Easter Week In Orange County: Church Services, At Home Egg Hunts

LAKE FOREST, CA — How are you celebrating Easter in Orange County this year? With coronavirus shutdowns and the strictest calls for social distancing to date, residents are seeking ideas on how to gather with their loved ones and friends while following the rules and flattening the curve.

In Lake Forest, Saddleback Christian Church acknowledges how many of their flock are immersed in loneliness during this holy week.

"Right now, while we’ve been physically separated by the coronavirus, it’s easy to feel alone," they wrote on their website. "But the miracle we celebrate at Easter, Jesus raising up from the grave, has bound us together with love and made us a family. Not even a pandemic can change that.

Over Easter week at Saddleback, look for many online activities and live broadcasts, while the congregation worships together, but socially distant.

On Palm Sunday, Laguna Beach's St. Mary's Episcopal Church shared a Facebook live service with their parishioners. They will be doing the same for Easter, over the coming weekend, church officials say.

More churches in Laguna Beach are also serving their congregations online, many asking for online donations, as well.

While churches across Orange County strive to maintain social distancing through online services, numerous cars were parked outside of Cottonwood Church in Los Alamitos over the weekend.

Services at Cottonwood Church were held online, and no one other than essential leaders and staff were inside, according to officials.

They posted a quote over Twitter, saying "You can cancel a gathering place, but you can't cancel Church. We are the Church. - Harrison Conley"

On Palm Sunday, many found it hard to stay home, opting to "watch services" virtually while in their cars outside of their home church buildings.

Elsewhere, church officials have asked members of their congregations to stay at home and the majority of Orange County churches Patch has spoken with are sharing live services over social media.

• Aliso Viejo: City Harvest Church: for service time:
www.chcus.org
• Irvine: Saddleback Christian Church: for service times: visit: Saddleback.com/watch
• Laguna Beach: St. Mary's Episcopal Church: stmaryslagunabeach.org
• Lake Forest: Saddleback Easter Services: saddleback.com/events/easter/2020
• Los Alamitos: Cottonwood Church: for holy week service times: visit: cottonwood.org
• Mission Viejo: Crossroads Community Church is streaming live on Youtube: for service times: visit: www.crossroadsmv.com
• Rancho Santa Margarita: The Bridge Church: Live services thebridgersm.com/live
• San Clemente: The Rock Church for service times: visit: www.therocksouthcounty.com and offers daily podcasts at: www.therocksouthcounty.com/podcasts
• San Juan Capistrano: Harbor Point for service times: harborpoint.church/weekends

If you attend church, which one did you participate in online services on Palm Sunday? Let us know your thoughts on worshiping online.

With Easter also comes the appearance of the Easter Bunny, though that might look much different this year in some Orange County households.

If you are planning an egg hunt for your little ones, Patch wants to know how you are handling that!

With eggs in short supply, painted beach rocks may make a reasonable substitute!

Many grocery stores remain stocked with Easter basket goodies. Have you filled your basket yet?
Let us know what your Easter plans are by emailing your editor at Ashley.Ludwig@Patch.com or posting to your neighbor page on Patch!

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