Rev. John Q. Daugherty

Congregations from throughout Southwest Florida, including several from Lehigh Acres each year, will gather at City of Palms Park in downtown Fort Myers Easter Sunday, April 24, to worship and to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Doors open at 5:30 a.m. for the Easter Sunrise service, which begins at 6:30 a.m. There is no admission for the service or for parking at City of Palms Park (prior Red Sox Stadium). Free coffee and pastries also will be served both before and after the service.

The inspirational message will be delivered by Rev. John Q. Daugherty, pastor of First Baptist Church of Fort Myers.

Ministers from a dozen area churches participated in the planning of this year’s annual Easter Sunrise service, which has become a tradition in the greater Fort Myers area.

Supporting the program will be Pastor Chuck Smith of Broadway Community Church, Rev. David Pleasant of Elevation Ministries, Rev. Gary E. Cox of First Christian Church, Rev. Paul deJong of First Presbyterian Church of Fort Myers, Rev. Lia Icaza Willetts of First United Methodist Church, Rev. Arlene Jackson of Grace United Methodist Church – Fort Myers Central Campus, Rev. Philip D. Read, II, SSC, of St. Luke’s Episcopal Church, Rev. Jon Zehnder of St. Michael Lutheran Church, Rev. Dr. Israel Suarez of Templo Cristiano El Buen Samaritano, and Rev. Dr. Douglas Kelchner of Thomas A. Edison Congregational Church.

Additional churches are encouraged to bring their congregations to the service as well, according to organizers.

The Community Easter Sunrise Service has been a tradition since the 1950s and has moved over the years from the Fort Myers High School Stadium to Centennial Park to City of Palms Park. This is the 16th year that the service has been conducted at City of Palms Park. Last year, more than 4,500 people attended the service.

“We welcome and encourage everyone to join us on Easter Sunday for this community-wide worship service,” said Rev. Daugherty, who is the chairman of this year’s planning committee. “We have room for 7,000 people at City of Palms Park and we’d like to pack the place with people who wish to celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ.”

Music will be provided by the Southwest Florida Symphony Chorus and Brass Quintet along with the praise team “Scripture.” The service will be inter-denominational.

Daugherty was ordained in 1977 and has been involved in congregational ministry for nearly 28 years. He also has worked as a social worker and social work supervisor with troubled families and children in North Carolina.

In addition to his duties as pastor of First Baptist Church of Fort Myers, Daugherty is the vice president of the Royal Palm Counseling Center board of directors, co-chair of the Local Arrangements Committee for the national Cooperative Baptist Fellowship Assembly to be held in Tampa in June, planning committee member for the annual Community Prayer Breakfast, and has served on the Sponsoring Committee of faith leaders building a justice ministry network in Lee County.

Prior to moving to Fort Myers in 2008, he was the state executive coordinator for the Cooperative Baptist Fellowship (CBF) in Louisiana, providing administrative oversight and developing a rural poverty initiative called Together for Hope. While working with the CBF in Louisiana, he was part of a team that conducted extensive disaster response efforts in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.

Daugherty and his wife, Phyllis, have two adult daughters and three grandchildren and live in Fort Myers. For more information about the Community Easter Sunrise Service, call (239) 334-7747.