Bulletin – April 11, 2021

Second Sunday of Easter

Lighting the Christ Candle

This is the season of Easter. It is the season when the light of resurrection shines brightly in our lives. As we light this candle, we remember the story of Jesus. We remember all that he did in this world to bring hope, peace, love, mercy, and light to a world of darkness. As we gather in the glow of this candle, we commit to being resurrection people, living in the light of resurrection, loving as Christ loved, living as Christ lived, bringing light to a world of darkness.

Call to Worship

One: We gather as people on a journey.
All: We believe & we have doubts, we do good and we sin. We are imperfect humans, and still beloved by God.

One: Love and grace. Hope and faith. These are the essence of the one we call God.
All: We seek forgiveness & grace from the One and from those we’ve harmed.

One: As we are assured of that grace, we are ready to grow again.
All: We yearn for a new way, a new perspective, and a clear path.

One: Though we are full of trust and full of doubt, we are here.
All: We are here together in community wherever we might be.

One: Speak to us, God! Continue creating us!
All: As we gather this day in worship; inspire our hearts. Enlighten our minds. Guide our actions. Amen.            

(adapted from Tim Graves)

Opening hymn – “Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Give Thanks”

Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Christ.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give praise to God’s name.

Jesus is Lord of all the earth,
Firstborn of all creation.

Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Christ.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give praise to God’s name.

Spread the good news o’er all the earth:
Jesus has died and is risen.

Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Christ.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give praise to God’s name.

Come let us praise the living God,
Joyfully sing to our Saviour.

Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Christ.
Hallelujah, hallelujah. Give praise to God’s name.

Prayer of Approach

It is Easter. We come to you, God of possibilities, to celebrate resurrection, light, and love. It is a season of joy, a season of new life springing forth. We come to you this day bringing all that we are to celebrate your victory over death, your victory over the darkness of this world, your victory won in love. But we are not always joyful celebrants of light and love. Creator God, we confess that at times we are skeptics. At times we doubt that you exist because of the evil we have seen in the world. Oppression, marginalization, and plain hate still plague our world, and it is hard to see your love and light. Sometimes, even those who bear your name do not walk in your ways. Help us to see your goodness in this world. Help us to know your love. Fill us with your love and goodness, so that we might love one another, and lift up one another in faith. Amen.

Words of Assurance

The psalmist says, “I am sure I shall see the goodness of our God in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord!”

Know that you do not wait alone. God has given us one another for this journey of faith, to help one another. Know that you do not wait alone; Christ is with us. Be encouraged, and encourage one another. Go and share the Good News. Amen.

(adapted from Rev. Mindi)

Sung Response:

He is Lord!  He is Lord!
He is risen from the dead and He is Lord!
Every knee shall bow, every tongue confess
That Jesus Christ is Lord!

Time for All Ages

Song – “Forever”

Give thanks to the Lord, our God and King;
His love endures forever.
For He is good, He is above all things;
His love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise.

With a mighty hand and outstretched arm;
His love endures forever.
For the life that’s been reborn;
His love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise.

Forever God is faithful,
Forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us,
Forever.

From the rising to the setting sun;
His love endures forever.
And by the grace of God we will carry on;
His love endures forever.
Sing praise, sing praise.

Forever God is faithful,
Forever God is strong,
Forever God is with us,
Forever.

Meditation – What If?

Anthem – “Share the Easter Joy”

Prayer

Risen Christ, our eternal Savior, like the disciples, we are gathered together the week after Easter: wondering whether it is true, marvelling at the possibility, and daring to hope.

Like the disciples, we are sometimes afraid, sometimes full of doubt.

But in your extravagant generosity, your boundless love, you appear to us in our fear and love us in our doubts and grant us the oceans of your peace. Thank you for loving us as we are.

Teach us not to hide from our doubt, but to recognize it as a door to mystery and to deeper faith.

After all, the disciples’ fear became a visitation as they saw you among them, risen and triumphant. Thomas’ doubt became a moment of revelation as he saw and touched you, and finally believed.

This morning we pray for the many men and women in our society who have no faith at all.

There are so many who live without hope, without knowledge of your resurrection, without your light in their lives.

Grant us the courage to live as witnesses to your resurrection.

Risen Christ, be light in our world.

We pray for those in our congregation this morning who find it difficult to believe.

Lord knows that they are not alone, but in the best of company: even Christ’s own disciples struggled to believe all that they had seen and heard.

Loving Christ, it is your presence that removes all fear and erases all doubts: so come, and grant the doubting Thomases in our midst your presence & peace.

Grant us the courage to live as witnesses to your resurrection

Risen Christ, be light in our world.

We pray for those who hold positions of power and privilege in society. We pray that they find wisdom in the life of Jesus and work towards true justice, peace and mercy in the world. In the resurrection we have found light and life, may all those who hold power work towards light and life for all persons in the world.

Grant us the courage to live as witnesses to your resurrection.

Risen Christ, be light in our world.

We pray for all those who struggle in our world. Those who don’t have enough to eat, those who don’t have a warm, dry, place to lay their heads, those who struggle with pain and addiction, those who face persecution, war, violence and hatred. May the light and love of resurrection touch all of their lives, offering comfort and hope in the midst of such darkness and despair. May we be conduits for your grace to the world.

Grand us the courage to live as witnesses to your resurrection.

Risen Christ, be light in our world.

We pray for those in this community who we hope will feel your presence with them at this time. We lift them up to you in the light and love of our resurrection hope praying that we might be your presence to them during this time…….(prayer list)

Grant us the courage to live as witnesses to your resurrection.

Risen Christ, be light in our world.

And grant to all of us, living Lord Christ, renewed faith, great courage, and your boundless peace as we continue to pray in the world that Jesus taught us;

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by 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, the power, and the glory
For ever and ever. Amen

Closing Hymn – “I Danced in the Morning”

I danced in the morning when the world was begun,
And I danced in the moon and the stars and the sun,
And I came from heaven and I danced on the earth;
At Bethlehem I had my birth.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced for the scribe and the pharisee,
But they would not dance and they would not follow me;
I danced for the fishermen, for James and John;
They came with me and the dance went on.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced on the Sabbath and I cured the lame;
The holy people said it was a shame,
They whipped and they stripped and they hung me high,
And left me there on a cross to die.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

I danced on a Friday when the sky turned black;
It’s hard to dance with the devil on your back;
They buried my body and they thought I’d gone,
But I am the dance and I still go on.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

They cut me down and I leap up high;
I am the life that will never, never die;
I’ll live in you if you’ll live in me;
I am the Lord of the dance, said he.

Dance, then, wherever you may be;
I am the Lord of the dance, said he,
And I’ll lead you all, wherever you may be,
And I’ll lead you all in the dance, said he.

Benediction

May you trust in God’s promises to his people: peace, security, blessing, even when they are difficult to believe.

May you know that God’s news is good news, nourishing, true, even when people tell you it is not.

And when you encounter doubt, may you strengthen your belief guiding you in his perfect wisdom and counsel.

May you go into this week trusting, believing, and doubting, knowing that God goes with you each and every day. Amen.

(adapted from a prayer on Jeff’s blog)

Sung Response:

Christ is alive, and comes to bring good news to this and every age,
Till earth and sky and ocean ring with joy, with justice, love and praise.