2024 Easter Liturgy: Resurrecting Faith

GATHERING

ENTRANCE

REFLECTION

Mary and Mary Magdalen loved with such a perfect love that they shed their fear. Certainly they grieved and experienced their hope flagging during the dark moments surrounding Jesus’ death. But they never lost their faith. It remained a small, steady flame that was fanned to brilliant, bold new life in the light of that Easter dawn. They challenge us to love and believe.

Joyce Hollyday, An Invitation” in Bread and Wine: Readings for Lent and Easter, p. 384, Plough Publishing House, 2003



LIGHTING THE ALTAR CANDLE

CALL TO WORSHIP          

Leader:            Christ is risen!

People:            Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Leader:            The Holy One calls us to fan the flame of faith,

even when the night seems dark and long.

People:            The Spirit calls us to love and believe,

even when we are afraid of what the future will bring.

Leader:            The risen Christ is here among us.

Christ is risen, today and always.

All:                   Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!

OPENING PRAYER

HYMN

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

SILENCE

PRAYERS

CONFESSION

Leader:            We are called to tend the torch of faith

in these troubled times.

People:            We confess that too often we step back,

turning away from chaos, fearing for our safety.

Leader:            We are called to remember

that Jesus came to teach, to love,

and to heal those asking for help.

People:            We confess that too often

we refuse to do what is ours to do,

pretending that we are helpless

in the face of evil.

Leader:            We are called to lift the lamp of faith,

lighting the way toward a world

in which love is stronger than hate,

and death is not the final word.

All:                   Forgive us when we fail to bear witness

to the good news of resurrection,

shining through the chaos of war

and strife and starvation.

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE

Leader:            The Holy One forgives our refusals and our fears,

shining the loving light of faith through us
into the dark times all around.

All:                               Alleluia, 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:             Holy God of deep caring and faithfulness,
we give thanks for your perfect love

that strengthens us to shed our fear.

People:                We give you thanks for the resurrected Christ, 

who promises renewal and new life       

for us and for our world.

Leader 2:             We give you thanks for your Holy Spirit,

who fans the small, steady flame of our faith

into bold new life 

in the light of that Easter dawn.

All:                                          We give you thanks for your Holy Church,

where we are challenged to embody love and faithfulness.

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 grain and grape,

and work of human hands

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

Leader 1:             The body of Christ, broken for all of us.

Feed on Christ in your hearts with thanksgiving.

Leader 2:             The cup of the new covenant, poured out for the healing of the world.

Drink deeply of it.

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:            Let us not be afraid,

but let a brilliant bold faith inspire us on our way.

Let us not be afraid,

but trust we will not walk alone on the road ahead.

Let us not be afraid,

but open ourselves to the love, power and wisdom of the Risen Christ

who will be with us always.

People:            Amen, alleluia!