by the Reverend Dr. Ken Baily for about a dozen parishioners. Despite the lack of a visible sunrise, the atmosphere was upbeat.
The action moved indoors with a busy neighborhood egg hunt in the church parlor and Great Hall. Director of Christian Education Wendy Donnell had stuffed about 700 eggs; they were hidden by church teens and rapidly located by a horde of excited children.
The intergenerational worship service featured the melodious church choir, guest musicians Luke Wozek (trumpet) and Samuel Hausman (trombone), and the celebration of communion. The chancel was decorated with lilies.
In his meditation, “Choose Your Ending” (see below), the Reverend Baily spoke about the different versions of Jesus’ resurrection in the four gospels. He told the story of William Tyndale, who translated the New Testament into English from the original Greek 500 years ago and was executed at age 40 for what was a crime punishable by death.
“He stands as a unifying figure for Christians worldwide who value access to the Bible in their own language” (tyndalehouse.com).
“Powerful people feared that people would understand the Bible,” stated the Reverend Baily. “Tyndale gave his life so we are a people called to pick up where Jesus left off.”
The service closed with a rousing version of “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” by Jan Zimmerman, music director, and Yevgenia Semeina, organist.
After the service, families gathered in the church parlor for a lavish spread organized by the Mission Committee.
