Debbie Croft: Easter activities abound in Sierra communities

Spring is the season of new life, partly because the earth and landscape experience revival after the doldrums of winter. It’s also the season of Easter. The following are a few ideas for celebrating this Sunday:

▪ Easter sunrise services first took place at Yosemite National Park’s Mirror Lake in the early 1930s. The tradition continues, though the specifics have changed a little.

Yosemite Community Church will meet Sunday at 7 a.m. at the Lower Pines Campground in the park for a traditional Easter service. It’s the latest sunrise service in the continental United States, as the sun takes longer to peek over Half Dome.

The church will hold two other holiday services at 9:15 and 11 a.m. in the Yosemite Valley Chapel. Pastor Brent Moore and his wife, Faith, serve the non-denominational congregation. For more information, call (209)372-4831 or visit www.yosemitevalleychapel.org.

▪  Enjoy an Easter buffet at one of Yosemite’s lodges:

At the historic Ahwahnee, brunch is served from 7 a.m. to 3 p.m. and includes a variety of egg dishes, seafood, prime rib, country ham, pasta, signature breads and pastries (until 10:30 a.m.) and gourmet desserts (after 10:30 a.m.).

The elegant Wawona Hotel begins serving brunch at 10:30 a.m. The menu features leg of lamb, salmon, eggs, fresh fruits, seasonal vegetables, various salads and side dishes, and an assortment of baked goods.

Reservations may be made by calling the Ahwahnee Dining Room at (209) 372-1489 or the Wawona at (801) 559-4935. Prices and details are available at www.yosemitepark.com (click on Plan, Where to Eat, Holiday Dining, then Easter Brunch).

In Tenaya Lodge’s Grand Ballroom, a champagne brunch will be served from 9 a.m. until 2 p.m. On the menu are maple-glazed pork loin, prime rib, cheeses from around the world, spring vegetables and greens, custom omelets, cheese blintzes and much more. A children’s buffet and vegetarian entrees are also available.

Reservations are required. Contact (877) 247-9241 or www.tenayalodge.com for more information.

▪ At Columbia State Historic Park on Easter, a giant two-legged white rabbit will be surrounded by dozens of children – all hoping to find the golden egg.

Three egg hunts are scheduled for various age groups: The small fry (ages 3-5) begin at noon; the junior egg poachers (ages 6-8) start hunting at 1 p.m.; the great egg scramblers (ages 9-12) take their turn at 1:30 p.m.

The annual Victorian Easter Parade starts at 12:30 p.m. Registration is open to individuals, families, groups and pets. Sign up at 11 a.m. at the Fallon Hotel. Prizes will be awarded for best dressed and fanciest Easter hat.

Admission and parking are free. Check the website, www.visitcolumbiacalifornia.com, or call (209) 536-1672 for details about this event and more.

▪  Have you ever wondered why the date of Easter is not fixed as the dates for other holidays are? According to the World Council of Churches, the reason has to do with Passover and the time period when Jesus’ resurrection occurred.

The Jewish calendar months began on the new moon. The Jews celebrated the Feast of the Passover on the 14th day (also the full moon) of the first month, which followed the vernal equinox.

Because Jesus and the disciples ate the Passover meal the same week of his crucifixion and resurrection, Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon following the vernal equinox.

Although Christian churches began celebrating the holy day on different days, the Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D. attempted to set a standard for the date of Easter. This connected our celebration with the same time period of the Passover. A few churches in other countries continue to observe Easter on a different date, but most follow the universal rule set by the council.

This story was originally published April 3, 2015 at 11:00 AM with the headline "Debbie Croft: Easter activities abound in Sierra communities."