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
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!