Opening Hymn:  Holy, Holy   # 2039 (Faith We Sing)

Call to Worship:

One:  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. The Spirit we received does not make us slaves again to fear; it makes us children of God. With that Spirit we cry out, "Abba." And the Spirit joins with our spirits to say we are God's children. If we are God's children, we will receive blessings from God together with Christ. But we must suffer as Christ suffered so that we will have glory as Christ has glory.(Romans 8:14-17, New Living)

Many: God Calls us

The Holy Spirit leads us

And Christ sustains us

All:  Thanks be to God – Creator, Redeemer and Holy Spirit! 

Pentecost –

One: The Spirit flows through the people

Many: Church is born

One: Within hearts

Many: Beyond walls

            * Spirit of the Living God # 393 (UMC Hymnal)

One: The Spirit flows through the people

Many:  Lives are changed

One: Words take flesh

Many: In the world

            * Spirit of the Living God #393 (UMC Hymnal)

One: The Spirit flows through the people

Many: Then as it does now

One: Passion and power

Many: Peace and joy

            * Spirit of the Living God # 393 (UMC Hymnal)

 

Flow through your people Holy and passionate Spirit so that we may be the church, Word in the world. Gives us ears to hear the cries of the hurting: eyes to see God’s presence, and hearts to feel your movement.  Amen

Easter Litany

Christ the Lord is Risen Today UMH 302

Words of Praise:

One: Once a sealed tomb

Many: Kept the Messiah hidden from the world

One:  Once a cold dark tomb

Many: Silenced the Living Word of God

One:  Once a lifeless body lay

Many: Beaten and bruised by the sin of the world

One:  Once we lived in a land of great darkness

Many: Mourning in the shadow of a cross

One:  Now we have seen a great light

Many: We have been given new life

One:  An empty tomb

Many: Speaks hope

One:  A vacant grave

Many: Cries come and see

One:  A risen Savoir

Many: Commands, “Go and Tell!”

Scripture Reading – John 20:1-10

Prayer:  We come to the garden seeking answers to suffering and pain.  We come to the tomb longing for life even in the midst of death.  We come with the women filled with compassion.  We come.

In the Garden UMH 314

Scripture Reading – John 20: 11-18

Prayer:  To our surprise we find joy, we see life, we meet hope.  Jesus brings joy to the heart as he did that first Easter morning.  Jesus gives life to all those who see the light.  Jesus bears hope so that the world will know the compassion of God. This is our risen Savoir who now lives within our hearts!  Thanks be to the God of Everlasting Life!

He Lives UMH 310