Easter from a balcony: Joliet pastor announces the resurrection with guitar and song

The same pastor who asked churches to ring their bells at 9 a.m. Easter morning joined the proclamation in a different way.

Rev. Loy Schlote, pastor of Our Savior Lutheran Church in Joliet, stepped onto the balcony of his home at the appointed time, greeted anyone in hearing with a loud and joyful, "Christ is risen!" and proceeded to share that Easter joy in song and guitar.

The music Schlote selected ranged from the upbeat and exuberant to the awed and sublime.

In between each song, Schlote did did speak, but he kept these messages short and on point - the resurrection of Jesus Christ - and let the music carry the triumph.

Nor did Schlote forget any children who might be listening as he had a special song just for them.

Schlote also explained how the church's Easter egg hunt was able to continue and not go against any of the sheltering in place rules, thanks to a group of ingenious individuals from his church.

He also marveled at how the pandemic changed Easter from a pastor-led event to one led by the community.

"We may be locked down but the risen Lord is certainly not," Schlote said. "He is risen. He is risen indeed. Alleluia."

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