Last year, North Idaho churches couldn’t hold traditional indoor Easter services due to the coronavirus. This year they can — and they will.

“Phenomenal to be back,” said Jonathan Owens, the pastor known as J.O. at Heart of the City Church in Coeur d’Alene. “It’s awesome, huge. It’s just full of life,” he continued. “We’re called to be gathered. There is something that is powerful when two humans come together in the name of Jesus.”

Many churches are planning online and in-person services with special messages, music and decorations, not to mention egg hunts for kids, as they prepare to celebrate what is considered the cornerstone of the Christian faith, the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

They are proclaiming “He is Risen,” “He is Risen Indeed!” and “Jesus is Alive!”

According to WalletHub’s survey on Easter, “Religion is a source of comfort. 47% of Americans say that religion has helped them get through the pandemic.”

It also found that “More people might celebrate in person this year. Americans are 23% more likely to celebrate Easter with friends and family compared to last year.”

Spirit Lake Baptist Church is having a brunch between its 8:30 and 11 a.m. Sunday services.

Pastor Kim Alexander said last year they had an Easter drive-in service that attracted 300 people in their cars. They’re expecting a larger crowd this year.

“We are seeing more and more people coming to church,” he said.

Alexander is planning to deliver a message looking at why so many people question the accuracy of the Bible, but readily accept the accuracy of such works as "Gallic Wars" by Julius Caesar.

He notes there are 10 existing original copies of The Gallic Wars. In comparison, there are 24,000 ancient copies of New Testament scriptures written within a 25-year period of the actual events, he said, which lends to the Bible's truth.

He plans to talk on the book of Romans, by the apostle Paul, who mentions the resurrection more than 10 times.

“That is the day Jesus Chris rose from the dead,” Alexander said.

The Cause Church at 1010 Sherman Ave. is planning to have people with signs in the parking lot to greet guests. There will be special activities for kids. Pastor Aaron Richner “will share a message full of life and hope" with services at 9, 10:30 and noon.

Christ the King Lutheran Church is having Easter Sunday services at 6:30, 8:30 and 10:30, with the later services outside under a large tent.

“We do that intentionally so that more people can attend in a safe outdoors environment,” said Mike Haas, executive director. “It’s a comfortable experience we think the community will really appreciate.”

A new Pew Research Center survey found that “Americans are increasingly confident they can safely go to services at a church, temple, mosque or other house of worship. And the percentage who say they actually have attended religious services — in person — in the past month is slightly higher than it was last summer.

"Still, the situation in U.S. congregations remains far from ordinary, and this promises to be the second consecutive highly atypical Easter season for Christians," PRC reported.

The survey found that most people who say they generally attend religious services at least once or twice a month (58%) say they have not attended during the past month. And 39% of U.S. Christians plan to go in person to church services this Easter Sunday, which is sharply lower than the 62% who say they typically go to church on Easter.

Owens said Heart of the City is taking a different approach this year, including using the image of a skull in its Easter Services advertisement. It is planning a special Friday night service at 7:07 that will include clips from the movie, “The Passion of the Christ” interspersed with three sermons. It will not be online.

“Friday night is about what did Jesus go through on Good Friday,” Owens said.

The 6:06 p.m. Saturday service and 9:09 and 11:11 a.m. Sunday services will have Owens preaching on “The Day Death Died.”

“It looks like in many people’s lives, death wins,” he said. “You lose a loved one, death has won. For believers, that’s not true.”

The Bible says that when Christ was crucified, he died on the cross.

“In that moment, it looks like, wow, death has won, but it didn’t,” he said. “Three days later, you know the story, he rose from the dead. On that day, death was defeated.”

Owens said some might be concerned that while Easter is primarily associated with symbols like flowers and sunrises, Heart of the City’s, this year, is a skull.

“It’s not that we’re glorifying death at all. Zero. We’re glorying life,” he said.