This liturgy originally appeared on Dr. Luti’s blog, Sicut Locutus Est (sicutlocutusest.com). We are grateful to the author for allowing us to reprint it here.
—RW
Easter Service
Voluntary/Prelude
Hymn: “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” Wesley, LUYH 182, GtG 245, SSS 181
Greeting
Dear friends in Christ:
The night is over! The morning is here!
Christ is risen, risen as he said!
Sadness has vanished! Tears are no more!
Death has fled! Life is victorious!
This is the day the Lord has made:
We rejoice! We are glad in it!
Come, assemble for the Feast of Life,
the Feast of the Kingdom of God!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Easter Peace
Beloved in Christ,
God’s love pours out from the grave of despair.
The Risen One comes with hands full of love.
He greets us with peace the world does not know;
he gives us peace the world cannot give.
Alleluia! Christ’s peace is ours forever!
Now greet each other with Easter peace!
The Easter Peace is shared.
Hymn: “This Is the Day” Garrett, SSS 379
Prayer for Understanding
At your word, God of Life,
the earth grows green
and every creature springs to life!
Re-create us too, we pray, by your holy Word.
As we receive the ancient Good News,
give us the new joy and justice of Easter—
all death destroyed, all captives freed!
In Jesus’ name we pray, amen.
Reading: Jeremiah 31:1–6, 10–12
Responsive Chant: Psalm 118:1–6, 15–18, 24
[Alternatively, sing a hymn based on Psalm 118, such as “Give Thanks to God for All His Goodness” Wiersma, LUYH 196]
Reading: John 20:1–18
Hymn: “Come and Taste of Resurrection” Layzer, Sykes tinyurl.com/RW150ComeandTaste
or “Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna” Wren, LUYH 204, GtG 248
Sermon: “Come and Taste of Resurrection”
Response of Faith
The congregation stands.
Let us declare our faith together:
We believe in the God of Life,
whose breath is in us
and whose mercy encircles the creation.
We believe in Jesus Christ,
who loved us indestructibly
and who shared our pain.
He is with us now as he promised,
even to the end of the age.
We believe in the Holy Spirit,
who welcomes us into the household of faith,
gives us gifts in abundance,
enlivens our hearts with joy,
and urges us into the world
to testify without fear
to God’s justice and grace.
Hoping against hope
for the promised realm of peace,
we love one another while we live,
we honor every creature God has made,
we stand against the powers of sin and death,
and we bless the earth and all that fills it.
Glory, thanks, and praise be yours,
O Living God, now and forever! Amen.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Invitation to Offering
Good friends,
since by his resurrection
we have new life in Christ,
let us live as new people,
bound to each other
by cords of compassion,
attentive to the needs
of neighbors far and near,
committed to the earth
and every living thing,
eager to serve and share.
For the sake of this ministry,
we gratefully receive the Easter offering.
Offertory
Doxology: “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow” Ken, LUYH 965, GtG 606, SSS 696
Prayer of Dedication
Easter Communion
Invitation
The people remain standing.
Easter people, come now to the table with Christ!
For he is risen! He lives, and he presides at this feast!
Come, eat together the bread of life!
For he is risen, and nothing separates us from God’s love!
Come, drink together from the cup of gladness!
For Christ is risen—risen as he said!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise
Praise to you, God of glory!
You created the universe and all living things.
You breathed life into our dust
and gave us a paradise.
You sought us when we hid ourselves,
ashamed of our sin.
You made a people for yourself,
and saved them from oppression.
In the fullness of time,
your love came also to us in your servant Jesus.
He ministered to us,
healing, overcoming divisions, welcoming all.
He died on the cross of shame.
But you vindicated him,
giving him a life that is forever new!
This is the life he shares with us:
a life of justice, mercy,
and citizenship in your realm of peace.
All your creatures testify to your mighty deeds!
They declare your everlasting love!
We too proclaim it,
as with the angels of heaven we sing:
Sanctus: “Santo, Santo, Santo / Holy, Holy, Holy” Traditional, LUYH 814
[Or another version of the Sanctus. Alternatively, the Sanctus can be spoken.]
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.
—International Consultation on English Texts (ICET)
Remembering and Giving Thanks
The congregation is seated.
Now, O God, with grateful hearts we remember Jesus.
Silence
We remember that he was laid in a borrowed grave.
A heavy stone sealed up the tomb.
We remember that the women came,
early in the morning, on the third day.
They did not find him among the dead.
We remember that his disciples met him on the road.
He opened the Scriptures, explaining everything,
and their hearts burned within them.
They said to him,
“Stay with us, for it is evening.”
So he went in with them.
And while they were at table,
he took bread, gave thanks,
and broke it for them to share.
Then their eyes were opened,
and they knew him in the breaking of the bread.
Prayer to the Holy Spirit
Come, Holy Spirit,
bless this bread that earth has given
and human hands have made.
Bless also this fruit of the vine,
created for our gladness.
Make them the food and drink of everlasting life,
body surrendered, blood poured out.
As we rejoice in the resurrection,
give us love for each other,
and make us servants of peace,
until your new realm is revealed
and every creature beholds it.
We pray in the name of Jesus, who lives
and presides at this table,
our host and our feast.
Thanks be to him, who taught us to say . . .
The Lord’s Prayer
[After the Lord’s Prayer, the ministers and other worship leaders break the bread and place the pieces in baskets or on plates for distribution. During the breaking of bread, “Lamb of God” John 1:29, LUYH 822 or another appropriate song or chant is sung.]
Agnus Dei
Lamb of God . . .
Sharing Bread and Cup
[The communion elements are distributed. When all the people have received, they rise to give thanks.]
Post-Communion Thanksgiving
Let us give thanks!
Thank you, God, for life in the Spirit of Jesus,
for gladness in this bread and cup,
for love that cannot die,
for peace the world cannot give,
for joy in the company of friends,
for the splendors of creation,
and for the mission of justice you have made our own.
Give us the gifts of this holy communion—
oneness of heart, love for neighbors,
forgiveness of enemies,
the will to serve you every day,
and risen life that never ends.
In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Hymn “Alleluia! The Strife Is O’er” Synphonia Sirenum, LUYH 185
Benediction
[The triple burst of praise at the end may be delivered by three different voices.]
May the living God
who raised Jesus from the dead
bless you and keep you
and make you shine with joy.
May God raise up new life in you
and give you peace,
for the sake of Jesus, Lord of Life!
1. Christ is risen! Tell the world!
Risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
2. Christ is risen! Tell the world!
Risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
3. Christ is risen! Tell the world!
Risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Sung Response: “Mfurahini, haleluya / Christ Has Arisen, Alleluia” Kyamanywa, LUYH 188
Voluntary/Postlude