Service of Worship
Prelude
Low in the Grave
Lani Smith
© Public Domain
Welcome and Opening Prayer
Opening Prayer
Creator of Life,
in raising Christ Jesus
up, through, out of, and beyond
the chains of death,
You opened for us the way
to eternal and abundant life.
May our Alleluias on this day
float high above the ceiling
of what we think we know
and transcend to the heaven of
what we believe—
and thus live.
Raise us up!
Renew our lives!
Resurrect our dreams!
Through Jesus Christ our Living Savior,
Amen.
Hymn 302 — Christ the Lord Has Risen Today (v. 1-3)
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’s thy victory, boasting grave? Alleluia!
Christ The Lord Is Risen Today (Easter Hymn)
Charles Wesley
© Public Domain
Children’s Time with Ms Becky
Special Music – Heidi
How Beautiful Are the Feet
(From Messiah)
George Frideric Handel
© Public Domain
Joys and Concerns — Pastoral Prayer
Special Music – Messenger
Scars
Ethan Hulse | Jon McConnell | Matthew Armstrong | Matthew Hein
© 2018 Be Essential Songs
CCLI License # 656051
Scripture Reading – John 20:1-18 (NRSV)
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.
Sermon – Pastor Stacy Dickson
The Good News
See player at the top of the page.
Offering Our Gifts to the Lord
For those who are called and able, gifts and tithes can still be made through online giving, by mailing them in, and by dropping them off to the office through the secure mail slot to the left of the double door entry to the church hallway.
Offertory – Mason
Ave Maria
Walter Scott | Franz Schubert
© Public Domain
Doxology
Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (Old 100th)
Louis Bourgeois | Thomas Ken
© Public Domain
Offertory Prayer
Generous and surprising God, when we thought that death had claimed your only Son, you amazed us with the resurrection.
Surprise us again with your ability to turn these humble offerings into gifts that will transform the world through our witness to your love. We lay our very lives at your feet, O God, knowing that you will use us to proclaim and embody the gospel. Amen.
Special Music – Quartet: Mason, Heidi, Antone, Leah
Hallelujah Chorus
George Frideric Handel
© Public Domain
Benediction
Postlude
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Arr. Don Wyrtzen