Monday, March 30, 2015

A Liturgy for Easter (5 April 2015)

Easter
5 April 2015

The Gathering of the Community

Entrance Hymn

‘Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain’ Common Praise #215

Greeting

Alleluia!  Christ is risen.
The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia!
May his grace and peace be with you.
May he fill our hearts with joy.

Canticle

‘Praise the Lord with the Sound of Trumpets’ Common Praise #309

Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

Love divine,
in raising Christ to new life
you open the path of salvation to all peoples.
Send us out with the joy of Mary Madgalene
to proclaim that we have seen the Lord,
so that all the world may celebrate with you
the banquet of your peace.  Amen. [i]

The Proclamation of the Word of God

The First Reading

A Reading from Isaiah (25.6-9).

            On this mountain the Lord of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well- aged wines strained clear.  And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever.  Then the Lord God will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the Lord has spoken.  It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us.  This is the Lord for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation.

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

The Psalm of the Day

Psalm 118.1-2, 14-24 with Refrain from Songs for the Holy One

Refrain (twice):  God’s faithful love endures forever.  Hallelujah!

1 Give thanks to the Lord who is good; *
            the mercy of the Lord endures for ever.
2 Let Israel now proclaim, *
            ”The mercy of the Lord endures for ever.”

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures forever.  Hallelujah!

14 The Lord is my strength and my song, *
            and has become my salvation.
15 There is a sound of exultation and victory *
            in the tents of the righteous:
16 ”The strong hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
            the strong hand of the Lord is exalted!
            the strong hand of the Lord has triumphed!”
17 I shall not die, but live, *
            and declare the works of the Lord.

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures forever.  Hallelujah!

18 The Lord has punished me sorely, *
            but did not hand me over to death.
19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
            I will enter them;
            I will offer thanks to the Lord.
20 ”This is the gate of the Lord; *
            the one who is righteous may enter.”
21 I will give thanks to the Lord who answered me *
            and has become my salvation.

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures forever.  Hallelujah!

22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
            has become the chief cornerstone.
23 This is the Lord’s doing, *
            and it is marvellous in our eyes.
24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
            we will rejoice and be glad in it.

Refrain:  God’s faithful love endures forever.  Hallelujah!

The Second Reading

A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles (10.34-43)

            Then Peter began to speak to them:  “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.  You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all.  That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced:  how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.  We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem.  They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead.  He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead.  All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God.

Hymn before the Gospel

‘Jesus Is Risen from the Grave’ Common Praise #232 vv. 1, 2, 3

The Gospel

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (20.1-18)
Glory to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

            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.  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.”  Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb.  The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first.   He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in.   Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb.  He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself.  Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead.  Then the disciples returned to their homes.
           
            But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 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.  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.”  When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus.  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.”  Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher).  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.’”  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.

The Gospel of Christ.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

The Sermon

The Nicene Creed

We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.

For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary
and became truly human.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.

On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit,
the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father,
who with the Father and the Son
is worshipped and glorified,
who has spoken through the prophets.

We believe in one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

The Prayers of the Community

Intercessions, Petitions and Thanksgivings

The Exchange of the Peace

May the peace of the risen Christ be with you all.
And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

‘Rejoice in God, All Earthly Lands’ Common Praise #351

The Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray.

Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth.
Day by day you shower us with blessings.
As you have raised us to new life in Christ,
give us glad and generous hearts,
ready to praise you and to respond to those in need,
through Jesus Christ, our Saviour and Lord.  Amen. [ii]

The Thanksgiving at the Table

The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, gracious God,
creator of heaven and earth;
we give you thanks and praise
for the glorious resurrection of your Son
Jesus Christ our Lord;
for he is the true paschal lamb
who has taken away the sin of the world. 
By his death he destroyed death,
and by his rising to life again
he has won for us eternal life. 
Therefore, joining our voices
with the whole company of heaven,
we sing our joyful hymn of praise
to proclaim the glory of your name.

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. [iii]

Blessed are you, O God of the universe. 
Your mercy is everlasting
and your faithfulness endures from age to age.

Praise to you for creating the heavens and the earth. 
Praise to you for saving the earth from the waters of the flood. 
Praise to you for bringing the Israelites safely through the sea. 
Praise to you for leading your people
through the wilderness to the land of milk and honey. 
Praise to you for the words and deeds of Jesus, your anointed one. 
Praise to you for the death and resurrection of Christ. 
Praise to you for your Spirit poured out on all nations.

In the night in which he was betrayed,
our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks;
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: 
Take and eat; this is my body, given for you. 
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Again, after supper, he took the cup,
gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: 
This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. 
Do this for the remembrance of me.

With this bread and cup
we remember our Lord’s Passover from death to life
as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died. 
Christ is risen. 
Christ will come again.

O God of resurrection and new life: 
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us
and on these gifts of bread and wine. 
Bless this feast. 
Grace our table with your presence.
Come, Holy Spirit.

Reveal yourself to us in the breaking of the bread. 
Raise us up as the body of Christ for the world. 
Breathe new life into us. 
Send us forth, burning with justice, peace and love.
Come, Holy Spirit.

With the ever-blessed Virgin Mary,
blessed Joseph, blessed Faith
and your holy ones of all times and places,
with the earth and all its creatures,
with sun and moon and stars,
we praise you, O God,
blessed and holy Trinity,
now and forever.  Amen. [iv]

The Lord’s Prayer

As our Saviour taught us, let us pray,
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.  Amen. [v]

The Breaking of the Bread

Lord, we died with you on the cross.
Now we are raised to new life.
We were buried in your tomb.
Now we share in your resurrection.
Live in us, that we may live in you.

The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.

Communion

Hymn after Communion

‘Eat This Bread, Drink This Cup’ Common Praise #63 (with RGL+ as Cantor)

The Sending Forth of the Community

The Prayer after Communion

Life-giving God,
in the mystery of Christ’s resurrection
you send light to conquer darkness,
water to give new life,
and the bread of life to nourish your people.
Send us forth as witnesses to your Son’s resurrection,
that we may show your glory to all the world,
through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord.  Amen. [vi]

Glory to God,
whose power, working in us,
can do infinitely more
than we can ask or imagine. 
Glory to God from generation to generation,
in the Church and in Christ Jesus,
for ever and ever.  Amen.

Closing Hymn

‘Alleluia!  O Sons and Daughters’ Common Praise #228 vv. 1, 2, 3, 9

The Dismissal

Let us go forth in the name of Christ.  Alleluia, alleluia!
Thanks be to God.  Alleluia, alleluia!




[i] ‘Trial Use Propers:  Maundy Thursday to Trinity Sunday Year B 2015’, 2

[ii] ‘Offering Prayer for Easter’, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 64.

[iii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), #525.

[iv] ‘Thanksgiving at the Table IV’, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 111.

[v] Songs for a Gospel People #12.

[vi] ‘Prayer after Communion for Easter’, Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 65.