Category: Worship Resources

Lectionary Texts

During the Easter season a reading from the book of Acts replaces the Hebrew Bible reading. Revelation 1. 4-8 is John’s greeting to the churches at the beginning of his book. It opens with a greeting from God and from Christ, who has set us free and made us a nation of priests who serve God, and who is coming again.

In Acts 5. 27-32 the authorities try to stop Jesus’ followers from preaching in his name, but the disciples say “We obey God, not human authority,” and they keep right on preaching.

Psalm 150 invites us to praise God with all the musical instruments (and all the other means) that we can imagine. Let everything that breathes praise God!

In John 20.19-31 The risen Jesus comes to the disciples and breathes his spirit into them (“spirit” and “breath” being the same word in Greek). Thomas misses this, and wants to see the crucified and risen Lord—wounds and all. When he does see Jesus he is overwhelmed, not by the physical proof but by Jesus’ presence.

Preaching Thoughts

The Gospel reading comprises two scenes. The first is John’s Pentecost. Jesus breathes the Spirit on his followers. This is what Jesus has returned for: not to prove anything, not to exalt in his victory over death, but to breathe his living spirit into the disciples. Now they are his risen body.

Thomas (the “Twin”) says he won’t believe unless he touches the wounds. Maybe that’s doubt. But maybe he’s saying, on behalf of all of us, that resurrection isn’t something you just think is true because someone said so; you believe it because you’ve experienced it. We don’t want to hear beliefs about resurrection; we want to see evidence of resurrection. When he does see Jesus, what convinces him is not the wounds (he never does touch them) but simply the overwhelming (and I assume loving) presence of Jesus. Thomas represents all those to whom we want to proclaim resurrection. Words alone won’t suffice.

We love happy endings. But Thomas is holding resurrection to a higher standard: resurrection is not just bouncing back; it’s radical transformation from something that is truly dead—you can see the wounds—to something that is truly alive. Thomas wants to see and touch the wounds. He wants to know not just that Jesus is OK after all, but that the one who is alive and whole is indeed the one who suffered and died. That the one who stands before him with forgiveness is the very one he denied and abandoned. (Remember when Jesus set out to Lazarus’ tomb, despite a contract out on him, and Thomas said “Let us go die with him.” But Thomas didn’t die with him. He ran away.) Now, in the wounds, and the Living One who bears them, he needs to see his own sin forgiven. As do we. Thomas is our twin.

Call to Worship

1.
Leader: Christ is risen!
All: Christ is risen indeed!
God of Love, you have passed through our sin and sorrow,
died of our wounds, lain in our grave.
And you have risen, full of life.
You have entered our darkness,
and you have made the darkness one with the light.
Now even the darkness shines with your glory.
All of life is raised, new, and we with it,
praising you with new voices, new hearts, new lives. Alleluia!

2. [Psalm 150 ]
Leader: Praise the Holy One! Praise God in the sanctuary;
People: God, we praise you in the mighty heavens!
We praise you for your mighty deeds, and for your surpassing greatness!
We praise you with trumpet sound; we praise you with lute and harp!
We praise you with tambourine and dance; we praise you with strings and pipe!
We praise you with clanging cymbals; we praise you with loud clashing cymbals!
Let everything that has breath praise God!
Praise God!

3.
Leader: Loving God, this is the day that you are making.
All: Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
You have raised Christ from the grave and overcome death.
You have defeated the power of evil and oppression.
We long for your presence, and we open ourselves to your Spirit.
Christ, our living Chief, you are with us, and we give you thanks.
We look for signs of your rising;
and we live in a world that longs for your living presence.
Breathe your Spirit into us, and raise us to new life,
that we may be living evidence of your resurrection,
the Body of your risen Christ. Amen.

4.
Leader: Christ is risen!
People: Christ is risen indeed!
Creator God, we praise you!
Risen Christ, we greet you!
Holy Spirit, we are one body by your grace.
Alleluia! We have seen the Risen Christ! Alleluia!
You alone are holy, O God, and so we worship you.
You have brought Christ up out of the grave.
You have brought life out of death, hope out of despair.
We have seen your victory in our lives;
we have beheld your Risen Christ among us
For what we have seen, we give thanks.
For what is yet to come, we give you our hearts.
We worship you, and give you ourselves. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
God of new life, your grace is always beyond our grasp. But we want to see you, to feel your presence. Open the eyes of our hearts to see you, present for us. Open the ears of our hearts to hear you speak your Word to us, now and always, through the living Christ. Amen.

2.
Resurrecting God,
when the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples,
he offered them signs of peace,
and breathed his spirit on them.
Breathe your Spirit into us,
and grant us seeing hearts,
that we may live as your faithful disciples,
and offer peace and healing in a broken world. Amen.

3.
O God, you make every moment new. You come through the locked doors of our habituated lives, and reveal yourself in Jesus, who bring us his peace. May we continually pass with him from death to life, and embody his love and forgiveness.May the wounded but risen Christ, who is present with us, empower us to be present with this wounded world, by the grace of your Holy Spirit. Amen.

