If you are staying at NIU over the Easter weekend, there will be many opportunities for you to recognize the holiday.

Churches located around NIU will be holding many separate Easter celebrations for worshippers.

The First United Methodist Church, 321 Oak Street, will hold a sunrise service at the lagoon at 7 a.m., Easter morning. At 10 a.m., the congregation is encouraged to attend an Easter brunch followed by another 11 a.m. service.

Baptist Campus Ministry, 449 Normal Road, will hold a 9 a.m. breakfast followed by a 10:30 a.m. service. John Peterson, campus minister at the Baptist Campus Ministry, said usually they have two services each Sunday. There will only be one service Easter Sunday because most students in their congregation go home for the weekend.

“Attendance for our Easter service is usually lower than other Sundays because most of our congregation is made up of students who go home for Easter weekend,” Peterson said. “We usually do get a nice group to attend though.”

The Wesley Foundation, 633 W. Locust, will be holding its Easter service at 10 a.m. Dr. David Schmidt, pastor of the Methodist Campus Ministry, said he is always surprised at the number of students that end up staying the weekend.

“We continue to have an Easter service because a fair amount of students do not go home for the weekend but still want to worship,” Schmidt said.

St. Mary Catholic Church, 321 Pine Street, will begin the Easter holiday with a vigil held at 7:30 p.m., Saturday night. On Sunday morning, masses at 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m. and 11 a.m. will be held.

Immanuel Lutheran Church, 511 Russell Road, will hold services at 8 a.m. and 10:30 a.m. for everyone interested. In addition, the Newman Catholic Student Center, 512 Normal Road, will hold services at 10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m.

The DeKalb County Park District will celebrate Easter by holding an Easter egg hunt for children under age 9. Children who participate in the hunt will be broken into three groups—toddler to 4 years old, 5 to 6 years old and 7 to 9 years old.

“The children will be hunting for candy rather than eggs,” said Gloria Oesterling, program director. Children are reminded to dress for any kind of weather because the hunt has no scheduled rain date.