The following churches have announced plans Easter observances:

— Fourth Street Church of God, Fourth Street and 21st Avenue, will host an Easter sunrise service at 6:30 a.m., followed by breakfast in the community room from 7:30 to 8:45 a.m. Morning worship will be at 9:30 a.m.

— Juniata Church of the Brethren, North Ninth Avenue and Third Street, will hold a 7:30 a.m. sunrise service with guest speaker the Rev. Paul Johnson speaking on “Because He Lives,” based on John 14:19. Breakfast will be served by the men of the church after the service. Sunday school is at 9:30 a.m., following by the 10:30 a.m. worship service with a musical presentation “Christ Arose,” featuring the Huber and Haupt trio, with Esther Wharton, organist, and Linda Ulrich, narration. The Rev. Robert Wharton will speak on the Resurrection Miracle, based on 1 Corinthians 15:4. Transportation to services can be arranged by calling 814-944-6725.

— Center City Church will host a sunrise service at 6:45 a.m. Sunday at Gospel Hill, Altoona. Shuttles will be provided from Center City Church for attendees who prefer not to drive.

Following the service, Resurrection Sunday festivities will continue with a 10 a.m. parking lot tent service at 1220 12th Ave. Nursery and City Kids (for children ages 3 – 11) will be made available.

— Twenty-eighth Street Church of the Brethren, 28th Street and Union Avenue, Altoona, will host a Good Friday service at 7 p.m. An Easter sunrise service will be held at 7 p.m. Sunday, March 31, followed by a carry in breakfast and Easter service at 10:30 a.m.

— Duncansville Lutheran Church, 1200 Fourth Ave., Duncansville, will host an Easter egg hunt from 9 a.m. to noon on Good Friday, with services following at 1 and 6 p.m. Easter services will be held at 8 and 10 a.m. A continental breakfast will be served after the 8 a.m. service and before the 10 a.m. service. For more information, call the office 814-695-0508.

— Greenwood United Methodist Church will host a 7 a.m. Easter sunrise service in the Prayer Garden, weather permitting. The Easter worship celebration will be held at 9:30 a.m. in the church.

— Zion Lutheran Church will hold Good Friday services at 7 p.m.; Holy Saturday at 6 p.m. and Easter Sunday at 8 and 10:45 a.m.

— Juniata United Methodist Church and Altoona area United Methodist Churches will host a Good Friday Cross Walk from Juniata UMC to Wehnwood UMC. It will begin at 6:30 a.m. at JUMC, followed by a sacrificial breakfast at Wehnwood at 8 a.m and a worship service at 9 a.m. LuAnne Baker will be portraying Esther. A Good Friday evening service will be at Jaggard UMC at 7 p.m.; Holy Saturday prayer service will be held at 4 p.m. at Juniata UMC and Easter worship services will be at 7 a.m. at Juniata UMC. Wehnwood will host a 7 a.m. Easter Sunrise service, followed by worship at 10 a.m. Mardorf will host an 11 a.m. Easter Sunday service.

Worship times for the Altoona Area United Methodist churches can be found at: www.juniataumc.net/altoonachurches.html.

— Llyswen United Methodist Church, 308 Coleridge Ave., will host Good Friday services at 6 p.m. and Easter Sunday services at 9:30 a.m. Easter services will be at 9:30 a.m. and an Easter egg hunt for children will be held after the service.

— St. Mark’s Episcopal Church, 335 Locust St., Johnstown, is offering worship services in-person and via Zoom. Services include a Good Friday liturgy at noon and Stations of the Cross; 9 a.m. Holy Saturday liturgy; and 10 a.m. Easter Sunday Holy Eucharist Rite II.

In addition, a slideshow with music “The Way of the Cross (Stations of the Cross)” that was developed by parishioners is available 24/7 on the church’s website at saintmarksjohnstown.com.

To participate via Zoom, contact the Rev. Nancy Threadgill at revnancy-stmarks@atlanticbbn.net to obtain the Zoom login information.

— St. John’s Reformed Church of Loysburg will hold a Good Friday service at 7 p.m. in the sanctuary. Pastor David Meckley will lead a Tenebrae service with scripture readings, hymn-singing and message as the lights dim and the room darkens, recalling the Crucifixion of Jesus.

— The Geeseytown-Newry Lutheran Parish will be hosting a Good Friday service at noon at Newry Lutheran and 6:30 p.m. at Geeseytown Lutheran, 462 Route 22, Hollidaysburg. Easter Sunday will include a sunrise worship service at 6:30 a.m. at Geeseytown Lutheran, followed by breakfast, then Easter morning worship at 9 a.m. at Newry. Holy Communion will be celebrated Easter morning. For more information, contact the church office at 814-317-5287. The Geeseytown-Newry Lutheran Parish is a member of the Allegheny Synod, Evangelical Lutheran Church in America.

Easter vigil celebrated

St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Eighth Avenue and 13th Street, Altoona, will host an Easter vigil celebration at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, March 30, with Bishop Audrey C. Scanlan of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania and Bishop Paula J. Schmitt of the Allegheny Synod.

The service begins in the darkness of Holy Saturday and travels into light by the ancient practice of keeping the Easter Feast through four segments: The Service of Light; The Service of Lessons; The Renewal of Baptismal Vows; and the First Holy Communion of Easter.

A reception with food and drink will follow.

All are welcome.

Good Friday lunch planned

A Good Friday Lenten luncheon, sponsored by the Hollidaysburg Area Ministerium, will be held at noon Friday, March 29, at Zion Lutheran Church, Allegheny and Union streets, Hollidaysburg. The speaker will be the Rev. Alan Thomas, pastor of St. Michael and St. Mary churches. Donations will go to the American Rescue Workers.

Easter egg hunt planned

St. John’s Reformed Church of Loysburg will hold an Easter egg hunt for children at 10 a.m. Saturday, March 30, at the pavilion behind the Southern Cove Fire Company’s social hall (former Replogle Elementary School) in New Enterprise. Older children are invited to come early to hide eggs and younger children, when they arrive at 10 a.m., will be taught an Easter lesson and given time to do an Easter craft before being released by age groups to search for hidden eggs. The event should take about an hour. Parents and guardians are being asked to remain on the grounds with their children and provide them with a bag or basket for their eggs. The hunt is sponsored by the church’s Women’s Guild and Sunday School, members of which have been filling dozens of plastic eggs with safe candies and other goodies.