Easter in El Paso

The victory of Easter is celebrated throughout Christian churches long after that Easter morning service. In El Paso, one church starts their Easter celebration the day before with a community outreach event known as New Life Festival. For over six years, Ascension Lutheran Church located on the West side of El Paso, Texas, has hosted this wonderful family event, where children go through different stations to learn about what Easter is and why it’s so important. The happenings for after the closing is when Mariachi San Pablo comes into play…literally.

“We’ve had them come play for several of our New Life Festival events,” Kim Bestian, Director of Children’s Ministry at Ascension Lutheran, shared, “It’s a part of ministry, finding ways to connect with the community, and many times, cultural aspects come into play. Here in El Paso, when people join us for New Life Festival and see Mariachi San Pablo in their suits, playing mariachi-style music, they think ‘this is a part of my culture. This church cares about my culture.’

Mariachi San Pablo has been performing for over eighteen years and have traveled thousands of miles throughout the United States to share the Gospel Mariachi Style. This has given many churches the opportunity to do outreach to their evolving and changing communities.

“I’m sending pictures to my grandkids up north and telling them ‘this is Easter in El Paso’”, Diane Barkalow, a member at Ascension, shared with a big smile, her husband nodding in agreement, “I love mariachi music…with the tempo and rhythm, it’s a lot like German polka music -it’s very familiar and it’s good.”

What the Barkalows were pointing out is even though mariachi-style music is identified as part of the Mexican culture, it is not just for those of Mexican background -anyone can enjoy it, and with Mariachi San Pablo, can identify with the words of the songs, many of which are sung in both Spanish and English.

It was with a great resounding “Resucito!” (He Rose) when everyone, young and old, released a multitude of colorful balloons as everyone shouted “HE IS RISEN INDEED! ALLELUIA!”

With Mariachi San Pablo helping make the event a celebration that’s familiar and good for all involved, everyone walked away filled with the joy of a victorious Easter, which we continue to celebrate today.