Fort Knox Garrison chaplain delivers message of hope at frigid Easter sunrise service
Editor’s Note: For more images and a video, visit the Fort Knox official Flickr page at 'He has risen!' Fort Knox chaplain delivers message of hope at frigid Easter sunrise service | Flickr.
“The angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said’” (Matthew 28:5-6, NIV)
FORT KNOX, Ky. — Several Fort Knox leaders and families braved chilly temperatures to celebrate Easter during the installation's 2022 sunrise service at Eastman Park Amphitheater April 17.
Children participated in an Easter egg hunt shortly afterward.
During the sunrise service, Chaplain (Maj.) Adam Kawaguchi, chaplain for 83rd Army Reserve Readiness Training Center, read the story of Jesus’ resurrection from Matthew 28.
Fort Knox Garrison Chaplain (Col.) Charles Hamlin followed the reading by reaffirming the heart of what he believed to be the heart of the traditionally sacred Christian day — hope in the factual resurrection of Christ Jesus.
“Aren’t you glad that the cold didn’t stop Jesus from resurrecting from the dead?” asked Hamlin. “Matthew goes into great detail to give us some facts. That’s what I want the message to be — the resurrection; fiction, or fact?”
About a hundred local pilgrims gathered at the amphitheater, some in heavy coats and others buried beneath blankets. Despite the cold, many smiled and some raised their hands in worship during musical portions of the service.
A colorful sky slowly brightened as the sun began to warm the group.
“I know you’re cold, so I won’t keep you long,” said Hamlin — “no more than about 45 minutes.”
The crowd laughed.
Earlier in the service, several chairs emptied on the right front side of the makeshift church as about a dozen singers from the Samoan Worship Center took the stage. Dressed in white attire, the group sang “May We Never Forget,” finishing the song in the Samoan language.
Hamlin urged the crowd to never forget the importance of Easter as he provided some background into Matthew’s unique position of authority in writing his gospel account. Matthew was one of the 12 main disciples of Jesus.
“Matthew wrote his gospel around 55-62 AD, about 20-plus years after the crucifixion and resurrection,” said Hamlin. “Matthew goes into great detail to tell us what’s going on … it’s the dawn, it’s the first day of the week.
"Why do we as Christians worship on Sunday? It’s the first day of the week — every week that you and I worship, we celebrate the resurrection.”
After the sunrise service, Hamlin announced there would be an Easter egg hunt for the children. Within 15 minutes, young faces from the older of two groups of kids lined the sidewalk in front of the playground; bags and baskets in hand, waiting for the word “Go!”
A chaplain asked the children if they could remember on which passage of scripture the sunrise service was based.
“Matthew!” some of the children yelled, eagerly hoping to collect tons of treat-filled plastic eggs before the other kids could get to them.
Ten minutes later hope turned to reality.
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