Easter 1

Hybrid Worship

 

27 April 2025

 

Rev. Deborah van der Goes

Music Director: Dorothy Dittrich

 

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

 

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

A Celebration of Easter Readings and Carols

Words in bold italics, please say together

 

Welcome & Announcements

This service of Easter Readings and Carols draws on Scripture from the whole of the Judeo-Christian tradition. It is patterned after the Christmas “Lessons and Carols” and Good Friday “Stations of the Cross”. This is a completely new version making use of New Testament Resurrection texts, Psalmody and resurrection embedded phrases from the Hebrew Scripture. Along with poetic responses to the Scripture, prayers and lively Easter music it invites us to celebrate our Fifty-Day Season of Easter. 

 

Lighting Christ Candle

In this Easter Season we share and sing the glad news of Resurrection!

Jesus Christ has risen indeed!

We light this candle because Christ is here among us.

       We are here.

God is here.

This place is sacred ground.

 

Opening Prayer                                                          Deborah van der Goes

Grant, we pray, O God,

that we, who share in the Easter paschal celebrations,

may, through your goodness,

hold fast to them

in the way we live our lives;

through Jesus Christ

who is alive with you,

in the unity of the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.   

       Amen                                  

 

The Disciples Prayer

Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial
and deliver us from evil,
for the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours,
now and for ever.

Easter Carol: Christ is Risen, Christ is Risen                         CP #220                                                                

 

(For each Station: a reading, a bell sounds, followed by a prayer ending with…  Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

Loving God, hear our prayer.)

 

STATION 1                                                                Reader Paddy Waymark

Jesus is the One risen from the dead

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection prayer from the Psalms:                                          Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sing:                                                                                    (CP #230 v1)

       The tomb is empty! Come and See                                                                         

       where once the body lay.     

       Can it be true that Jesus Christ is raised to life today?

 

 

STATION 2                                                                Reader Paddy Waymark

The men run to the Empty Tomb

(Reading)

Bell

A prayer from Jonah:                                                                      Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

Sing:

       The tomb is empty! Come and hear                          (CP #230 v2)                                                              

       These words of life and peace: “He is not here.

       He lives again in all your Galilees.”  

 

 

STATION 3                                                               Reader: Paddy Waymark

The Risen One Appears First to Mary Magdalen,

Apostle to the Apostles

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection prayer from the Psalms:                                          Presider

(Reading)

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.       

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

Sing:                                                                                    (CP #230 v3)

       The tomb is empty! Come and touch                                                                            

       The folded shroud.  Christ lives indeed. 

       Alleluia! Believers shout aloud!  

 

 

STATION 4                                                               Reader: Paddy Waymark

The Risen One appears on the Road to Emmaus

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection prayer from the Psalms:                                          Presider (Reading)

 

 Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sing:                                                                                    (CP #230 v4)                                   

       The tomb is empty!  Come and meet                                                                           

       the risen Christ our Lord In whom we have

       our victory, in whom is life restored.

 

Easter Carol: Christ is Risen, Shout Hosanna                        CP #223

 

 

STATION 5                                                                  Reader: Betty Schultze

The Risen One is recognized in the Breaking of Bread

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection vision from Isaiah:                                                   Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                         CP #360                                                                           

       Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s Holy Name.

       Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.  

 

 

 

 

 

STATION 6                                                                  Reader: Betty Schultze

The Risen One Appears to the Community of Followers

(Reading)

Bell

A prayer for resurrection from Hosea                                             Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                        CP #360                                                                                                                    

       Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s Holy Name.

       Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.  

 

 

STATION 7                                                                  Reader: Betty Schultze

The Risen One Provides

(Reading)

Bell

The vision of Resurrection from Isaiah                                          Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                        CP #360                                                                                                         

       Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s Holy Name.

       Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.  CP 360

 

 

STATION 8                                                                  Reader: Betty Schultze

The Gift of Peace from the Risen One

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection prayer from Isaiah                                                  Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                              #360                                                                                                                            

       Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s Holy Name.

       Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life. 

 

Easter Carol: Christ is Atonement                                           CP #243

STATION 9                                                                         Reader: Don Butt

The Risen One Breathes on Us

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection prayer from the Psalms                                           Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

Sung Response:                                                                        CP #360                                                                                                                          

       Bless the Lord, my soul, and bless God’s Holy Name.

       Bless the Lord, my soul, who leads me into life.  

 

 

STATION 10                                                                       Reader: Don Butt

The Risen One Strengthens our Faith

(Reading)

Bell

A resurrection Prayer from the Psalms                                           Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                    CP #308

       In the Lord rejoicing! Christ is risen from the dead!

       Alleluia!                 

 

 

STATION 11                                                                       Reader: Don Butt

The Risen One Counts on Us

(Reading)

Bell

A declarative prayer from Job:                                                        Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                    CP #308

       In the Lord rejoicing! Christ is risen from the dead!

       Alleluia!                 

 

 

STATION 12                                                                       Reader: Don Butt

The Risen One Sends Us into the World

(Reading)

Bell

A prophesy from Ezekiel                                                                 Presider

(Reading)

 

Healing God, transform our hearts and give us courage to act.

       Loving God, hear our prayer.

 

Sung Response:                                                                        CP #308

        In the Lord rejoicing! Christ is risen from the dead!

       Alleluia!                    

 

 

Offering Invitation 

Let us now gather our offerings (quiet music is played)

          

Take, O Take Me As I Am                                                            MV #85 Summon out what I shall be;

Set your seal upon my heart and live in me.

 

Closing Song: Morning Has Broken                                            CP #3                                                                                              

 

Blessing                                  A Resurrection blessing from the book of Numbers

Bless you and protect you!יָאֵ֨ר יְהֹוָ֧ה ׀ פָּנָ֛יו אֵלֶ֖יךָ וִֽיחֻנֶּֽךָּ׃ {ס}         יהוה  

deal kindly and graciously with you!  שָּׂ֨א יְהֹוָ֤ה ׀ פָּנָיו֙ אֵלֶ֔יךָ וְיָשֵׂ֥ם לְךָ֖ שָׁלֽוֹם׃ {ס}          יהוה

bestow [divine] favor upon you

and grant you peace!                      (The contemporary Torah-Numbers 6:24-26)

 

Let us bless the Lord. Alleluia. Alleluia.

       Thanks be to God. Alleluia. Alleluia.

 

Postlude:

 

“Every blade of grass has its Angel that bends over it and whispers, "Grow, grow." - The Talmud”