An Ordo for Easter (16 April 2017)

Easter Sunday

16 April 2017

The Gathering of the Community

Gathering Music

Announcements

Opening Hymn

‘Jesus Christ Is Risen Today’  Common Praise #203

Introductory Responses

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.

The Hymn of Praise

‘Glory, in the Highest Glory’  Common Praise #366

The Collect of the Day

Let us pray.

God of glory,

by the raising of your Son

you have broken the chains of death:

fill your church with faith and hope,

for a new day has dawned

and the way of life stands before us;

through Jesus Christ, our risen Saviour.  Amen. [i]

The Proclamation of the Word

The First Reading

A reading from the prophet Jeremiah (31.1-6).

            ^31.1 At that time, says the Lord, I will be the God of all the families of Israel, and they shall be my people.

            ² Thus says the Lord:  The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, ³ the Lord appeared to him from far away.  I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore I have continued my faithfulness to you.  ⁴ Again I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel!  Again you shall take your tambourines, and go forth in the dance of the merrymakers.  ⁵ Again you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant, and shall enjoy the fruit.  ⁶ For there shall be a day when sentinels will call in the hill country of Ephraim:  “Come, let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.”

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.

Thanks be to God.

The Psalm

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

Refrain (sung 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 mighty hand of the Lord has triumphed! *

            the mighty hand of the Lord is exalted!

            the mighty 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; *

            those who are 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)

            ^10.34 [Peter] began to speak to [Cornelius and his household]:  “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, ³⁵ but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him.  ³⁶ You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ — he is Lord of all.  ³⁷ That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced^{:  38} 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.  ³⁹ 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; ⁴⁰ but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, ⁴¹ 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.  ⁴² 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.  ⁴³ 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, 7

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.

            ^20.1 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.

The Gospel of Christ.

Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ.

Hymn after the Gospel

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

The Homily

The Nicene Creed

Let us confess our faith, as we say,

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 always with you.

And also with you.

The Holy Communion

Offertory Hymn

‘Good Christians, All, Rejoice and Sing’  Common Praise #211

Prayer over the Gifts

Let us pray.

Blessed are you, O God, ruler of heaven and earth.

Day by day you shown 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.

It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our Saviour Jesus Christ, the true Paschal Lamb who gave himself to take away our sin, who in dying has destroyed death, and in rising has brought us to eternal life.  And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubim and seraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

You are holy, you are whole. 

You are always ever more than we ever understand. 

Blessed are you coming here to your church in wine and bread,

raised from soil, raised from dead.

You are holy, you are wholeness,

you are present.  Let the cosmos praise you, Lord!

Sing hosanna in the highest!  Sing hosanna!

Sing hosanna to our God! [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.

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

Thanks be to God.

Communion

The Hymn after Communion

‘All Shall Be Well’  Common Praise  #222

The Sending Forth of the Community

Prayer after Communion

Let us pray.

God of life,

bring us to the glory of the resurrection

promised in this Easter sacrament.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ the 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!  The Strife Is O’er’  Common Praise #212

Dismissal

The Deacon sends the Community forth with an appropriate Dismissal.

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[i] Liturgy Task Force, ‘Trial Use Collects for Years A, B & C and Seasonal Prayers over the Gifts and after Communion’ 2016, 22.

[ii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 64 alt.

[iii] Evangelical Lutheran Worship #525.

[iv] Evangelical Lutheran Worship (2006), 111.

[v] Songs for a Gospel People #12.

[vi] The Book of Alternative Services (1985), 336 alt.