‘New beginnings’: Coppell church holds outdoor Easter services after challenging year

Even after a year of unexpected challenges, the Rev. Tom Palmer is full of hope.

When the coronavirus pandemic halted First United Methodist Church of Coppell’s in-person activities last year, Facebook Live became the way to participate in Sunday service. But Palmer, the senior pastor, said he struggled to find ways to keep virtual services engaging.

In August, in-person services resumed outside of the church, and by October, people felt safe enough to enter the building with masks.

Four months later, the sanctuary flooded after a frozen sprinkler pipe burst during February’s winter storm.

After about a week and a half, the moisture in the carpet and walls dried up. But the place of worship that can seat about 1,000 people is now home to construction equipment and repair tools.

Palmer and church staff had to brainstorm about where to hold Easter services.

The church’s alternate space across Heartz Road was an option, but it accommodates only 100 people with the social-distancing protocols they have in place.

Since Easter, the holiday that marks Jesus’ resurrection, tends to draw larger crowds than the average Sunday, Palmer wanted to welcome as many people as possible.

When the church’s communications team suggested The Sound, a concert venue in Cypress Waters, it seemed like the perfect fit.

Palmer said he had been wanting to reach the new development in southeast Coppell for a while.

“It’d be great to be in our sanctuary, but this helps us get into the community,” Palmer said.

“That’s what we want to do and what we feel called to do — share God’s hope with our community.”

The church has an online registration system in place to manage attendance for what started as two services at the lakeside venue. Once the registration reached 1,000 on Wednesday, staff added a 6:45 a.m. sunrise service.

Kim Connor, a lay leader at the church, has been a member of the congregation for 25 years. Connor said she would miss worshipping in the sanctuary where she raised her children, but she’s more excited about the outreach opportunities.

“It’s very difficult for someone — whether you’re a Christian and you’re new to the community, or you stepped away from your faith, or you’ve never had faith — to walk in a door,” Connor said.

“We’re hoping that [people] hear the music … and know that they are welcome to walk up, grab a chair, grab a cup of coffee.”

Worshippers can look forward to live music, goodie bags filled with crafts for kids, and a family photo booth. The offering collected from all three services will go toward Sack Summer Hunger, a program that provides meals for area students on reduced lunch plans over the summer.

The church and Metrocrest Services, a social services agency, feed about 1,500 families daily every summer through the program.

“Part of what Easter is about is that Jesus created a community of love and forgiveness,” Palmer said. “A community that can work together to make this world a little more like heaven.”

Palmer said that the past 12 months have been filled with “grief, loss and disappointment” as a result of the pandemic and civil unrest.

For him, Easter is a chance to reset.

“We all need new beginnings,” Palmer said. “Particularly this year, the message of hope is so needful.

“There’s light at the end of the tunnel. God will see us through.”