Prelude Harbor Brass Quintet
Bells
Entrance of the Pascal Candle
Reading Genesis 1
In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. 3 Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness.
P Behold the Light of God!
C The Light that makes all things new.
P The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C God’s Light renews us all.
Agnus Dei
Alleluia, alleluia,
for the Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia, alleluia,
for the Lord God Almighty reigns
Entrance of the Altar Candles
Reading Isaiah 65
17 “Look! I am creating new heavens and a new earth,
and no one will even think about the old ones anymore.
18 Be glad; rejoice forever in my creation!
And look! I will create Jerusalem as a place of happiness.
Her people will be a source of joy.
19 I will rejoice over Jerusalem
and delight in my people.
And the sound of weeping and crying
will be heard in it no more.
24 I will answer them before they even call to me.
While they are still talking about their needs,
I will go ahead and answer their prayers!
25 The wolf and the lamb will feed together.
The lion will eat hay like a cow.
But the snakes will eat dust.
In those days no one will be hurt or destroyed on my holy mountain.
I, the Lord, have spoken!”
P Behold the Light of God!
C The Light that makes all things new.
P The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C God’s Light renews us all.
Agnus Dei
Alleluia, alleluia,
for the Lord God Almighty reigns
Alleluia, alleluia,
for the Lord God Almighty reigns
The Cross is Draped in White
Reading Romans 6
When we were joined with Christ Jesus in baptism, we joined him in his death. 4 For we died and were buried with Christ by baptism. And just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glorious power of the Father, now we also may live new lives.
5 Since we have been united with him in his death, we will also be raised to life as he was. 6 We know that our old sinful selves were crucified with Christ so that sin might lose its power in our lives. We are no longer slaves to sin. 7 For when we died with Christ we were set free from the power of sin. 8 And since we died with Christ, we know we will also live with him. 9 We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. 10 When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. 11 So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus.
P Behold the Light of God!
C The Light that makes all things new.
P The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C God’s Light renews us all.
Agnus Dei
Alleluia
Holy holy
Are You Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb
You are holy holy
Are You Lord God Almighty
Worthy is the Lamb
Worthy is the Lamb
Amen
Easter Proclamation
P Long and long our God has declared it:
All things will be made new!
C And God’s promises are sure.
P All the heavens and the earth.
C All the seas and dry lands.
P All the stars and moons.
C All have been made new!
P All the forests and the fields.
C All the valleys and the mountains.
P All the rivers and the lakes.
C All have been made new!
P All the fish and the corals.
C All the birds and the beasts.
P All the worms and the insects.
C All have been made new!
P For God has done it!
C God has turned death into life.
P God has turned brokenness into wholeness.
C God has saved this people!
P Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Easter Proclamation: Copyright Lisa Frenz.
All Rights Reserved. Used with permission.”
á Hymn Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (#365)
Text: Latin carol, 14th cent., sts. 1-3; tr. J. Walsh, Lyra Davidica, 1708, alt.; Charles Wesley, 1707-1788, st. 4
P Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Welcome, Announcements and Sharing
Call to Worship
Prayer of the Day
P The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
C And also with you.
P Let us pray…
C Loving God,
With joy and unending praise we raise our voices to you, as together we sing. Amen!
P Alleluia! Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Choir Anthem
Kids in the Kingdom
Hymn Because He Lives
God sent His Son they called Him Jesus
He came to love heal and forgive
He bled and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove
My Savior lives
Chorus Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives
How sweet to hold our newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy he gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days
Because Christ lives
Responsive Reading Psalm 118
21 I thank you that you have answered me
and have become my salvation.
22 The stone that the builders rejected
has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing;
it is marvelous in our eyes.
24 This is the day that the Lord has made;
let us rejoice and be glad in it.
25 Save us, we beseech you, O Lord!
O Lord, we beseech you, give us success!
26 Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
We bless you from the house of the Lord.
27 The Lord is God,
and he has given us light.
Send the joyful procession with branches,
up to the horns of the altar.
28 You are my God, and I will give thanks to you;
you are my God, I will extol you.
29 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good,
for his steadfast love endures forever.
Gospel John 18:1-18
L The Holy Gospel from John in the 18th Chapter
C Glory to you, O Lord
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’ ” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
L This is the Gospel of our Lord
C Praise to You O Christ
Sermon Brendan Johnston
á Hymn Amazing Grace (My Chains Are Gone)
Amazing grace how sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me
I once was lost but now I’m found
Was blind but now I see
‘Twas grace that taught my heart to fear
And grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed
Refrain: My chains are gone I’ve been set free
My God my Savior has ransomed me
And like a flood His mercy rains
Unending love amazing grace
The Lord has promised good to me
His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be
As long as life endures Refrain
The earth shall soon dissolve like snow
The sun forbear to shine
But God who called me here below
Will be forever mine
Will be forever mine
You are forever mine Refrain
WE RESPOND TO THE WORD OF GOD
á Affirmation of Faith
We believe in God, the one who comes before us and goes behind us, creating life and opportunities to love and care for the world.
We believe in Jesus Christ who walks with us into real life each day. He is God, yet human like us and experienced all life’s joys and pains and challenges like we do. But his love is so great that not sin nor suffering nor even death could stop it. Today the love of Jesus lives and continues to bring new life to the world.
We believe in the Holy Spirit who comes like the wind and blows in and through us to bring God’s power and light to all the world. The Spirit breathes life into us, the body of Christ we call the church, and enables us to follow the way of Christ.
We believe in God, who goes before and behind, with, in and through us, bringing hope and life and newness to the world.
Choir Anthem
Prayers of Bethlehem
Offering Prayer
P Let us pray…
C Gracious God, in the abundance of your steadfast love, you call us from death to life, from silence to speech, from idleness to action. With these gifts we offer ourselves to you, and with the Church through all the ages we give thanks for your saving love in Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Meal
God feeds us with the presence of Jesus Christ
Words of Institution
á Lord’s Prayer
C 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 trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom,
and the power, and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
L These are the gifts of God for the people of God
C Thanks be to God
Distribution of Holy Communion
We believe that Jesus is truly present in the elements of communion
– and all are welcome to receive Jesus in this food and drink.
Communion in the Pews
Prepackaged communion will be available in pews and as you enter worship. Please open and receive this sacrament after the Words of Institution.
Communion at the Table
Those who wish to receive Holy Communion at the tables in front of the sanctuary will be invited to come forward using the pulpit side aisle, and return to their seat using the piano side aisle.
As you come forward, one at a time, there will be two tables prepared for you. Wafers will be placed on plates on the first table for you to pick up and receive the Body of Christ. Cups of wine or grape juice will be placed on the second table for you to receive the Blood of Christ. Cups can then be placed in a bin.
Children not communing may come forward for a blessing.
Communion Music
á Post Communion Prayer
P Let us pray…
C We thank you. Lord of heaven and earth, that you have fed us with the saving body and blood of Jesus Christ. Enliven us by your presence in this meal, that we may be your presence in the world, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen
LEAVE TO LIVE THE WORD
á Blessing
P Almighty God, who raised our Lord Jesus from death,
lift you up and restore you to wholeness.
C Amen
P Jesus Christ, the Word of life,
bless you and send you to be his witnesses.
C Amen
P God the Holy Spirit, who renews the whole earth,
refresh you in the gift of baptism this day and always.
á Sending Hymn Thine is the Glory (ELW # 376)
á Dismissal
P Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!
C Thanks be to God. Alleluia!