Rise and shine for a Black Hills Easter tradition

Rise early as the 77th Annual Easter Sunrise Service returns April 20 at 7 a.m.

It’s a chance to experience a long-standing Black Hills tradition while celebrating Easter with worship, music and fellowship on one of the biggest stages in South Dakota, the Shrine of Democracy, and the freedoms it represents.

“You know, in this day and age, to have something be ongoing since 1947 is just a marvelous thing,” said Eileen Roggenthen, the church historian for the First Congregational Church of Keystone and member of the Easter Sunrise Planning Committee. 

“Obviously, we did lose three years because of construction and COVID,” said Roggenthen, referring to the construction on the Mount Rushmore amphitheater that rendered it unusable for a time period.

“The service had grown to such a size that when they redid the amphitheater, there was no place else we could go,” said Roggenthen. “It’s just a wonderful venue and people love being there. People arrive early to simply watch the sun come up. It’s very moving.”

The committee is a collaboration of the First Congregational Church of Keystone and the Hermosa United Church of Christ (UCC) along with the Little White Church, which is providing music for the event.

“The church that has been doing this since the beginning is the First Congregational Church of Keystone, originally working with Hill City Union Congregational Church. Over 50 years ago, the Hermosa UCC started working with us,” said Roggenthen. “We have worked at various times with the Little White Church—the former Hill City Union Congregational Church. This year, it expressed an interest in providing the music.”

Roggenthen recalls that the now sound engineer for the event, Loren Lintz from the Hermosa UCC, “played trumpet in the group back when he was in fifth or sixth grade.” 

“I would credit Loren with being the mainstay that makes this work every year,” she said.

New to the service this year is a praise band style of music stemming from members of the Little White Church. 

“Our music this year is focusing on praise band. We have done every variety of music through the years from Country Western, we’ve done drummers, plus wonderful soloists and choirs,” Roggenthen said. “This year we are doing a praise band.”

The praise band will be made up mostly of college students coming together to collaborate in the opportunity to help lead the worship service with upbeat, modern worship music using a variety of instruments. Members include Marcus Isakson, Eli Isakson, Rebecca Cutler, Elise Rowe, Clay King, Carson Brown, Sean Beck and Isaac Dean. 

“The praise band is supposed to liven it up and bring energy to the worship service,” said Markus Isakson.

Roggenthen recalls that two of the original teenagers in the choir were Lois Halley and Joyce Gardner Metz, and they still reside in the community.

“It’s amazing that these ladies are still with us. They were just teenagers at the first service in 1947. They are very interested and excited that this is an ongoing thing,” she said.

Roggenthen has done countless hours of research on the history of the event and said in 1947 Reverend Selix put the original announcement in the Hill City Prevailer News, saying, “Someday, this Sunrise Service at the memorial may be a famous tradition. Wouldn’t it be fine to have been part of its inception?” 

With hundreds to thousands of visitors attending the unique event each year, it has grown to widespread popularity. 

If you plan to attend the event, arrive early to allow time for parking and walking to your seat. Dress appropriately for the weather. The event is free, but a free-will offering will be collected. The proceeds will be given to local charities and missions.