Seeing in a New Light

 

Seekers Church

A Christian Community

In the Tradition of the Church of the Saviour

Easter 2005

 

Seeing in a New Light

 

CIRCLE TIME

 

ENTRANCE

 

REFLECTION

If God is incarnate in ordinary life then we should see God, first of all, within ordinary life. Too often, even though we know this theoretically, practically we still look for God in the extraordinary. . . . Do you want to see a vision? Get up tomorrow and watch the sun rise.

Ronald Rolheiser, This Holy Longing:

The Search for a Christian Spirituality, pp. 100-101

 

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

Leader:      Christ is risen!  Alleluia!

                 

People:      We long to see in a new light,

                  to see Christ in the sun

                  and in the shadows;

                  in all of God's creation.

 

Leader:      Christ offers us the

                  the luscious fruit of life

                  and God's everlasting love.

 

People:      Open our eyes, Holy One.

                  Let us see the risen Christ.

 

All:             Christ is risen. Alleluia!

 

INVOCATION

 

HYMN

 

WORD FOR THE CHILDREN

 

SILENCE

 

RESPONSIVE READING

Leader:      When we open ourselves to the Good News

                  the world begins to look different.

 

Voice 1:     Signs of hope show themselves

                  in the midst of war and worry.

 

Voice 2:     The risen Christ reveals surprising places

                  to share and care.

 

Leader:      In Christ we find the courage

                  to look at old prejudice with fresh eyes.

 

Voice 1:     We see that we are not alone.

 

Voice 2:     We share new visions with delight.

 

All:             Alleluia!  Christ is risen.

 

SILENCE

 

PRAYERS

CONFESSION

Leader:      We go to workshops and retreats

                  looking for God in extraordinary experiences.

 

People:      Yet too often we do not notice the tears in the eyes

                  of the person across the family table.

 

Leader:      We read books and attend lectures,

                  hoping to learn a new way to see God.

 

People:      Yet too often we refuse to see the wounds

                  of that one person we so much try to avoid.

 

All:             Looking for God in meditation and monasteries,

                  we do not see that the Risen Christ lives

                  within us and among us, in the ordinary flow of life.

INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

 

ASSURANCE

Leader:      In the new light of this Day of Resurrection,

                  we see the shining life of the Incarnate One

                  flowing through our ordinary lives.

 

PRAYERS OF THE COMMUNITY

 

JESUS PRAYER

All:             Eternal One, Father and Mother of us all,

Holy is your name.

 

Let justice and mercy fill all Creation

and let us recognize

that every thought and thing belongs to you.

 

Feed us with the bread we need for today.

Forgive our sins

as we forgive those who sin against us.

Stand with us in trial and temptation.

Free us from the grip of all that is evil.

     

For you alone are creating our universe,

now and forever.

     

Amen.

 

HYMN

 

THE WORD

FIRST LESSON

SILENCE

GOSPEL

SERMON 

SILENT REFLECTION

 

OFFERING

 

The first Sunday of each month we switch to a Communion Liturgy here.

 

SHARED REFLECTIONS

 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

 

HYMN

 

BENEDICTION

Leader:      Go forth in power and gladness with great courage

                  that we may do justice,

                  make peace,

                  share joy,

                  grow in love,

                  and see in a new light.

                  Alleluia!

 

Unison:      Amen.

 

WORSHIP RESOURCES

Confession & Assurance: Adapted from Ronald Rolheiser, This Holy Longing, p.101