GATHERING
ENTRANCE
REFLECTION
Mary Magdalene came to the tomb early, while it was still dark, and saw that the stone had been taken away.
"They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him."
"Woman, why are you weeping? Who are you seeking?"
“Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him."
Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned and said to him in Aramaic, "Rabboni!,"
Based on John 20
The Easter altar included an accordion fold image of a complete bread loaf and a broken loaf.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: We come – excited and confused.
Voice 1: Christ is Risen!
Voice 2: The tomb is empty,
the guards won’t tell us where the body is.
Voice 1: Nothing looks the same: the hope,
the pain, the disappointment, and now this!
Voice 2: Christ is Risen!
All: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
INVOCATION
HYMN
WORD FOR THE CHILDREN
SILENCE
RESPONSIVE READING
Leader: A woman stands in a garden.
She is bewildered, distressed, lost.
People: We are that woman. Who has taken away our Lord?
Leader: His voice is near – familiar, caressing, present – the Word has been made flesh again!
All: Hope is alive. What just happened?
SILENCE
PRAYERS
COMMON CONFESSION
Leader: We stumble on the way to the tomb.
People: We believe. Help our unbelief!
Leader: We come to the tomb, but fear to look in.
People: We believe. Help our unbelief!
Leader: We see that the tomb is empty but still we doubt.
All: We believe. Help our unbelief!
INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
ASSURANCE
Leader: The Risen Christ moves among us and within us.
We hear his voice and feel his presence.
We are forgiven, even in the midst of our unbelief.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION
UNISON PRAYER
All: 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.
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
SHARED REFLECTIONS
ANNOUNCEMENTS
HYMN
BENEDICTION
Leader: Let go of what you think you know.
Walk into the unknown,
trusting that you live in Christ
and Christ lives in you.
Christ is risen.
All: Christ is risen, indeed.
Alleluia! Amen!
