EASTER
Worship
LECTIONARY WORSHIP AIDS
Series III
* CALL TO WORSHIP (responsively)
This is the day on which the Lord has acted:
let us exult and rejoice in it.
We shall not die,
but live to proclaim the works of the Lord.
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of the sabbath rest, God of Easter Sunday, God of everyday
hear our confession. Embarrassment often closes our mouths, so
we are often reluctant to share unusual experiences that doubters
will question and cast aspersions on our sanity. Death mystifies
us, but to be a witness of a resurrection would dumbfound us
also. There is something fearsome about death and grievous in
the separation it brings between the living and the dead. We
want to overcome our doubts about resurrection. Help us to
receive the witness of the apostles concerning the new creation
begun after the Sabbath was ended and another first day of your
creation began, for the sake of him you raised from death, Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
* DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News, brothers and sisters, through which you are
being saved, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the
scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the
third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared
to his disciples. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus
Christ, we are forgiven.
* EXHORTATION
As Jesus said to his disciples: "Go into all the world and
proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who
believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not
believe will be condemned . . ."
* PRAYER OF THE DAY
Jesus of Nazareth, crucified Mortal, resurrected Christ, send us
also to your whole creation with voices filled with the joy of
faith and the message of eternal salvation from your cross and
empty tomb, that others may share our Easter surprise and not be
afraid of death. Amen.
* PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Giver of banquets, Dryer of Tears, Mover of Stone, we love your
feast of bread and wine because it is to us the promise of life
forever. We know how rare is the wine you make in the winepress
of the cross, and from what wheat is stoneground the Bread of
Life. All thanks and praise be given to you for you give us
yourself. You have made your salvation known to us in Jesus of
Nazareth, crucified and risen from the dead. You move the stone
of death from the tomb of Jesus and the pall that shrouds every
coffin. You will deliver us from the power of death and with
gentleness wipe away the tears of our partings. Who can compare
to you, in generosity in gentleness, in generating and re-
generating life? Alleluia! Amen!
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Whatever we bring, our hands are basically empty, O God, held out
to receive the bounties of your grace. So what we bring we give
to share with others and to return with them to your table to
respond in thanksgiving here and now, hereafter in eternity;
through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Amen.
* PSALM 118:1-2, 14-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
The LORD is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
"The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly."
I shall not die,
but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
[All] The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
This is the day on which the Lord has acted:
let us exult and rejoice in it.
We shall not die,
but live to proclaim the works of the Lord.
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION
God of the sabbath rest, God of Easter Sunday, God of everyday
hear our confession. Embarrassment often closes our mouths, so
we are often reluctant to share unusual experiences that doubters
will question and cast aspersions on our sanity. Death mystifies
us, but to be a witness of a resurrection would dumbfound us
also. There is something fearsome about death and grievous in
the separation it brings between the living and the dead. We
want to overcome our doubts about resurrection. Help us to
receive the witness of the apostles concerning the new creation
begun after the Sabbath was ended and another first day of your
creation began, for the sake of him you raised from death, Jesus
Christ our Lord. Amen.
* DECLARATION OF GOD'S FORGIVENESS
Hear the Good News, brothers and sisters, through which you are
being saved, that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the
scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the
third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared
to his disciples. Friends, believe the Good News! In Jesus
Christ, we are forgiven.
* EXHORTATION
As Jesus said to his disciples: "Go into all the world and
proclaim the good news to the whole creation. The one who
believes and is baptized will be saved; but the one who does not
believe will be condemned . . ."
* PRAYER OF THE DAY
Jesus of Nazareth, crucified Mortal, resurrected Christ, send us
also to your whole creation with voices filled with the joy of
faith and the message of eternal salvation from your cross and
empty tomb, that others may share our Easter surprise and not be
afraid of death. Amen.
* PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
Giver of banquets, Dryer of Tears, Mover of Stone, we love your
feast of bread and wine because it is to us the promise of life
forever. We know how rare is the wine you make in the winepress
of the cross, and from what wheat is stoneground the Bread of
Life. All thanks and praise be given to you for you give us
yourself. You have made your salvation known to us in Jesus of
Nazareth, crucified and risen from the dead. You move the stone
of death from the tomb of Jesus and the pall that shrouds every
coffin. You will deliver us from the power of death and with
gentleness wipe away the tears of our partings. Who can compare
to you, in generosity in gentleness, in generating and re-
generating life? Alleluia! Amen!
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Whatever we bring, our hands are basically empty, O God, held out
to receive the bounties of your grace. So what we bring we give
to share with others and to return with them to your table to
respond in thanksgiving here and now, hereafter in eternity;
through Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Amen.
* PSALM 118:1-2, 14-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say, "His steadfast love endures forever."
The LORD is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
"The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted;
the right hand of the LORD does valiantly."
I shall not die,
but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD;
the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
[All] The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the LORD's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
