2019 Easter Liturgy: The Marks of God

GATHERING

ENTRANCE

REFLECTION

Being in the world and loving one another…exposes us to wounding, to the giving and receiving of pain. Christ’s wounds … underscore the depth of his willingness to enter into our loving in all its hurt and hope and capacity for going horribly wrong. In wearing his wounds—even in his resurrection—he confronts us with our own and calls us to move through them into new life.

Jan Richardson, “Easter 2: The Illuminated Wound” at http://paintedprayerbook.com/2011/04/24/easter-2-the-illuminated-wound/

 

CANDLE LIGHTING

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:            Christ is risen!                                

People:            Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Leader:            Christ wears his wounds, even in resurrection.

People:            Christ loves us in all our hurt and hope.

Leader:            Christ calls us to be in the world 
                          and to love one another.

All:                    We are ready to move into new life in Christ.
                          Alleluia!

OPENING PRAYER

HYMN

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

SONG AS THE CHILDREN LEAVE FOR CLASS

Jesus loves us as we grow,
meets us on the paths we go,
keeps us safe and keeps us free,
helps us learn who we should be.

Yes Jesus loves us,
Yes Jesus helps us,
Yes Jesus shows us,
the best way we can go.

SILENCE

PRAYERS

CONFESSION

Leader:            Holy One, in your mercy you show us the way
                          through pain and death into new life.

People:            We resist the way of Christ,
                          as we focus on our own wounds.

Leader:            The wounds of the resurrected Christ
                          show us the cost of unlimited love.

People:            When our wounds and those of the world
                         are more than we can stand,
                         we close our eyes.

Leader:            In the resurrected Christ,
                          you reveal your endless, boundless love for us.

All:                    When we turn away from seeing your love,
                          we turn away from our neighbors
                          and all of your creation.

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE

Leader:            The Holy One, whose marks are human wounds,
                          forgives us, heals us, and raises us
                          to new life in Christ.

All:             Amen.

THANKSGIVING AND PRAISE

INTERCESSION AND PETITION

COMMITMENT
All:    O Holy One, we come today
to claim our relationship with you.

We pray for the commitment to grow together,
sharing the gifts you give us with others
here and in the wider world.

Forgive us for the hurt we have inflicted,
and help us forgive those who have hurt us.

Give us strength and discipline
to nurture our relationship with you;
to care for every part of your creation;
to foster justice and be in solidarity with those in need;
to work to end all war, and violence, and discord;
and to respond joyfully when you call,
freely giving our selves as you have shown the way.

We open our hearts to you and your creation
in the name of Jesus, who is the Christ.  Amen.

HYMN

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

OFFERING

COMMUNION

PREPARATION
Leader 1:   This is the table of the Heavenly Feast,
the joyful celebration of the people of God.

Leader 2:   We gather now as one body, joined around the table.
Here we celebrate God’s presence among us
united in Christ’s spirit, broken and whole all at once;

All:             Nourished and hungry, loved and loving,
sinner and forgiven; we make one circle of knowing,
believing, rejoicing, being,
as God lights and rests among us.

GREAT THANKSGIVING

Leader 1:    God of Resurrection,
we give thanks that you are continually
 transforming what is wounded, broken, and rejected
into your cornerstone of salvation for the world.

People:     We give you thanks for Jesus, the Christ,
who by wearing the wounds of his death
in his resurrection
confronts us with our own woundedness
and calls us into new life.  

Leader 2:     We give you thanks for the Holy Spirit,
your comforting, healing presence,
that entices, challenges,
 and leads us into new life.                    

All:     We give you thanks for your Holy Church,
that crucible of mystery
where we give and receive both love and pain,
and are transformed into the Body of Christ.

BLESSING THE ELEMENTS
Leader 1:   Christ invites everyone to eat the bread of life,
to drink the cup of the new covenant.

Leader 2:   Jesus said, I am the bread of life.
You who come to me shall never hunger,
You who believe in me shall never thirst.

Leader 1:   On the night he gave himself up, Jesus took bread,
and after giving thanks to God, broke it and said,
This is my body,
broken for the healing of the world.
Whenever you eat it, do so remembering me.

Leader 2:   After supper, Jesus took the cup and said,
This is the cup of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for all.
Whenever you drink it, do so remembering me.

All:     O Holy One, send down your Spirit
that these gifts of bread and cup
may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Unite us with Christ forever
and bring us with the whole creation
to your eternal realm.

SHARE THE ELEMENTS

If you do not wish to receive the elements today you are welcome to join the circle and allow them to pass, or remain in your seat. We serve grape juice in our cups. The bread is gluten-free.

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING AND DEDICATION
All:            God of abundance and mercy,
we give joyful thanks
for your eternal love and healing presence
in our celebration of bread and cup.
Bless this body of Christ
that we may attend faithfully
to our call to be your servants,
with each other and throughout the world. Amen.

SHARED REFLECTIONS

ANNOUNCEMENTS

HYMN

BENEDICTION

Leader:            Go into the world and love one another.
                         Reach out with healing mercy
                         to share the pain and love of the world.
                         Christ is risen!

All:                   Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia! Amen.