GATHERING TO PRAISE GOD Sunday, April 17, 2022

Easter

Prelude

Praise Song

Welcome

The People Gather
L: This is the Good News – the grave is empty, Christ is Risen.
All: Hallelujah!
L: This is the Good News – the light shines in the darkness and the darkness can never put it out.
All: Hallelujah!
L: This is the Good News – once we were no people, now we are God’s people.
All: Hallelujah!
L: Praise God!
All: Amen.
L: Praise God again!
All: AMEN!

Hymn

The People Pray
Jesus Christ, we greet you! Your hands still have holes in them, your feet are wet from the dew; and with the memory of our names undimmed by three days of death you meet us, risen from the grave. We fail to understand how; we puzzle at the reason why. But you have come: not to answer our questions, but to show us your face. You are alive and the world can rejoice again. Hallelujah! Amen.

Special Music

Children’s Moment

The People Confess Their Sin
L: God knows us, inside and out!
P: Have mercy upon us, O God, according to your steadfast love.
L: We can’t run and we can’t hide. God is with us at all times.
P: Have mercy upon us, O God.
L: Don’t be afraid. God will heal your wounds and bind up your broken hearts.
P: Have mercy upon us, O God.
L: From the very beginning, God has known and loved us.
P: Open our hearts to receive your love, O God.
L: Through all our stumbling and bumbling, God has lifted and carried us.
P: Open our hearts to receive your love.
L: Rest easy in the Lord, for God’s healing presence is here.
P: Restore us and give us peace, O God.
L: Place your hand in Christ’s hand. He will lead and guide your life.
P: Bring us into your presence again, O God.
L: Be at peace. God’s love is with you.
P: Thanks be to God for God’s mercy, love, and grace. AMEN.

The Word of God for the People of God

Scripture John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!”
3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there,7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head.The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen.8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.
11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.
13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?”
“They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus.
15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?”
Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.”
16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”
She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”).
17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’”
18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Message Invitation to Believe

Pastoral Prayer

The People Bring Their Gifts
There are baskets in the back or use your online app

The People Go into The World

Praise Song

Benediction

Organ Postlude