Wayside chapel will remain quiet this Sunday

About 50 people gathered at the Living Water Wayside Chapel for last year’s Easter service, although it was a dreary, rainy morning. There will be no service this Sunday.

The little white chapel that has been holding Easter morning services for more than 40 years will be quiet this Sunday.

The Living Water Wayside Chapel on the Niagara River Parkway usually attracts a good crowd for its annual dawn gathering, the only organized service held at the tiny church.

It’s the first time a service has been cancelled, says Rick Meloen, one of the organizers and participants — they’ve endured through all kinds of weather, with a crowd of about 50 people typically gathering outside to celebrate daybreak on Easter morning. But not through a pandemic.

While Easter service gatherings are cancelled across the country to prevent the spread of COVID-19, some are offering a virtual service, but Meloen says they don’t have the technical experts to put that together, especially at such short notice.

It’s disappointing to have to cancel the service, he says, but “we can only look forward to better times next year.”