GATHERING
ENTRANCE
REFLECTION
Holy Jesus, I hear God’s mighty “Yes!” in
your Resurrection.
You invite me to live also,
and I want to say “Yes!” to you.
Take me out of the tomb that
imprisons me,
lead me into the morning of new life,
and walk with me wherever your love
may lead.
Peter Storey, Listening at Golgotha, p87-88
CANDLE LIGHTING
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Christ is risen.
People: The tomb is empty.
Leader: Morning has broken.
People: Let new light and fresh hope burst forth within us!
Leader: Christ is risen.
All: Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!
OPENING PRAYER
HYMN
WORD FOR THE CHILDREN
SILENCE
PRAYERS
COMMON CONFESSION
Leader:
Holy One,
sometimes it is difficult to know
how much I am called to carry
as I walk this path with Christ.
Voice 1:
Sometimes we don’t know what it means
to claim we’re all in this together.
Voice 2:
We confess that our reluctant, halting efforts to love
don’t really feel like part of your love for all Creation.
Voice 1:
We confess that sometimes we resent
the pressure to contribute to the greater good.
Voice 2:
We confess it’s hard to see how reaching out
to one or two others is going to make a difference.
Leader:
It’s hard to see how working together as a community
is really part of your good news for all creation.
All:
We confess that sometimes it still feels easier
to turn our backs and go our own way.
INDIVIDUAL PRAYERS OF CONFESSION
ASSURANCE
Leader:
Because Christ is always risen, our God stands ready
to take us out of the tomb that imprisons us,
to lead us into the morning of new life,
to walk with us wherever God’s love may lead.
We are forgiven.
All: Amen.
PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION
PRAYER OF 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 new beginnings,
you invite us into resurrection
and our answer is thanks and praise.
People:
We give you thanks and praise
for your Holy Child Jesus,
who suffered and died and rose again,
leading us into the morning of new life.
Leader 2:
We give you thanks for your Holy Spirit,
who leads us out of the tomb,
and frees us to walk where you lead us.
People:
We give you thanks for your Holy Church,
the body of believers
in whom Christ is always risen.
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 of his arrest, 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.
SHARE THE ELEMENTS
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:
Beloved, let us go out into the world
in the name of the risen Christ.
Love one another.
Proclaim God’s love in truth and action.
Christ is risen!
All:
Christ is risen indeed!
Alleluia. Amen.
