Seventh-day Adventist Hospital Hosts Easter Sunrise Service

Editorial | AdventMessenger.com

“And they worshipped the sun toward the east” Ezekiel 8:16.

A Sunday Easter worship service was held on the grounds of Florida Hospital Zephyrhills on Sunday, April 20, 2014. Florida Hospital Zephyrhills is owned by Adventist Health Systems and is operated by the Seventh-day Adventist church. The Sunday morning worship service was held in conjunction with Zephyrhills-Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association. The ministerial association is made up of different church leaders from the community. Seventh-day Adventist pastor Marius Asaftei of the East Pasco Adventist Church is the acting vice-president of the Zephyrhills-Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association.

Randy Surber CEO of the hospital welcomed the different church leaders to the Sunday Easter sunrise worship service. These services begin early Sunday morning as the sun begins to rise.

The Bible tells us how God feels about these sunrise, interfaith, Sunday worship services:

"And he brought me into the inner court of the LORD's house, and, behold, at the door of the temple of the LORD, between the porch and the altar, were about five and twenty men, with their backs toward the temple of the LORD, and their faces toward the east; and they worshipped the sun toward the east. Then he said unto me, Hast thou seen this, O son of man? Is it a light thing to the house of Judah that they commit the abominations which they commit here?" Eze. 8:16, 17.

This is the origin of Sunday worship. Sunday sunrise worship services are the product of pagan origin. At the very time in history when the revival of pagan philosophies and tradition are sweeping the world, we are to maintain ourselves separate from these influences and proclaim our unique message and mission to those who are in Babylon.

"Though in a different form, idolatry exists in the Christian world today as verily as it existed among ancient Israel in the days of Elijah. The god of many professedly wise men, of philosophers, poets, politicians, journalists,—the god of polished fashionable circles, of many colleges and universities, even of some theological institutions,—is little better than Baal, the sun-god of Phenicia." The Great Controversy, p. 583.

We can’t forget the origin of this Babylonian feast. This was introduced by Rome during the early part of Christianity. And amazingly, it is being introduced to our people through our own leaders.

The service began Sunday morning as the sun was rising in the east, see above. Pastor Tim Mitchell of Chancey Road Christian Church delivers the message on the grounds of the Seventh-day Adventist Hospital.

 

Pastor Keith Reiley of the Community Chapel Church of God in Zephyrhills releases a dove during the Easter Sunrise Service on Sunday morning on the front lawn of the Seventh-day Adventist owned Florida Hospital Zephyrhills. Local ministers from several congregations took part in the annual event.



Florida Hospital Zephyrhills Chaplain Doug Higgins leads the congregation. The sunrise service was made possible through the partnership of the Zephyrhills-Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association and Seventh-day Adventist owned Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.

 

Bonnye Johnson of Mt Calvary Seventh-Day Adventist Church sings a song of praise and worship at the Easter Sunrise Service held Easter Sunday by the Zephyrhills-Wesley Chapel Ministerial Association and Florida Hospital Zephyrhills.
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