The Bulletin is at: 04-16-2017 Easter BULLETIN

The Service in PDF format is at: 04-16-2017 Easter Sunday

or the service is as follows;

EASTER DAY

You Have Been Raised Up

April 16, 2017

AS WE GATHER

Easters come and go, and it seems that little changes.  Or does it?  What we sing and celebrate today is already ours.  We were baptized into His death and raised with Christ to new and everlasting life.  Easter is the celebration not only of Christ’s victory but also of our own victory in Jesus, our Savior.  Christ is risen, and we with Him.  Every day we grasp this gift by faith and remember it is “for me”.  How might our lives change if we lived out this glorious Easter truth more than one day a year?

PRE-SERVICE MUSIC

 

WELCOME

 

CHOIR ANTHEM    “My Redeemer’s Love”                   By Lloyd Larson

I will sing of my Redeemer and His heav’nly love for me;

He from death to life hath brought me,

Son of God, with Him to be.

Sing, O sing of my Redeemer, with His blood He purchased me,

On the cross He sealed my pardon,

Paid the debt, and made me free.

 

OPENING WORDS          

Pastor: In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit.

People: Amen.

Pastor: He is risen!

People: He is risen indeed!

Pastor: He is risen!

People: He is risen indeed! Amen!

Pastor: He will swallow up death forever;

People: and the Lord God will wipe away tears from all faces,

Pastor: and the reproach of His people He will take away from all the     earth,

People: for the Lord has spoken.

 

OPENING UP TO GOD

Pastor:           Let us be truthful about ourselves and begin today by confessing our sins to God our Father.

People:   I ask your forgiveness, Lord: for my insensitivity to the needs of others and my reluctance to respond to those needs through willing service and prayer; for the part I play in the world’s fallen condition: violence, injustice, hunger, poverty; for neglect of my own spiritual life and that of my family; for presuming upon your love and mercy, forgetting that You suffered dearly to save me.

 

Silent Reflection

 

Pastor: Even before we confessed our sin, God provided us salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ.  In His perfect sacrifice, we have received the gift of perfect forgiveness.    In His victory over death, we are receiving the gift of eternal life.  Now by His authority as your called servant, I announce God’s gracious pardon for your sins and, also the promise of His continuing presence and unfailing love.  Go in peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!

People: Amen.

 

CHOIR ANTHEM      “Darkness Into Light”                By Lowell Alexander

               

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Pastor:   Mighty Lord, Your own Son left the darkness of the grave to rise and show forth His glorious body as the firstborn of                 the dead.  As You have united us to the cross of Christ by Baptism, so raise us up to newness of life that we may               recall our Lord’s resurrection with joy and live it out by the power of the Holy Spirit in our daily lives; through Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

People:  Amen. 

 

OLD TESTAMENT READING                          Jeremiah 31:1-6

“At that time, declares the LORD, I will be the God of all the clans of Israel, and they shall be my people.”  Thus, says the LORD: “The people who survived the sword found grace in the wilderness; when Israel sought for rest, the LORD appeared to him from far away. I have loved you with an everlasting love; therefore, I have continued my faithfulness to you.  Again, I will build you, and you shall be built, O virgin Israel! Again, you shall adorn yourself with tambourines and shall go forth in the dance of the merrymakers. Again, you shall plant vineyards on the mountains of Samaria; the planters shall plant and shall enjoy the fruit. For there shall be a day when watchmen will call in the hill country of Ephraim: ‘Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the LORD our God.'”

 

EPISTLE                                                                 Colossians 3:1-4

If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth.  For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.  When Christ who is your life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.

 

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

 

HOLY GOSPEL                                    Matthew 28:1-10

Now after the Sabbath, toward the dawn of the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.  And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.  His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.  And for fear of him the guards trembled and became like dead men.  But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here, for he has risen, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.  Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he is going before you to Galilee; there you will see him. See, I have told you.”  So they departed quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.  And behold, Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came up and took hold of his feet and worshiped him.  Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee, and there they will see me.”


CREED

People:  I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.  He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary.  He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell.  On the third day he rose again.  He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of  the Father.  He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Christian church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,  the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. 


HYMN Red Book 61                                                  “He Lives” 

I serve a risen Savior he’s in the world today;

I know that he is living, whatever

Men may say; I see his hand of mercy,

I hear his voice of cheer, and just the

Time I need him he’s always near.

He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s

Narrow way. He lives, he lives salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.

 

In all the world around me I see the loving care,

And though my heart grows weary I never

Will despair; I know that he is leading,

Through all the stormy blast, the day of

His appearing will come at last.

He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s

Narrow way. He lives, he lives salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.

 

Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, lift up your voice and

Sing eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!

The hope of all who seek him,

The help of all who find, none other

Is so loving, so good and kind.

He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!

He walks with me and talks with me along life’s

Narrow way. He lives, he lives salvation to impart!

You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.

 

SERMON                                                              “A New Beginning”

 

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

Pastor:  O God of Life, fill our hearts with resurrection joy.

People: Let the radiant beams of Easter’s light shine into the depths of our souls. 

Pastor:  Send the news of Christ’s victory over death into all the world.

People:  Grant that many more nations may join the hosts of heaven in songs of triumph.

Pastor:  In the promise of Easter take away from us the fear of death.

People: Renew us in the Spirit of Jesus, who is the Resurrection and the Life. 

Pastor:   O Lord, now use us and all we are to bring glory to Your name.

People: Use us through our daily lives, our resources, and our prayers, to be a blessing in our families, in our communities, and in our world. 

