Call to
worship This is the good news The grave is
empty, Christ is risen. Hallelujah!
This is the good
news Once we were no people, Now we are God’s people. Hallelujah!
Hymn TIS 370 ‘Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia.' As Christ rose, so are we
guaranteed liberation from the sin that deadens our soul. We may soar above the
banal and downright evil to live lives of victory.
Prayers of
Praise and Thanksgiving and Confession
Jan began with an
Easter prayer, declaring that "early in the morning" God made the
world; Jesus was born; Jesus accepted the penalty for doing good; and Jesus
rose from the dead. HALLOWED BE THY NAME. She continued the prayer, leading a
celebration of all that has happened and asking that our Lord would bring new
life, new love, forgiveness, the joy and freedom of the Holy Spirit instead of
all those things that drag us into despair. She then, further declared that 'where regret is real, Jesus pronounces his
pardon and grants us the right to begin again.’ Thanks be to God. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Hear Christ's words
of grace to us. Our sins are forgiven.
Hymn TIS 342 ‘When I survey the wondrous cross’ Humility strikes. Pierces our body. We are struck with our own
feebleness and weakness and throw ourselves in God's mercy.
Bible
Readings- Laurel read from Isaiah
25:6-9: The prediction of God's triumph and
Mark 16:1-8: The reality of God's triumph.
Sermon- 'Living hope for life'
Jan announced that
today we celebrate the resurrection of Christ Jesus our Lord. She reminded us
that "the first Easter was an incredible day, one that started with
disbelief, with fear and trembling and bewilderment beside an empty tomb, and
ended with astonishment, excitement and thanksgiving." Even though the
disciples had seen and heard many marvellous things during their time with
Jesus, they didn't expect to see him again after his crucifixion.
No one expected a
resurrection. They were huddled in an upper room - just as we would be. Hiding
in fear - just as we would. But "Jesus... was able to break through death
and transform it".
This restored the
hopes of the disciples - this brought to life their uncertain convictions. The
details about the sharing of the news concerning Jesus’ resurrection is uncertain as are any details of his
appearance to his followers. But the news was shared - that is certain because
we are here today celebrating the event - and the frightened disciples would
never have had the courage to continue preaching without such a startling
revelation as Jesus living.
As it was, they went
from being people afraid of dying to being people who offered their lives to
help others to come to the faith.
"God can bring
good out of evil, love out of hate, and hope out of despair,"
"The Easter joy
of resurrection life is real, when we embrace the life that God has called us
to live and to know Jesus’ presence with us always". Amen.
Offering We made our freewill offering to be
used to spread God's message of new life.
Musical
interlude
Grahame played while
we prayed silently.
Prayers of
Intercession- Laurel
Laurel prayed to
God, drawing our attention to the purpose of today being the celebration of
God's great love, shown through Jesus' death and resurrection. She asked that
we should become partners with God, acting with love and compassion in this
world. She reminded us of those shuffering terrible violence, war, hunger,
natural disasters, injustice and inequality. She prayed for God to be with them
and alleviate their distress, particularly refugees who have left everything
they had in search of safety, asking that they be treated with care and
respect.
At home we prayed
for travellers in the present wet conditions and for Malcolm and Lyn as they
travel far from us. Laurel prayed for our Marsden Road community and those who
cannot do all that they would like to because of their physical condition.
Laurel prayed for the particular concerns of the congregation, adding that we
feel inadequate in the face of all the needs of which we are aware, so prayed
for God's guidance and strength in our attempts to be his hands and voice. We
concluded with The Lord's Prayer.
Hymn TIS 511 'Let us break bread together with the Lord' In all that we do and say may we be directed
by God. Always.
Jan blessed
us: The Peace of God be with you
always. And our reply 'And also with you' prepared us for the communion to
follow as did our offering of the peace to each other.
Communion
Jan led us into
communion explaining that the table we shared with Jesus and all that love him
is also shared with the poor and followed with an invitation for anyone seeking
to further or renew their relationship with God to share. Then followed the
story of the Last Supper, explaining that we were about to follow that example.
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving ended with a prayer of adoration after which
Jan blessed the bread and wine, asking that by sharing in them, we would be
renewed. Jan then held the bread and wine aloft, declaring them 'the gifts of
God for the people of God."
The bread and wine
were then distributed.
Hymn TIS 376 “I know that my redeemer lives’. Not only a declaration but a celebration.
Blessing
- The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon
you, and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you, and
give you peace. Amen
Blessing - TIS
781 ‘Father bless us as we go’ A plea for God
to be with us at all times in the coming week.
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