Easter Sunday

PRELUDE      “The Trumpet Shall Sound”  from Messiah  
Handel, arr. Hopson

*CALL TO WORSHIP

The tomb is empty!
          Christ is risen!
The soldiers have returned home.
          Christ is risen!
The anger of the crowds is gone.
          Christ is risen!
The time of grieving has ended.
          Christ is risen!
Violence, fear, and death have disappeared!
          Christ is risen!
Come, let us go to the house of the Holy One!
          Christ is risen! Indeed, Christ is risen!

VESTING THE SANCTUARY

*HYMN 232  Jesus Christ is Risen Today   EASTER HYMN

*INVITATION TO HOPE

*PRAYER OF HOPE IN CHRIST

Eternal God,
by the power of your redeeming love,
Christ Jesus is raised to new life.
We confess that even as we celebrate Jesus’ resurrection,
we do not wholly trust your redemptive power,
nor fully believe the Good News of Jesus.
Renew our faith and revive our hope,
that we might joyfully live
the new life you bring to all Creation,
as we share with others the risen life
of your Beloved, Anointed One.
Amen.

Silent confession.

*ASSURANCE OF HOPE  Matt. 28:5b–6

“Do not be afraid; I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.”

Believe the Good News of the Gospel.
          In Jesus Christ we are loved and befriended by God.

PASSING OF THE PEACE

And since we have been reconciled to God,
let us also be reconciled to one another.

The peace of Christ be with you.
            And also with you.

CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE  HYMN 243 Be Not Afraid

SCRIPTURE READING  John 20:1-18

SERMON    “Don’t Just Do Something, Sit There”    Mark DeVries

*HYMN 248  Christ is Risen! Shout Hosanna!  HYMN TO JOY

INVITATION TO THE OFFERING

OFFERING

*DOXOLOGY

Let trumpets sound and voices sing!
Let all on earth their praises bring! Alleluia! Alleluia!
For Christ has conquered sin and death
And given life eternal breath.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

HOLY COMMUNION

GREAT PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Lift up your hearts.
          We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God.
          It is right to give God thanks and praise.

It is truly right and our greatest joy
to give you thanks and praise,
O God our Creator, Redeemer, and Sustainer.
Your hand has formed us from dust of the earth
and set us among all your creatures to love and serve you.

When we are unfaithful to you, you keep faith with us,
remaining steadfast in your love for us.
You break the bonds of our oppression,
bring us to live in freedom,
and make covenant with us to be our God.
In the prophets you teach us justice and compassion,
and in Jesus of Nazareth you embody among us
your eternal grace and truth.

Therefore, we join our voices and sing your praise:
HYMN 552

You are holy, O God of majesty,
and blessed is Christ Jesus, your Beloved One.
He came with healing in his touch
and was wounded for our sins.
He came with kindness in his voice
and was mocked by others.

He came with peace in his heart
but was met violence with death.
By your power he overcame the power of death
and opened the way to new life for all.
The one who was dead now lives,
the one who was humiliated is raised to glory,
the one who now lives with you is with us always.

          With thanksgiving, we take this bread and this cup,
          remembering Jesus’ suffering and death,
          proclaiming the Good News of his resurrection.

Gracious God,
pour out your Spirit upon us,
and upon these your gifts of bread and wine,
that the bread we break and the cup we bless
may be for us the body and blood of Christ Jesus.
Help us realize in the breaking of bread
the presence of your Beloved, Anointed One.
Give all who are fed at this table
grace to share bread with the hungry,
and Good News with the hungry of heart.
Nourished by his holy meal,
may we all grow to greater maturity in Christ.

          Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ,
          in the unity of the holy spirit,
          all glory, and honor are yours, Eternal God,
          now and forever. Amen.

We now pray together saying:

Our Father-Mother, 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 sins, as we
forgive the sins of others. And lead us not into temptation, but
deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power,
and the glory forever. Amen.

BREAKING THE BREAD

These are the gifts of God.
          For the people of God.

*HYMN 536  Rise, O Church, Like Christ Arisen   SURGE ECCLESIA

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION

Gracious God,
you have made us one with all your people
in heaven and on earth.
You have fed us with the bread of life,
and renewed us for your service.
Help us follow more faithfully
the way of Christ Jesus,
so that our daily living may bear witness
to your undying love for all the world.  Amen.

*HYMN 249   Because You Live, O Christ   VRUECHTEN

*EASTER AFFIRMATION AND DISMISSAL

Christ is risen!
          Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Let us go forth in the name and Spirit of Christ Jesus.
          Thanks be to God.

POSTLUDE    Trumpet Tune in G     Bankson

*Please rise in body or in spirit.

The Easter lilies in the sanctuary have been donated by individuals in honor or in memory of loved ones.

The lilies are dedicated to the following:

Bob Gardner by Greg Gardner
Jerry Jud by Mark DeVries
Janice Osborne, Grace and Glenn Mitchell by Becky Goodman
Janice Osborne by Bill Osborne
The David Hamilton Family by David Hamilton

We thank those who served in and prepared for worship today:

Mark DeVries, Preacher
Jeff Moles, Director of Music Ministries
Greg Gardner, Liturgist
Jenny Cook and Cliff Mundy, Offering Takers

A special thank you to today’s guest musicians:

Nicholas Rankin, ensemble coordinator
Laura Scheuemann, trumpet
Kevin Griffin, trumpet
Sammi Davenport, horn
Connor Naaden, trombone
Chris Colalillo, tuba
Chris Nelson, timpani