Tri County Baptist Church, The Villages, Florida, hosted a reenactment of the Last Supper on Thursday, April 5 to help celebrate the events leading up to Resurrection Sunday. Tri County Baptist Church is a four-year-old start-up church located in a retirement area in central Florida. During the “Last Supper,” church members, wearing time appropriate costumes, were served authentic Passover food, including roast lamb, homemade matzo bread, herbs and vegetables, and matzo ball chicken vegetable soup—all made by members of the church.
Roland Batchelder led a group of men in monologues that reflected the “disciples’ thoughts” on their relationships to Jesus 
and their own devotion and faith. Ladies of the church created the costumes for the event. Pastor Steve Poludniak (Tri County Baptist’s administrative pastor) and his wife, Becky, found the props to make the setting realistic. He also taught the spiritual and historical ties to the Passover and God’s plan of salvation. Throughout his teaching, men acted out scenes of the Last Supper and the first communion. The reenactment allowed veteran Christians to realize the connection between their faith and the Passover.
Church members used this event as a community outreach. The church was full to capacity with approximately 125 in attendance, including many first-time visitors. Guests expressed their appreciation for Thursday’s experience at the “Last Supper.”
Tri County Baptist Church continued its celebration on the evening of Good Friday with a dramatic reading of Luke, starting at the Passover meal and ending the service in the dark at Christ’ death. The readings, coupled with special music, made for a touching service. On Easter, two morning services were held with a combined total of approximately 220 people in attendance. The evening services concluded the celebration, with six people sharing their testimonies to the meaning of the resurrection in their lives.
