Easter 1995: Meet Jesus Again — For the First Time

 

            SEEKERS CHURCH

            A Christian Community

            In the Tradition of Church of the Saviour

 

            Easter 1995

 

Meet Jesus Again — For the First Time

 

 

REFLECTION

 

  When God was knitted to our body in the Virgin's womb,

  God took our Sensuality and oned it to our Substance.

  Thus our Lady is our Mother in whom we are all enclosed,

    and in Christ we are born of her.

 

  And Jesus is our true Mother in whom we are endlessly carried,

    and out of whom we will never come.

 

                                                                                                             Julian of Norwich

 

 

PRELUDE

 

CALL TO WORSHIP  (Unison)

 

  O God, you came among us as the human Jesus,

    and stretched out your arms of love

      on the hard wood of the cross,

    so that everyone might come within the reach

      of your saving embrace.

  Bind us together in your Spirit

    as we worship in your presence this day,

    for we would be your people.  Amen.

 

INVOCATION

 

HYMN

 

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

 

CHILDREN LEAVE FOR CLASSES

 

SILENCE

 

LITANY OF RESURRECTION  (Hymnal #311)

 

Verse 1:Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain,

                        wheat that in the dark earth many days has lain;

                        Love lives again, that with the dead has been:

                        Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

 

Verse 2:In the grave they laid him, Love who had been slain,

                        thinking that he never would awake again,

                        laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:

                        Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

 

Verse 3:Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain,

                        Jesus who for three days in the grave had lain;

                        quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen:

                        Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

 

Verse 4:When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,

                        Jesus' touch can call us back to life again,

                        fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:

                        Love is come again, like wheat that springeth green.

 

SILENCE

 

PRAYERS

 

CONFESSION 

 

Leader:God of miracles,

                          we know you raised Jesus from the dead

                            to be among us as Saviour for the world —

                          but there are times we can't make sense

                            of your way of salvation.

 

Voice 1:God of love,

                          you call us to be with you in community,

                          to witness to the good news

                            that Jesus came to tell —

                          but there are times we find no joy

                            in telling your story.

 

Voice 2:God of faithfulness, we forget you, drift away,

                          and let the demands of today

                            crowd out the joy of being in your presence.

 

Unison:Forgive us, Holy One, when we allow our burdens

                          to become the biggest source of meaning

                            in our lives —

                          and in our weariness lose touch with You.

                         

 

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

 

ASSURANCE  (Leader)

Jesus says:

              "I am Resurrection and I am Life.

              Whoever has faith in me shall have life, even in death.

              And everyone who has life,

                and is committed to me in faith, shall not die forever."

John 11:25-26

 

CONTINUING PRAYERS

 

HYMN

 

THE WORD

SCRIPTURE

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

 

OFFERING

OFFERTORY MUSIC

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

 

SHARED REFLECTIONS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

HYMN

 

BENEDICTION  (Leader)

May you be a new creation,

              Christ for those to whom Christ send you;

            And the blessing of God, our Creator, Redeemer

              and Giver of Life be with you always.

 

            Amen.

 

WORSHIP SOURCES

Litany:  J.M.C. Crum, Methodist Hymnal #311.

Benediction:  New Zealand Prayer Book (Anglican), pg. 538