4.
Gracious God, your risen Christ appeared to the disciples and spoke to them. Pass through the locked doors of our fears and our doubts, our need to control and understand. Be present with us; speak to us; open our hearts and minds, that we may hear with joy what you are saying to us today, and give you our hearts. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

God we confess our trust in you is broken
by our fears and cynicism,
by our need to control and understand,
by our attachment to comfort and security.
In the wounds of Christ touch us,
soften our hearts, and turn our spirits toward you,
that in us Christ may rise anew, living and whole.

Reading

1. [May be used as an affirmation or creed.]
Revelation 1.4-8

Leader: Grace to you and peace
from the One who is and who was and who is to come,
and from the seven spirits who are before the divine throne,
and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness,
the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of all earthly rulers.
All: To Christ who loves us
and in his dying freed us from our sins
and made us to be a nation of priests serving our God and Creator,
to Christ be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! Christ is coming with the clouds;
every eye will see, even those who pierced Jesus on the cross;
and for Christ all the tribes of the earth will mourn . So it is to be. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says God,
who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
Come, risen Christ, come Holy Spirit, and transform us by your grace.
Alleluia!

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)

Living God,
the doors of our hearts are locked.
Come through them,
grace us with your loving presence,
breathe your Spirit into us,
and grant us your peace.

Eucharistic Prayer

[The body of the prayer may be read responsively by leader(s) and congregation, or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]

God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.

God of love, you create all things in your grace.
You bring light out of darkness and life out of death.
You bring people out of slavery, and Christ out of the grave.
Through the locked doors of prisons you set the captives free.
Through the locked doors of our fears
you come with forgiveness and peace.
We rejoice in your presence that we cannot understand,
your love that we cannot comprehend.
So we feast in joy beyond words, singing your praise with all Creation:

     (Sanctus)

Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ, crucified and yet risen,
wounded and yet forgiving,
having passed through death, yet bearing peace.
He passed through the walls of people’s fears and prejudice
and brought them truth and healing.
He passed through the disciples’ closed doors
and brought them love and peace.
He touched the wounds of others,
and now in broken bread we touch his wounds.

     (The Blessing and Covenant)
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
     (Memorial Acclamation)

Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be for the world the Body of Christ,
that we may touch the world’s wounds with healing,
that we may offer peace and forgiveness,
that a world yearning for your presence
may behold it in us and our love,
by the power of your Holy Spirit
and the presence of your living Christ in us,
for your glory and the for the healing of the world.
(Amen.)

____________
* The Blessing and Covenant
[I usually don’t print the words. I want people to be looking at the bread, not their bulletins.]

On the night in which he gave himself for us
Jesus took bread, blessed it,. broke it, and gave it to his disciples,saying,
“Take and eat; this is my body.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,
blessed it with thanks and gave it to them, saying,
“Drink of this, all of you. This is my blood,
poured out for you and for many, in a new Covenant,
which is the forgiveness of sin.”
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.

Prayer of Dedication / Sending

1.
Gracious God, you have breathed your Spirit into us. Now into this world, that is hungry for your peace, send us as signs of your living presence. Into this world that is doubtful of your love, send us as vessels of your grace. May your love pass through the locked doors of our world and reach the hearts of those who hunger for your grace. Send us in your Spirit as bearers of your healing light, in the name and Spirit of Christ.

2.
Gracious God, there are many people in this world who have not experienced your love, who have no reason to hope, who have not seen the risen Christ. Use us, we pray, to bring your love to them. We give you our lives, symbolized in our gifts, with which to make resurrection real in this world, in the name of Christ. Receive them with love, bless them with grace, and use them according to your will. Amen.

Prayer after Communion

Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In our hunger for you, you come to us. You touch us with your presence and feed us with your flesh. Now throw open the doors we have locked around us, and send us, for the sake of others who hunger for you, as the Body of Christ. Amen.2.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In the broken bread we have touched your wounds. In the cup poured out you have filled us. Send us into the world to touch the wounds of Christ in those who suffer, seeking always your life-giving presence. We go in the name and the Spirit of Christ, in the courage and compassion of Christ, in the loving company of the risen Christ. Amen.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view on the Music page)

Communion Songs for Easter set to familiar tunes
Eight songs of invitation to the table, set to these melodies:
All Creatures of Our God and King,
Infant Holy, Be Thou My Vision,
The Gift of Love / Water Is Wide,
Morning Has Broken, Fairest Lord Jesus.

Easter Eucharistic Responses
Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation and Amen set to:
All Things Bright and Beautiful (Includes Preface)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Fairest Lord Jesus
Morning Has Broken
Now the Green Blade Rises

Come, Risen Christ   (Tune: Fairest Lord Jesus)

Come, risen Christ, to us. Come into our daily lives.
Come in our labors and in our rest.
Walk with us by our side. Show us where grace may hide.
Become our host, who once was guest.

Come, risen Christ, to us. Come into our fear and pain.
Come, speak to us your word of peace.
Nourish our weakened hearts. Feed us the food of grace.
From guilt and anguish grant release.

Come, risen Christ, to us. Lay your hand upon our hearts.
Draw us to follow. Our lives now use.
Call us your word to keep, love you and feed your sheep,
and bear your light where you shall choose.


Let Me Feel Your Wounds   (original song)

Risen Christ, let me feel your wounds
in the heart of the one whom I have crucified.
May I feel your forgiving and begin brand new living.
May I know your rising there.

