From Memphis Commercial Appeal newspaper

Easter Sunday

March 23, 2008

http://www.commercialappeal.com/news/2008/mar/23/rivalries-can-wait-fans-mingle-easter-services/

Forget Easter bonnets or flowery, pastel dresses, worshippers bundled this morning at a chilly sunrise service on the banks of the Arkansas River in Little Rock came to pray and play.
University of Memphis Tiger fans in royal blue sat shoulder to shoulder with maroon-clad Mississippi State fans. Burnt orange from the University of Texas at Austin blended with University of Arkansas red. Didn’t matter whether teams were playing each other or not today.
For 50 minutes at the amphitheater on the river bank, sports fans were peaceful rivals joined in faith to celebrate Easter at sunrise.
Rivalry could wait a few hours for the Alltel Arena doors to open for two games, Miami vs. Texas followed by Memphis vs. Mississippi State, set to start at approximately 3:45 p.m.
It was an unusual Easter Sunday for many of the worshippers who typically attend service at their church and then gather with family for a big meal followed by an Easter egg hunt.
No deviled eggs, ham or green bean casserole today. Basketball fans balanced worship of God with love of their college basketball teams.
They sang hymns about Jesus rising from the dead bringing salvation. They clustered under team blankets and bowed their heads.
At about 7:11 a.m., the sun peaked over the river. It didn’t bring warmth, just better light.
The sermon was about winning and losing, how there will be winners and losers today the same as there was on the day Jesus was crucified.
“Even when you lose, you can win because Christ is risen,” said Rev. Victor Nixon, senior pastor of Pulaski Heights United Methodist Church.
Brian Sims, 49, a geologist, attended the service with his son Wade, 19. They wore Mississippi State colors and logos.
They’ll miss Easter dinner with family in Madison, Miss., but they’d rather be in Little Rock to cheer their team.
“We’re grateful to be able to celebrate our team and find an Easter sunrise service too,” Simm said. “I don’t think God minds that we wore our Mississippi State clothes as long as we came.”
Contact Cindy Wolff at 529-2378. To read more stories by this reporter, go to commercialappeal.com, click on Contact Us at the top of the home page and then click on the reporter’s name