The story of Jesus’ death, the days of darkness for his disciples and the eventual resurrection is the same as it has been for centuries, but pastors in the Tennessee Valley believe their congregations are hearing the Easter story in a new light this year.
Easter 2020 was a holiday marked with fear and uncertainty. Easter 2021 marks, for many, the beginning of the end of the pandemic. All adults in the area are eligible for the vaccine. New case totals and deaths are a fraction of what they were in the winter. And the virus that was such a mystery 12 months ago is better understood by health experts and the general public.
There is a lot more hope this year, said the Rev. Gary Hathaway, senior pastor of Greater Tucker Missionary Baptist Church. Last April, many people did not know what to expect, especially what kind of losses the community would face, he said.
“This year, you see a light. A light, to a large degree and hopefully, near the end of the tunnel,” Hathaway said. “Maybe we’re not near it yet, but we can see it. I think there’s just a sense of thanksgiving, a greater sense of thanksgiving because we made it through a year and now we have the vaccines. And now we’re not as afraid.”
The area’s religious community played a major role in the story of the pandemic in the past year. A downtown pastor was the first confirmed case of COVID-19 in the county. Then, a church and several individuals sued Chattanooga Mayor Andy Berke over his orders to limit gatherings, which therefore closed houses of worship.