Risen Christ, let me feel your wounds
in the hands of the lonely and despairing ones.
May I love with your caring. May I hope with your daring.
May I know your rising there.

Risen Christ, let me feel your wounds
in the feet of the poor and homeless wandering.
May I weep with their weeping. May I give without keeping.
May I know your rising there.

Risen Christ, let me feel your wounds
in the marks of our violence upon the world.
May I bless and heal. May your peace be my seal.
May I know your rising there.

Lectionary Texts

In Luke 24.1-12 the women come to Jesus’ tomb and find that he has been raised. They go and tell the others, who find it hard to believe.
—Or— John 20.1-18: Mary finds the empty tomb and tells Peter and the beloved disciple, who come and look. Mary then encounters Jesus in the garden.

In Acts 10.34-43 Peter tells the story of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection.
In 1 Corinthians 15.19-26 Paul proclaims the resurrection for all people: “as all die in Adam, all will be made alive in Christ.” Christ rules over all, even death.
Psalm 118 is a song of God’s victory. What we thought was failure God has made triumph: “the stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.”

Guiding Thoughts

The Gospel readings
If there is both a sunrise service and a regular one, I recommend using one Gospel at each. The John reading lends itself to two scenes that may be separate readings: verses 1-10, Mary at the tomb; and 11-18, Jesus and Mary. I like to begin the service with the first part of the gospel reading (Luke 24.1-7, or Jn. 20.1-0) followed by a response as a call to worship.

Preaching Resurrection
It’s common, I think, to preach stuff that’s almost Resurrection but not really. For some folks Easter is some kind of victory party as if our team won the championship. Easter is about victory, yes, but not ours. It’s God’s victory over our sin, over our judgment of others, over our injustice and violence. It’s love’s victory over death and our our fear of it.

Resurrection is not just happy endings. Resurrection isn’t the same as “bouncing back.” There’s no “back” to it It’s about being plunged forward, into a new life that’s not just more of the old one. Resurrection is more like an unexpected beginning than a happy ending. God miraculously creates life where there was none—and no potential—before. Resurrection is not the same as near-death. It’s actual death. Failure. Surrender. It’s out of our brokenness that resurrection comes. Resurrection is not “return;” it’s transformation. (I think that’s why his friends didn’t recognize him on Easter: he was changed.)

It’s tempting to make resurrection the doorway to the afterlife, but it’s not that, either. Resurrection is the doorway to this life. “Unless a seed dies and is buried it remains a single seed. But if it dies, it bears much fruit” (Jn. 12.24). Jesus wasn’t interested in the afterlife—that is, being dead—but in living this life with love. “Eternal life” doesn’t mean immortality. (Are you kidding? People act as if they want to live forever but they can’t even abide a worship service that goes a few minutes over an hour—and they want to live for millions of years? No way.) Eternal life doesn’t mean life that’s long; it means life that’s infinitely deep. It means life with infinite life in it, with God in it. It means life that can’t be taken from us—not by what happens to us, not by our own actions, not even by death. It means harmony with the infinite love of God.

Resurrection is also about the rejected stone that becomes the cornerstone. Again, I don’t mean the triumph of the underdog. I mean the Divine Presence in places we don’t see it, in situations we discount and people we reject. It’s about God’s justice that comes about even if we miss it.

Call to Worship

1. [I like to use two readers for the leader part. They alternate two lines, then read the third in unison, to create a sense of crescendo.]

Christ emptied himself and became obedient to death,
obedient to death on a cross.
But Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed!
He is not among the dead anymore!
The stone has been rolled away!
The Crucified One is risen again!
He has come out of the tomb!
Christ has conquered by the cross!
All our hope is in him! Alleluia!
God has rescued us from the power of darkness
and brought us into the dominion of God’s beloved Son.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! ALLELUIA!

2.
Leader: Christ is risen!
All: Christ is risen in deed!
Light out of darkness!
Life out of death!
Hope out of despair!
Power out of surrender!
God, this is your grace, marvelous and wonderful!
This is your way, always and forever.
You raise us up with Christ, and we thank you.
You create us anew, and we worship you. Alleluia!

3.
In the nighttime of our sin, the grace of God rises like the dawn.
In the coldness of our hearts, hope rises like the sun.
Into all that is cold and shadowed in our lives, the light of God shines.
From the sleep of sin and the dust of our death
O God of grace, shine your light upon us!
Come to us, and renew us, O God of life!
May the light of Christ, rising in glory,
dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.
Thanks be to God for the light of Christ. Alleluia!
This is the Passover of Christ, the victory of love
over sin and death, evil and violence.
Thanks be to God for the life of Christ. Alleluia!
Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Collect / Prayer of the Day

1.
Holy God, we thank you and praise you for the mystery of your grace. On the cross Jesus your Christ bore all that separates us from you and from life; yet sin and evil and suffering and death were unable to defeat him. By his glorious resurrection you have delivered us from the power of death. Gracious God, make us die every day to sin. Birth us anew, so that we may walk in newness of life with Christ, in the joy of eternal life and in the company of the Holy Spirit, O God, our Creator and Redeemer. Amen.

