Good Friday is typically dark, contemplative, and somber, whereas Easter Sunday is a joyous festivity, juxtaposing the grisly shadow of the cross with the triumphant resurrection. So why did the Lake City Campus’ cheeriest band leader – perpetually smiling Steven Mulkey, who doesn’t own a stitch of black – get assigned Good Friday, while our resident goth family – Andy and Heidi Myers – got the memo to handle a happy Easter?

The simple answer? We are Mars Hill Church. To elaborate? Challenging our talented artists to continually grow and creatively stretch themselves is part of what it means to be a missional community at Mars Hill. Neither of these amazing musician teams are stereotypes, and they understand the full scope of the gospel and this important weekend. Supervising these two important events and seeing our musicians experiment and test themselves has been a pastoral joy. I can also guarantee both gatherings will be unlike previous years.

For Good Friday, Steven has been experimenting with background music that builds and swells and adds a sense of tension, inspired by Hans Zimmer’s razor-wire score that accentuated Heath Ledger’s insanity as The Joker in last year’s Dark Knight. For Easter, Andy Myers and his band are using Game Boys to add lo-fi chip music to Sunday’s celebration, guaranteeing something few churches will experience anywhere on April 12th.

For something more traditional, you can also join us near Lake City for scripture, song, baptisms and prayer down at Matthews Beach at sunrise Easter morning, 6:26am. However, don’t expect the Easter breakfast back at the campus at 7:30am to feature burnt church pancakes and runny scrambled eggs, but fresh fruit and our city’s best Top Pot donuts (contrasting health and… well, donuts).

Hello, 21st century; hello, Seattle. Get out of your comfort zone and see what these Christians are up to. We’re shaking everything up except for the gospel of Jesus Christ; some things are too perfect to mess with.