Let’s spotlight those who are attending today
Brass instruments seem perfect for inclusion early in today’s worship – here is a brief introit… https://youtu.be/4pTSb-f3ihc?t=304
One: CHRIST IS RISEN!
ALL: HE IS RISEN INDEED!
Jesus Christ is risen today, ah-ah-leluia!
Our triumphant holy day, ah-ah-leluia!
Who did once upon the cross, ah-ah-leluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss, ah-ah-leluia!
Hymns of praise then let us sing, ah-ah-leluia!
Unto Christ our heaven’ly king, ah-ah-leluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, ah-ah-leluia!
Sinners to redeem and save, ah-ah-leluia!
But the pains which he endured, ah-ah-leluia!
Our salvation have procured, ah-ah-leluia!
Now above the sky God’s king, ah-ah-leluia!
Where the angels ever sing, ah-ah-leluia!
Sing we to our God above, ah-ah-leluia!
Praise eternal as God’s love, ah-ah-leluia!
Praise God all you heaven’ly host, ah-ah-leluia!
Parent, Child and Holy Ghost, ah-ah-leluia!
SHERI READS: Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24
O give thanks to the LORD, for he is good; his steadfast love endures forever!
Let Israel say, “His steadfast love endures forever.”
The LORD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation.
There are glad songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does valiantly;
the right hand of the LORD is exalted; the right hand of the LORD does valiantly.”
I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the LORD.
The LORD has punished me severely, but he did not give me over to death.
Open to me the gates of righteousness, that I may enter through them and give thanks to the LORD.
This is the gate of the LORD; the righteous shall enter through it.
I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
LAURA leads us in a Prayer of Adoration
On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross
The emblem of suffering and shame
And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
For a world of lost sinners was slain
CHORUS
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
‘til my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
To the old rugged cross I will ever be true
Its shame and reproach gladly bear
Then He’ll call me some day to my home far away
Where His glory forever I’ll share
CHORUS
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
‘til my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
Oh that old rugged cross so despised by the world,
Has a wondrous attraction for me;
For the dear Lamb of God left His glory above
To bear it to dark Calvary.
CHORUS
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
‘til my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
In the old rugged cross, stained with blood so divine,
A wondrous beauty I see; For ‘twas on that old cross
Jesus suffered and died, To pardon and sanctify me.
CHORUS
So I’ll cherish the old rugged cross
‘til my trophies at last I lay down
I will cling to the old rugged cross
And exchange it some day for a crown
MARILYN READS: John 20:1-18
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.
STEVE shares a prayer of confession
BILL READS JOHN 20:11-18
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.
I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear, Falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
He speaks, and the sound of His voice
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody That He gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
I’d stay in the garden with Him Tho’ the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go; Thro’ the voice of woe
His voice to me is calling.
And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own;
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.
STEVE: What reflections do we have based on these scripture readings, prayers and songs on this Easter Sunday?
Joys & Concerns
Some glad morning when this life is o’er I’ll fly away.
To a home on God’s celestial shore, I’ll fly away.
I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.
When I die, hallelujah, by and by Oh, I’ll fly away.
Now’s the time to live like Jesus asks, I’ll fly today.
Do for others, shed our human masks, I’ll fly today.
I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.
When I die, hallelujah, by and by Oh, I’ll fly away.
When the shadows of this life have grown, I’ll fly away.
Like a bird from prison bars have flown, I’ll fly away.
I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.
When I die, hallelujah, by and by Oh, I’ll fly away.
Just a few more weary days and then I’ll fly away.
To a land where joy shall never end, I’ll fly away.
I’ll fly away, O glory, I’ll fly away.
When I die, hallelujah, by and by Oh, I’ll fly away.