2.
God of life, all that defeats life you have vanquished. All that opposes love you have overcome. We are in awe of your glory. We are in debt to your grace. We are in love with your Christ. Raise us up now in worship; create us anew, that we may serve you with joy and confidence as your resurrected people, in the name and the Spirit of Christ. , Amen.

3.
Christ loved us so dearly that he clung to us in this death; and still he holds us close as he rises. We are raised with him to new life. We are new creations. Grant us the grace to receive the new life you offer, to be transformed by your glory, and to serve you in the power of your love, as the risen Body of Christ, for the sake of the world. Amen.

Response / Creed / Affirmation

1. (1 Pet. 1.3;   Eph. 2. 4-6;   Rom. 6.4;   Col. 3.3   Ps. 51.10)
Alleluia! Blessed be God, who has given us Jesus Christ.
In Mercy God has given us a new birth into a living hope
through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.
God, rich in mercy, out of great love for us,
has made us alive together with Christ,
and raised us up and seated us with Christ.
We have been buried with Christ by baptism into death,
so that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of God,
we too might walk in newness of life.
Gracious God, we have died, and our life is hidden with Christ in you.
Spirit of Life, create us anew!
Create in us a clean heart, and put a new and right spirit within us.
Forgive our sin, and wash us clean in the water of new birth.
Heal us, redeem us, and set us free.
Spirit of Blessing, be our freedom and our life!
Through your risen Christ give us courage to love fearlessly,
and to resist evil, injustice and oppression
in whatever forms they present themselves.
Through your crucified and risen Christ, we pray for your church,
that, committing our spirit into your hands,
we may die and rise to newness of life.
We pray for all those who suffer, struggle or despair,
that they may find renewal, hope and peace.
Grant us the joy of your life-giving resurrection,
and make us by your grace a new and holy people. Amen.

Listening Prayer

(suitable as a Collect, preparation for hearing scriptures, or invitation to prayer)

Spirit of Life,
roll the stone from my heart.
Let your light invade my shadows;
let your life transform my death.
I surrender all in the tomb of my heart.
Raise me to new life.
In the garden of this stillness,
come to me. Speak my name.
Fill me with your light.

Eucharistic Prayer

[The body of the prayer may be read responsively with the leader and congregation, or by the presiding leader(s) alone.]

1.
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.

God of glory, the rising sun praises you;
the light of day proclaims your goodness.
You create light out of darkness,
and you create your people out of the dust of the dearth.
You bring slaves out of Egypt to freedom,
and you bring Christ out of death to life.
Wonder of wonder, you raise us with Christ!
You bring new life to us, miraculous and beautiful.
Like wheat, sown and harvested and risen into bread,
we are made into the Body of your Risen Christ.
Therefore as risen people we sing your praise with all Creation:
     [Sanctus, sung or spoken]

Blessed are all who come in your name and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
He brought healing where there was brokenness,
love where there was fear, and life where there was death.
He shone with your light, light that the darkness could not overcome.
He was crucified, but the life in him was eternal and could not be taken;
you have raised him from the dead.

[The Blessing and Covenant] *

Remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith.
     [Memorial Acclamation, sung or spoken]

Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again in love.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us,
that we may be the Body of Christ,
crucified and risen with Christ, made new for new lives,
by the eternal power of your love.
     [Amen, sung or spoken.]

_____________________
2.
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.

God, we thank you, for you create us in love, and each moment you re-create us.
You create us in the image of your love, and claim us as your Beloved.
When we are lost and imprisoned you stay with us;
you overcome the forces of death and oppression, and set us free.
By the mystery of your grace you have raised Christ from the dead,
and raised us to newness of life.
From the power of death you have set us free.
From our fear and the failure of our love you save us,
and accompany us toward your peace.
Therefore with all Creation we sing your praise.

       [Sanctus]

Blessed are all who come in your name and blessed is Jesus, your Christ.
He loved and taught, he healed and embraced the outcast.
He occupied all that separates us from you, accepted our suffering and our sin,
and poured out your love for us, even to death, for our sake.
He was crucified, but you raised him to new life.

[The Blessing and Covenant]

Remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a living and holy sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith.

[Memorial Acclamation]
Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of Christ.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, that we may be the Body of Christ,
crucified and risen with Christ, made new for new lives,
by the eternal power of your love.
God, may your will be done on earth now
by all your church, the Body of Christ.
Praise to you, Mother, Son and Spirit. Alleluia. Amen.

____________
* The Blessing and Covenant
[I usually don’t print the words. I want people to be looking at the bread, not their bulletins.]

On the night in which he gave himself for us
Jesus took bread, blessed it,. broke it, and gave it to his disciples,saying,
“Take and eat; this is my body.”
In the same way, after the supper he took the cup,
blessed it with thanks and gave it to them, saying,
“Drink of this, all of you. This is my blood,
poured out for you and for many, in a new Covenant,
which is the forgiveness of sin.”
As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.

Prayer of Dedication / Sending

1.
The Day of Resurrection has dawned upon us, for Christ, our life, has risen. We give abundant thanks and praise to you, O God! In your victory, O Christ, help us shed all sin and death. In your rising, help us receive new life. In your power, direct our lives as your new creation. In your Spirit, guide us in lives of compassion, trusting by the light of your glorious rising the great victory of love over all things. Grant that we may live new lives in Christ, free of our old ways, free of fear and distrust. Sustain us with your mercy, and bestow upon us your abiding peace, hope and gladness, so that we may find joy in serving you. O Christ, you are our life, which is eternal. We thank you. Grant us grace to receive the gift of life, and by your Spirit to live as fearless servants of your love. Amen.

