Heritage Presbyterian Church members in Wildwood will host the 55th annual Easter Sunrise Service at 7:30 a.m. Sunday at Dr. Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park in Wildwood.

"Once you have entered the park from Highway 109, just follow the signs to our site, which is near the old swimming pool area," said Wildwood resident and Heritage Presbyterian ruling elder Larry Valentine. 

Valentine said not to fear the uncertainty of outdoor weather. "During the annual services, the temperatures have ranged between 20 degrees to 90 degrees. It's also snowed some years."

But Valentine said they are prepared with a tent canopy that will protect 300 to 350 people, if need be.

"We're hoping for a great turnout, and it looks like nice weather predicted for Sunday, so we hopefully won't even need the canopy," he said.

Heritage church congregants also will host an Easter Brunch at 9:15 a.m. at their Fellowship Hall at 4000 Alt Road in Wildwood. Their Easter morning ecumenical church service will follow at 10:40 a.m.

Valentine said he has attended the service for the past 25 years. He said this special event is a ministry started by a Wildwood retired dentist, Al Thomas. "Al is 90 some-odd years old and getting frail now, or he would still be pulling the cross out of his barn and loading up chairs to bring to Babler for this service," he said.