Worship Guide
April 20, 2025
Easter Sunday
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greeting:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: Meagan
Centering Words:
The stone is rolled away. The tomb is empty. Christ is risen!
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Christ the Lord is risen today.
People: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Leader: Earth and heaven in chorus say:
People: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Leader: Love’s redeeming work is done.
People: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Leader: Christ has opened paradise.
People: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Come, O God, and bring new life to the dead places in our hearts. When we are weary and afraid, help us trust your never-failing love. May this love banish our fears, nourish our spirits, and deepen our joy. Amen.
Hymn: “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today”
Christ, the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!
Earth and heaven in chorus say, Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, ye heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids him rise, Alleluia!
Christ has opened paradise, Alleluia!
Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
Once he died our souls to save, Alleluia!
Where thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like him, like him we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
Hail, the Lord of earth and heaven, Alleluia!
Praise to thee by both be given, Alleluia!
Thee we greet triumphant now, Alleluia!
Hail, the Resurrection, thou, Alleluia!
King of glory, soul of bliss, Alleluia!
Everlasting life is this, Alleluia!
Thee to know, thy power to prove, Alleluia!
Thus to sing and thus to love, Alleluia!
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
God’s love is faithful and everlasting.
This is the day that God has made.
It is filled with new life and hope.
Alleluia! Amen!
Special Music: “Blessed Assurance” Charles
*New Testament Reading: John 20:1-18
1 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.
Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Special Music: “Forever” Stefanie
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Jesus Is Alive”
Hymn: “Easter Alleluia”
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
Glory to God who does wondrous things,
let all the people God's praises now sing,
all of creation in splendour shall ring: Alleluia!
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
See how salvation for all has been won,
up from the grave our new life has begun,
life now perfected in Jesus, the Son: Alleluia!
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
Now in our presence the Lord will appear,
shine in the faces of all of us here,
fill us with joy and cast out all our fear: Alleluia!
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
Call us, Good Shepherd we listen for you,
wanting to see you in all that we do,
we would the gate of salvation pass through: Alleluia!
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
Lord, we are open to all that you say,
ready to listen and follow your way,
you are the potter and we are the clay: Alleluia!
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
If we have love, then we dwell in the Lord,
God will protect us from fire and sword,
fill us with love and the peace of his word! Alleluia
Alleluia alleluia, alleluia!
Sermon: “Steadfast Love: A New Cut” Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
1 O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his steadfast love endures forever!
2 Let Israel say,
“His steadfast love endures forever.”
14 The Lord is my strength and my might;
he has become my salvation.
15 There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous:
“The right hand of the Lord does valiantly;
16 the right hand of the Lord is exalted;
the right hand of the Lord does valiantly.”
17 I shall not die, but I shall live,
and recount the deeds of the Lord.
18 The Lord has punished me severely,
but he did not give me over to death.
19 Open to me the gates of righteousness,
that I may enter through them
and give thanks to the Lord.
20 This is the gate of the Lord;
the righteous shall enter through it.
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.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
THE SACRAMENTS OF HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation, Prayer of Confession and Pardon:
Christ our Lord invites to his table
all who love him,
who earnestly repent of their sin
and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God
and one another.
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you
with our whole hearts.
We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will,
we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love,
we have not loved our neighbors,
and we have not heard the
cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen
Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God's love toward us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
Glory to God. Amen
The Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast.
You delivered us from captivity, and made covenant to be our sovereign God, brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and set before us the way of life.
And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection you gave birth to your Church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
By your great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of your Son from the dead and to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading.
Once we were no people, but now we are your people, declaring your wonderful deeds in Christ, who called us out of darkness into his marvelous light.
When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it in remembrance of me."
On the day you raised him from the dead he was recognized by his disciples in the breaking of the bread, and in the power of your Holy Spirit your Church has continued in the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup.
And so, in remembrance of these your might acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith
Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen
And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
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.
Amen
Sharing of the Cup and Loaf
Moment of Prayer and Meditation
Prayer of Thanks
Eternal God, we give you thanks
for this holy mystery
in which you have given yourself to us.
Grant that we may go into the world
in the strength of your Spirit,
to give ourselves to others,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Because He Lives”
God sent his Son, they called him Jesus;
he came to love, heal, and forgive;
he lived and died to buy my pardon,
an empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.
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 a living just because he lives
How sweet to hold a newborn baby;
and feel the pride and the joy that he gives;
but greater still, the calm assurance,
this child can face uncertain days because he lives.
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 a living just because he lives
And then one day, I'll cross that river;
I'll fight life's final war with pain;
and then as death gives way to victory,
I'll see the lights of glory and I'll know he reigns.
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 a living just because he lives
Benediction
Hymn: “May You Run and Not Be Weary”
May you run and not be weary.
May your heart be filled with song.
And may the love of God continue
to give you hope and keep you strong.
And may you run and not be weary.
May your life be filled with joy!
And may the road you travel
always lead you home.