2.
God of love, you have raised Jesus from death to life!
Lead us always into newness of life.
Light of Christ, rising as the sun on a new day,
overcoming the darkness of sin and death,
shine on our path, chase away all darkness,
and lead us to the heart of God.
Light of Christ, rising in glory,
be the light of our hearts!
Spirit of Resurrection, grant us your grace.
Alleluia! Alleluia!

Prayer after Communion

Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You have fed us with the body of the risen Christ, the bread of life, life that is eternal, and deeply beautiful. By the grace of these gifts, may the power of resurrection be within us. Send us out into the world, unafraid, to give of ourselves; to do justice, love kindness, and walk humbly with you, in the name and the Spirit of the risen Christ, who lives with you and the Holy Spirit forever. Amen.

Suggested Songs

(Click on titles to view on the Music page)

See all songs with “Easter” tag—especially these:

Communion Songs for Easter set to familiar tunes
(Eight songs of invitation to the table, set to these melodies:
All Creatures of Our God and King,
Infant Holy, Be Thou My Vision,
The Gift of Love / Water Is Wide,
Morning Has Broken, Fairest Lord Jesus.

Easter Eucharistic Responses
Sanctus, Memorial Acclamation and Amen set to:
All Things Bright and Beautiful (Includes Preface)
Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Fairest Lord Jesus
Morning Has Broken
Now the Green Blade Rises

Children of the Resurrection    (Tune: HOLY MANNA. Alternate: Ode to Joy)

Christ is risen! Baptized in his death and rising, so are we.
Children of the resurrection, we are one now; we are free.
Fear no longer holds us, and we live with love courageously,
giving gifts and sharing love for God, who loves eternally.

* In this feast we greet the risen Christ, who calls us all in grace,
gathered into one and fed with love, we now are mercy’s face.
Now we are Christ’s risen Body; for the world we now are light,
children of the resurrection, radiant with eternal life.

* Without communion: “With glad hearts we greet the risen Christ …”

Christ Is Our Sunrise (Tune: Morning Has Broken)

Christ is now living— Alleluia!—
wondrously giving life out of death,
hope gently spoken when we were hopeless,
when we were broken, life-giving breath.

God, you have sought us deep in our suffering,
and you have brought us out of our fear,
gently revealing your presence in us,
tenderly healing, drawing us near.

Christ, in your rising you are our sunrise,
drawing surprising green from the seed.
Still your light finds us, wrapped in our grave clothes;
from all that binds us, now we are freed.

God, your grace gives us brand new tomorrows.
As Christ forgives us we are made new.
Now liberated from sin and sorrow,
newly created, we follow you.


Like the Sun Rising     (Tune: Morning Has Broken)

Christ, we surrender all of our living
into your tender, merciful grace
Baptized in you, we join in your dying,
and rising, too, in your life’s embrace.

Christ, you are living in us in mercy,
faithfully giving life that is true.
Like the sun rising, fresh every morning,
free and surprising, we are made new.

Great Holy Spirit, live in us daily,
free from the fear that once bound us in,
free now to love our neighbors with courage,
rising above our death and our sin.

Blest and forgiven and resurrected,
set free for living by grace alone,
may we live lives of gentle compassion,
with the same light that in you has shone.


Morning is Breaking    (Tune: Morning Has Broken)

Morning is breaking, sorrowful morning,
as we are making haste to the tomb:
cold and despairing, numb and defeated,
painfully bearing darkness and gloom.

But in the dawning we see the grave now,
empty and yawning, bright like the sun.
Angels in glory say he is risen!
“Go tell the story: Death is undone!”

We came to grieve our crucified Jesus,
but, loving God, you opened his grave!
Jesus is living! Yours is the victory,
great in forgiving, mighty to save.

God, you have greeted sin with forgiveness;
you have defeated evil and fear.
Light of his rising, shine in our courage,
pure, energizing, radiant and clear.

Morning is breaking bright in our hearts now,
as we are waking, light in our eyes.
With him we offer love without fear, for
with him we suffer, with him we rise.


Resurrection Light (Tune: Joyful, Joyful)
[There are additional verses in the downloadable document, especially for a sunrise service]

In your mercy you have shattered every tomb we cannot flee.
From whatever binds and traps us you have set your children free:
free to live in every moment life that is a gift from you,
life unfettered, in your Spirit, life unbounded, always new.

Help us to receive this life that rises up and soars above.
Grant us courage for self-giving; grant us trusting, fearless love.
Help us lose the lives we cling to; with compassion and delight
give our lives, receiving new ones, bright with Resurrection light.


Spring Now Blooms     (Tune: Now The Green Blade Rises)

Early in the morning we come to the tomb,
bearing sins and sorrows, wounds and hearts of gloom.
But what is this? The stone is rolled away!
And the tomb is empty! Wonder and dismay!

