Easter 2000: The Future is Possible

 

Seekers Church

A Christian Community

In the Tradition of the Church of the Saviour

 

Easter 2000

The Future is Possible

 

SILENT REFLECTION

the green of Jesus

is breaking the ground

and the sweet

smell of delicious Jesus

is opening the house and

the dance of Jesus music

has hold of the air and

the world is turning

in the body of Jesus and

the future is possible

 

“spring song,” by Lucille Clifton.

PRELUDE

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:             Easter begins in despair.

Our life, our love, our hope forever dead,

crushed by boulder, bottled up in a cave.

Who will roll away the stone?

 

Unison:             Easter takes us by surprise.

The obstacles we expect to face are removed.

Where once death and despair laid

locked in time

now the bright light of hope sprouts wings

to fly from emptiness.

It is, at first, too good to be true.

Hallelujah!  Christ is risen!

 

INVOCATION

 

HYMN

 

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

 

SILENCE

 

LITANY

Leader:             When overtaken by a miracle,

our first reflex is to run.

 

Voice 1:            Be not afraid.

Ye seek Jesus of Nazareth who was crucified.

 

Voice 2:            He is risen, he is not here:

see the place where they laid him.

 

Leader:             But go your way.

Tell the disciples and Peter

that he goes before you into Galilee.

There you shall see him.

 

Voice 1:            Suddenly the realization dawns.

It may rise as quietly

as the sun creeping over the horizon,

 

Voice 2:            or it may explode like fireworks,

painting the world with dazzle.

 

Community:      We recognize the One who was dead

as he comes to life within us.

Christ is risen, risen indeed!

 

SILENCE

 

PRAYERS

COMMON CONFESSION

Leader:             This is the Easter season,

A time when we might know that the future is possible.

 

Voice 1:            But so often the spirit has gone out of us,

draining away like the ebbing tide,

and we feel forsaken in the midst of opportunity.

 

Voice 2:            Then the good news breaks upon us

like crashing waters on the shore,

molding and shaping us,

and we long for the peace and quiet

of a gentle summer dawn.

 

Community:      O Holy maker of a future full of possibility,

we would be filled with your spirit

like a field of dancing flowers,

but all this unexpected glory is disturbing,

Forgive us our reluctance to dance.

 

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

 

ASSURANCE

Leader:             All who encounter the Risen One

whether gently aroused by sunrise

or surprised by the sudden burst of joy

will join the Resurrection Procession

one by one, slipping into step,

some of us singing,

some of us silently soaking it in,

and all of us feeling like dancing.

 

PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY

 

HYMN

 

THE WORD

FIRST LESSON

SILENCE

GOSPEL LESSON

SERMON

SILENT REFLECTION

 

OFFERING

 

SHARED REFLECTIONS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

HYMN

 

BENEDICTION

Leader:            Rejoice in the Good News of the risen Christ.

Join the Resurrection Procession,

sharing the good news that God has a future for us.

Watch for the dawn that God is bringing.

Let yourself be changed by faith!

 

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Worship Resources

Call to Worship: Ruth Duck & Maren Tirabassi, ed., Touch Holiness: Resources for Worship, pg 75.

Litany: Duck & Tirabassi, pg 75.

Assurance: Duck & Tirabassi, pg 76.