Pastor:  O Lord, we pray for all who suffer affliction of body, soul, or mind:  those recovering from surgery and those who may be close to death.  Particularly, we pray for (……..) and others we now name before You (moment of silence). O Lord,

People:  Heal people in need of your special care and use us to express Your love to them. 

Pastor:  O Lord, as we eat and drink together and share the very body and blood of our Lord,

People:  We ask that we may be united with Christ and with each other, that we may share His glory, and that we may go our way and be His body in the world.  Amen. 

 

GATHERING OF OUR EASTER OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY

 

† SACRAMENT †

PREFACE

Pastor: The Lord be with you.

People:  And also with you.

Pastor: Lift up your hearts.

People: We lift them to the Lord.

Pastor: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People: It is right to give Him thanks and praise.

 

WORDS OF OUR LORD

 

Pastor:        Our Lord Jesus Christ, on the night when He was betrayed, took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and gave it to the disciples and said: “Take, eat; this is My † body, which is given for you.  This do in remembrance of Me.”

In the same way also He took the cup after supper, and when He had given thanks, He gave it to them, saying: “Drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new testament in My † blood, which is shed for you for the forgiveness of sins.  This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.”

 

LORD’S PRAYER                                                (Matthew 6:9–13)

People:   Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name, Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven; give us this day our daily bread; and 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 and ever. Amen.

 

DISTRIBUTION (Communion will be served in a continuous line.  For those who choose to receive the blood of Christ in individual cups, please place your empty individual cup in the bowl as you return to your seat. If you do not desire communion, but are desiring a blessing, you are welcomed forward for prayer.)

 DISTRIBUTION HYMNS                    

 Green Book 210                “At the Lamb’s High Feast We Sing”

At the Lamb’s high feast we sing

Praise to our victorious king,

Who has washed us in the tide

Flowing from his pierced side.  Alleluia!

 

Praise we him, whose love divine

Gives his sacred blood for wine,

Gives his body for the feast

Christ the victim, Christ the priest Alleluia!

 

Where the paschal blood is poured

Death’s dread angel sheathes the sword;

Israel’s hosts triumphant go

Through the wave that drowns the foe. Alleluia!

 

Praise we Christ, whose blood was shed,

Paschal victim, paschal bread;

With sincerity and love

Eat we manna from above. Alleluia!

 

Mighty Victim from the sky,

Hell’s fierce pow’rs beneath you lie;

You have conquered in the fight,

You have brought us life and light.  Alleluia!

 

Now no more can death appall,

Now no more the grave enthrall;

You have opened paradise,

And your saints in you shall rise. Alleluia!

 

Easter triumph, Easter joy!

This alone can sin destroy;

From sin’s pow’r, Lord, set us free

Newborn souls in you to be.  Alleluia!

 

Father, who the crown shall give,

Savior, by whose death we live,

Spirit, guide through all our days:

Three in One, your name we praise. Alleluia!

 

Green Book 352                     “I Know that My Redeemer Lives!”

I know that my Redeemer lives!
What joy this blest assurance gives!
He lives, he lives, who once was dead;
he lives, my everliving head!

 

He lives triumphant from the grave;
he lives eternally to save;
he lives exalted, throned above;
he lives to rule his church in love.

 

He lives to grant me rich supply;

He lives to guide me with his eye;

He lives to comfort me when faint;

He Lives to hear my soul’s complaint.

 

He lives to silence all my fears;
he lives to wipe away my tears;
he lives to calm my troubled heart;
he lives all blessing to impart.

 

He lives to bless me with his love;
he lives to plead for me above;
he lives my hungry soul to feed;
he lives to help in time of need.

 

He lives, my kind, wise, heavenly friend;
he lives and loves me to the end;
he lives, and while he lives, I’ll sing;
he lives, my Prophet, Priest, and King!

 

He lives and grants me daily breath;
he lives, and I shall conquer death;
he lives my mansion to prepare;
he lives to bring me safely there.

 

He lives, all glory to his name!
He lives, my Savior, still the same;
what joy this blest assurance gives:
I know that my Redeemer lives!

 

 

Green Book 143                     “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds”

Now all the vault of heav’n resounds

In praise of love that still abounds:

“Christ has triumphed! He is Living!”

Sing, choirs of angels, loud and clear!

Repeat their song of glory here:

“Christ has triumphed! Christ has triumphed!”

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

 

Eternal is the gift he brings,

Therefore our heart with rapture sings:

“Christ has triumphed! He is Living!”

Now still he comes to give us life

And by his presence stills all strife.

Christ has triumphed! He is living!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

 

Oh, fill us Lord, with dauntless love;

Set heart and will on things above

That we conquer through your triumph;

Grant grace sufficient for life’s day

That by our lives we truly say:

Christ has triumphed! He is living!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

 

Adoring praises now we bring

And with the heav’nly blessed sing:

“Christ has triumphed! Alleluia!”

Be to the Father, and our Lord,

To Spirit blest, most holy God,

All the glory, never ending!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

 

 

BENEDICTION

Pastor:  Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

People: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Pastor: Let us go forth rejoicing, in the name of the Lord.

People: Amen.

Pastor:  The Lord bless you and keep you.  The Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you.  The Lord look upon you with favor and † give you peace.

People:  Amen.

 

CLOSING HYMN  Green Book 151             “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today”  

1 Jesus Christ is ris’n today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

 

2 Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heav’nly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

 

3 But the pains which he endured, Alleluia!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluia!
Now above the sky he’s king, Alleluia!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia!

 

4 Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all ye heav’nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

 

DISMISSAL

Pastor:  Go in peace to love and serve the Lord.

People: Thanks be to God.