Verse 2, Synoptic version:
* Then an angel greets us, speaking to our fear,
saying “Christ is risen. See, he is not here.”
Now our despair itself has passed away,
and we feel new life rise in the dawning day.

Verse 2, John version
So we ask the gardener where the body is—
and we hear the voice and know that it is his.
“Why do you weep?” Such sadness fills our eyes.
Then we see and fill with joy and glad surprise.

Christ now stands before us, living as he said.
Oh, what hope he brings us, rising from the dead!
Night was so dark, but with the rising sun
everything is changed now, in this grace-filled dawn.

We give God our spirits, buried just like seeds,
and emerge forgiven, healed, made new and freed.
Sorrow and dread are changed to joy instead.
Spring now blooms, for Christ is risen from the dead!

Click here to download a .doc file of this liturgy.

A Foot Washing Liturgy

“I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.
Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.”
—John 13.34

GREETING
Leader: Christ, our teacher and our healer,
you call us to your table, to celebrate our freedom in God.
All: We come, drawn by your Word.
Christ, our savior and our Sovereign,
you call us to be close to you in prayer.
We come, drawn by your Spirit.
Christ, our servant and our victim,
you call us to follow you in humility.
We come, drawn by your love. Amen.

SONG

OLD TESTAMENT — Isaiah 42.1-4
SILENCE

PRAYER
Gentle Christ, in humble service you renounce power, comfort and status.
We confess our envy and judgment, our thirst to dominate and control.
You do not cry out; you will not quench even a dimly burning wick.
We confess our anger, despair and violence, and our distrust of love.
We confess that in our fear and self-centeredness we shrink back
from washing the feet of the poor and working for justice.
We surrender our fear, and open our hearts to your grace.
We pray for all whom we think are beneath us.We pray for all those whom we have judged or wounded.
Forgive us, heal our fear, and empower us to serve in Christ’s name.
God of peace, you establish justice in all the earth.
Grant us your spirit of nonviolence, justice and mercy. Amen.

SONG

PSALTER — Psalm 116
SILENCE

NEW TESTAMENT — Philippians 2. 5-11
SILENCE

PRAYER
Suffering Christ, you humble yourself to death,
even to the shame and pain and injustice of the cross.
We confess that we hurt others, seeking our own security.
We pray for all who suffer, who are ashamed,
who are accused, for they are the Lamb of God.
You lovingly serve even those who harm you.
Grant us your spirit of humble servanthood.
Your tender love is more powerful than all our evil.
Grant us your spirit of self-emptying love. Amen.

SONG

SHARING THE MEAL OF JESUS

SCRIPTURE — John 3. 1-17
SILENCE

PRAYER
Loving Christ,
in our sin you wash us clean; in our grief you bless us,
in our weariness you restore us, in our shame you honor us.
We confess our resistance to your grace.
Wash the feet of our hearts, that we may wholly belong to you.
You pour out your Spirit upon us, and make us your brimming vessels.
Anoint our spirits, that we may find joy in serving you.
Grant us your spirit of love, O God, your life-giving spirit of love.
Amen.

SONG

THE FOOTWASHING

SCRIPTURE — John 13.34-35
SILENCE

PSALM (Psalm 141, paraphrased)
Holy One, you who are always present for me, I call to you.
Hear the cry of my heart — oh hear!
My prayer rises like incense before you,
my hands I raise as my evening sacrifice.
Beloved, keep watch over my mouth;
stand guard at the door of my lips.
Keep me from evil thoughts,
from joining in other people’s anger.
Help me stay free from joining them in accusing;
may I never seek comfort in belonging with them.
Let righteous people strike me,
let the faithful condemn me,
but may the wicked never anoint me with the acid of their praise:
for every day I pray blessing in defiance of their evil.
When with the stones they would throw they are wounded,
then they will see how gentle my way has been.
The whole warring world is divided and split:
our bones lie at the edge of hell.
So we turn to you, O Loving One:
You are our healing, and our only hope.
Keep me out of the trap of blaming and judging,
the pit of evil so easy to fall into.
Let the violent be entangled in their own nets,
while I go freely on a different way.

SILENCE

SONG

BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH

Click here to download a doc. file of this service.

Maundy Thursday Worship: A Service of Anointing

———— The Miracle ————

GREETING

PRELUDE

OPENING
Leader: As children of God our Creator we come together.
All: Upon the invitation of Christ we gather at this table.
In the power of the Holy Spirit we who have been served by love
are led to serve in love.
Holy One, Holy Three, bless us this night with your love;
anoint us with your grace, that your joy may be in us,
and our joy may be complete.

SONG

John 12.1
Six days before the Passover Jesus came to Bethany,
the home of Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead.

SCRIPTURE — Romans 6.1-11

RESPONSE
All of our failure, O Christ, you bear,
you bear with love to the cross.
All of our losses, O Christ, you bear,
you bear with love to the cross.
Our world-weary clinging we surrender to you.
Our old lives we commit to you.
We die in you, O Christ;
raise us from our death.
Call us, with Lazarus, to new life.
Raise us with you, O Christ.

SILENT MEDITATION

PRAYERS … THE PEACE

THE OFFERING

SONG

———— The meal ————

John 12.2
There they gave a dinner for him. Martha served,
and Lazarus was one of those at the table with him.

