Easter Bells

Opening Prayer

Praise be to you, O God of resurrection, for you have defeated the powers of sin and death. In resurrecting Christ Jesus, you displayed your holy power and transformed all of creation. In your steadfast love, you have redeemed us once and for all. Where we once saw pain, scarcity, and despair, we now see wholeness, abundance, and hope. Holy Spirit, inspire us to live as your new creation, working to make things on earth as they are in heaven. Amen.

Welcome

Introit     Ring the Easter Bells     Joseph Martin

Call To Worship 1

ONE: Christ is Risen!

ALL: Christ is Risen Indeed!

ONE: On this day we celebrate resurrection.

ALL: The power of life has overcome the power of death.

ONE: The light of love has shattered the darkness of fear.

ALL: The way of peace has prevailed against the violence of empire.

ONE: Hallelujah!

ALL: We come to worship the God whose resurrection power lives on in the Christ we serve. Let us worship God!

Hymn 245   Christ the Lord is Risen Today!

Prayer of Confession 2

ONE: Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ, not even death. Trusting in this Good News, let us turn to God to honestly confess our sins.

ALL: You call us to hope, Savior God, but we despair. You call us to work for peace, but we doubt its power. You call us to community, but we judge and shun. Transform us, Holy One, by the joy of this Easter. Let us celebrate this day as a new beginning and a new life. Amen.    

Assurance of Pardon 2

ONE: Christ conquered death to restore us to life. Believe this good news. Live this resurrection. Hope in God's promise because we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Amen.

ALL: Thanks be to God!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 591

Halle, halle, hallelujah!;

Halle, halle, hallelujah!

Halle, halle, hallelujah!;

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Scripture: Isaiah 65:17-25; John 20:1-18

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    O Praise the Living King!     Lloyd Larson & Christopher Wordsworth

Sermon     Reverend Debra McGuire

Hymn 246  Christ is Alive!

Invitation to the Offering

In a difficult economic climate, fear is the greatest obstacle to generosity: fear that there isn't enough to go around; that if we give away what we have, we won't be able to take care of our own needs. Fear is like a big stone standing between us and the experience of the resurrection miracle. So “who will roll away the stone?” We will, through the gifts we now give.

Offertory     Glorious Day     Michael Bleeker and Mark Hall

Prayer of Dedication

Eternal God, take and use these gifts for your purpose in the world—giving food to the hungry, hope to the despairing, and new life to the dead. Teach us to live each day for you, so that future generations will know your goodness and praise your glory; in the name of Christ our Lord. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Hymn 238   Thine is the Glory

Pastoral Prayer 3

May God, who comes to us in the things of this world,

bless your eyes and be in your seeing.

May Christ, who looks upon you with deepest love,

bless your eyes and widen your gaze.

May the Spirit, who perceives what is and what may yet be,

bless your eyes and sharpen your vision.

May the Sacred Three bless your eyes and cause you to see.

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude - Hymn 236        The Strife is O'er

1 Joanna Harader, Spacious Faith (adapted)

2 Presbyterian Outlook

3 Jan L. Richardson, In the Sanctuary of Women - Painted Prayerbook

Easter Bells

Opening Prayer 1

Spirit of God, enlighten our hearts to the reality of divine presence in our midst. Let our worship be pleasing in your sight, so that our gathering is an experience of deep communion with you and one another. In the name of Jesus Christ, this is our prayer. Amen.

Welcome

Introit     Ring the Easter Bells     Joseph Martin

Call To Worship 1

God has saved us and called us to a holy life—not because of anything we have done, but because of God's own purpose and grace. This grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the beginning of time but it has now been revealed through the appearing of our Savior, who has destroyed death and has brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Let us worship God!

Hymn 630    Fairest Lord Jesus

Prayer of Confession 2

ONE: Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Jesus Christ, not even death. Trusting in this Good News, let us turn to God to honestly confess our sins.

ALL: You call us to hope, Savior God, but we despair. You call us to work for peace, but we doubt its power. You call us to community, but we judge and shun. Transform us, Holy One, by the joy of this Easter. Let us celebrate this day as a new beginning and a new life. Amen.    

Response Hymn 253

Alleluia! Christ is arisen. Bright is the dawning of the Lord's day.

Alleluia! Christ is arisen. Bright is the dawning of the Lord's day.

Assurance of Pardon 2

ONE: Christ conquered death to restore us to life. Believe this good news. Live this resurrection. Hope in God's promise because we are forgiven in Jesus Christ. Amen.

ALL: Thanks be to God!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 591

Halle, halle, hallelujah!;

Halle, halle, hallelujah!

Halle, halle, hallelujah!;

Hallelujah! Hallelujah!

Scripture: Acts 5:27-32

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Hold Us Together     H.E.R. and Tauren Wells

Sermon     Change the Atmosphere!      Rev. Don Mulford

Hymn 475  Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing

Invitation to the Offering 3

God has shown us the meaning of generosity in the beautiful diversity of creation, in the overflowing love of Jesus Christ, and in the never-ending gift of the Holy Spirit! God has abundantly blessed us and called us to be a community that blesses others through the sharing of our love, our talents, and our material possessions. Let us rejoice now in what we have been given and in what is ours to give.

Offertory     Glorious Day     Michael Bleeker and Mark Hall

Prayer of Dedication 3

Holy One, whose heart abounds with gifts, receive this offering as a sign of our intention to live surrounded by your mercy, inspired by your Spirit, open to the joy of your presence, hospitable to one another, and generous toward your world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.

Hymn 766   The Church of Christ Cannot Be Bound

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude        Nobody     Mark Hall, Bernie Herms, and Matthew West

1 Norman D. Yeater, Long Green Valley Church of the Brethren

2 Presbyterian Outlook

3 Ruth Duck and Maren Tirabassi, “Touch of Holiness”