SCRIPTURE — Mark 14.22-25

RESPONSE
God of love, we hunger for your love.
In this meal we are fed by your promise to be with us in love.
You set us free, and bless us, body and soul.
You make of us one flesh, the Body of Christ for the world.
Fill us with your Spirit, that we may live by the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

SILENT MEDITATION

SHARING THE MEAL

SONG

———— The anointing ————

John 12.3
Mary took a pound of costly perfume made of pure nard,
anointed Jesus’ feet, and wiped them with her hair.
The house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume.

SCRIPTURE — John 13.3-11

RESPONSE
O Christ, you bear the suffering of the world.
Help us join you in compassion.
You died in loving service to even the lowest among us.
Give us the faith to serve you humbly.
As you took the lowest place,
help us find our place of service.
Anoint us with the oil of your gladness.
Anoint us with the oil of healing.
Anoint us with your Spirit, who calls us to serve.
May we receive and share the love of Christ.

SILENT MEDITATION

THE ANOINTING
[You may receive anointing of your head, hands or feet. (For anointing feet, if you keep your shoes on, a few drops of water will be used.) You may remain to anoint another. Pray for those who come forward to be anointed.]

SONG

——— The charge ———

John 12.4-8
Judas Iscariot, one of his disciples (the one who was about to betray him), said,
“Why was this perfume not sold for three hundred denarii
and the money given to the poor?”
Jesus said, “Leave her alone.
She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial.
You always have the poor with you, but you do not always have me

SCRIPTURE — John 13.12-15, 34-35

CLOSING PRAYER
Creator God, you make us new each moment, raising us to new life.
Loving Christ, you have given yourself to us.
Holy Spirit, you have anointed us with your power and your grace.
In humility and gratitude may we go into the world
to love and to serve, in the spirit and the company of Jesus.
Amen.

SONG

BLESSING AND SENDING

POSTLUDE

Click here to download this liturgy in a .doc format.

Good Friday Liturgy

INTRODUCTION (Philippians 2. 5-11)

Though Christ was by nature divine,
he did not cling to equality with God,
but emptied himself, took the form of a slave,
and was born as a human.
Lord have mercy.
Appearing in human form,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Christ have mercy.
Therefore God has highly exalted him,
and given him the name above all others,
that every knee should bend, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Giver of Life.
Lord have mercy, and grant us your peace.

KYRIE

PRAYER
Jesus, you carried our sins and sorrows in your own body on the cross so that we might have life. God, look with mercy upon your beloved people, for whom Christ was willing to suffer. Look upon us with mercy, that by your grace we, and all who remember this day, may find forgiveness, liberation from our sin, and new life in you, that we may walk in your ways, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to your eternal glory. Amen.
SILENT PRAYER

FIRST GOSPEL READING John 18: 1-27
SILENT REFLECTION

PRAYER
God of Truth, keep always in our minds your love for us, and our love for you. Deliver us from our fear of speaking out for justice and standing with those who are oppressed. Forgive us for tolerating injustice and wrong. Give us the strength to confront evil and to proclaim your grace, in the spirit of Christ. Amen.

HYMN

OLD TESTAMENT      (Isaiah 52:13 — 53:12)
My servant, you shall prosper;
        you shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at you—
        so marred was your appearance, beyond human semblance,
        and your form beyond that of mortals—
so you shall startle many nations;
        rulers shall shut their mouths because of you;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
        and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Who would have believed what you have just heard?
        And to whom has the arm of the Holy One been revealed?
For you grew up before God like a young plant,
        and like a root out of dry ground;
you had no form or majesty to impress us,
        nothing in your appearance that we should desire you.

You were despised and rejected;
        one who knew suffering and was familiar with pain;
people despised you and looked away,
        and considered you worthless.

Surely you have borne our weakness and carried our diseases.
We thought you were being stricken by God,
        punished and humiliated—
but you suffered because of our sins,
        and were wounded by the evil we have done.
You were punished, and yet we are made whole;
        for in your suffering we find healing.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
        we have all turned to our own way;
        in you God has exposed our violence.

SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

You were oppressed, and afflicted,
        yet you did not open your mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
        and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
        so you did not open your mouth.
By a perversion of justice you were taken away.
        Who could have imagined your future?
For you were cut off from the land of the living,
        and suffered what was not yours to suffer.

They made your grave with the wicked
        buried you with the rich,
although you had done no violence,
        and had only spoken the truth.

Though you were crushed with pain, yet God believed in you,
        and healed you, whom we made an offering for sin.
You shall see your offspring,
        and shall prolong your days;
        through you God’s will shall prosper.

Out of your anguish you shall see light;
        and knowing the truth, you will find peace.
You, God’s righteous servant,
        shall make many righteous,
        and you shall bear their sins.

Therefore God will allot you a portion with the great,
        and you shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because you poured yourself out to death,
        and were numbered with the transgressors.
You bore the sin of many,
        yet forgave the transgressors.

SONG

NEW TESTAMENT (Hebrews 10: 16-25)

RESPONSE     [Kyrie, Song, Choir or instrumental piece]

SECOND GOSPEL READING (John 18:28 — 19:16)
SILENT REFLECTION

PRAYER
God of mercy, deliver us from our fear in which we judge others. We pray for all who are oppressed, imprisoned, persecuted or rejected. To you who have delivered us from slavery we pray for the faith and courage to work for justice and the freedom of your children, and to proclaim the good news of your grace. Amen.
RESPONSE    [Kyrie, Song, Choir or instrumental piece]

THIRD GOSPEL READING (John 19: 17-30)

PSALTER — Psalm 22

FOURTH GOSPEL READING (John 19: 31-42)
SILENT REFLECTION

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS
Lamb of God, you take away the sin of the world.
Have mercy on us.
O Christ, in your humility, your lonely struggle and your agony,
you share our suffering. Give us faith to trust your grace.
In your weakness, rejection and humiliation, your crown of
thorns, your bitter death and your resting in the grave,
you accompany those who suffer, who are in sorrow or who are alone, who face death or who know injustice.
In your steadfast love and forgiveness,
receive our sins, set us free, and grant us peace.
In your kindness in the face of evil,
give us trust in the power of love.
By the mystery of your grace in the face of violence,
show us your way, God. Put to death all that is evil in us, that we may never judge, blame or harm your children; that we may resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves; that we may bear your love to the world. Grant that we may die with Christ; and raise us to new life. Into your hands we commit our spirit.
We pray for your holy Church, the Body of Christ. Impart to us the Spirit of gentleness and peace, the Spirit of compassion and forgiveness, the Spirit of justice and freedom for all. By the grace of the crucified Christ, may we learn your way of love.
God, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. God, have mercy.

SILENT PRAYERS … THE LORD’S PRAYER

HYMN

THE SEVEN LAST WORDS

SILENT REFLECTION

You may remain as long as you wish, in silent prayer.

Click here to download this liturgy in a .doc format.

Good Friday Liturgy

INTRODUCTION (Philippians 2. 5-11)

Though Christ was by nature divine,
Christ did not cling to equality with God,
but in utter self-emptying, took the form of a slave,
and was born as a human.
God have mercy.
Appearing in human form,
he humbled himself,
and became obedient to death,
even death on a cross.
Christ have mercy.
Therefore God has highly exalted Christ,
with a name above all others,
that every knee should bend, and every tongue confess
that Jesus Christ reigns supreme, to the glory of God the Giver of Life.
God have mercy, and grant us your peace.
SONG

PRAYER
Jesus, you carried our sins in your own body on the cross so that we might have life. God, look with mercy upon your beloved people, for whom Christ was willing to suffer. By your grace may we, and all who remember this day, find forgiveness, liberation from our sin, and new life in you, that we may walk in your ways, in the power of the Holy Spirit, to your eternal glory. Amen.
SILENT PRAYER

OLD TESTAMENT (Isaiah 52.13 – 53.12)
My servant, you shall prosper;
        you shall be exalted and lifted up, and shall be very high.
Just as there were many who were astonished at you—
      so marred was your appearance, beyond human semblance,
      and your form beyond that of mortals—
so you shall startle many nations;
      rulers shall shut their mouths because of you;
for that which had not been told them they shall see,
      and that which they had not heard they shall contemplate.

Who would have believed what you have just heard?
      And to whom has the arm of the Holy One been revealed?
For you grew up before God like a young plant,
      and like a root out of dry ground;
you had no form or majesty to impress us,
      nothing in your appearance that we should desire you.

You were despised and rejected;
      one who knew suffering and was familiar with pain;
people despised you and looked away,
      and considered you worthless.

Surely you have borne our weakness and carried our diseases.
We thought you were being stricken by God,
      punished and humiliated—
but you suffered because of our sins,
      and were wounded by the evil we have done.
You were punished, and yet we are made whole;
      for in your suffering we find healing.
All we like sheep have gone astray;
      we have all turned to our own way;
      in you God has exposed our violence.

SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

You were oppressed, and afflicted,
      yet you did not open your mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
      and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
      so you did not open your mouth.
By a perversion of justice you were taken away.
      Who could have imagined your future?
For you were cut off from the land of the living,
      and suffered what was not yours to suffer.

They made your grave with the wicked
      buried you with the rich,
although you had done no violence,
      and had only spoken the truth.

Though you were crushed with pain, yet God believed in you,
      and healed you, whom we made an offering for sin.
You shall see your offspring,
      and shall prolong your days;
      through you God’s will shall prosper.

Out of your anguish you shall see light;
      and knowing the truth, you will find peace.
You, God’s righteous servant,
      shall make many righteous,
      and you shall bear their sins.

Therefore God will allot you a portion with the great,
      and you shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because you poured yourself out to death,
      and were numbered with the transgressors.
You bore the sin of many,
      yet forgave the transgressors.

KYRIE

GOSPEL READING (from John 18.27-19.42)

SONG

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
THE PRAYER OF JESUS (“Lord’s Prayer”)

MEDITATION ON THE SEVEN LAST WORDS

“Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.”
PRAYER
God of truth, we are not aware of our evil or conscious of how we hurt others. Awaken us, O God, that we may be mindful of our sin. Open the eyes of our hearts, that we may see ourselves with loving clarity, as you see us—and repent. God, have mercy.
SILENCE

“Today you will be with me in paradise.”
PRAYER
Holy One, you promise us a realm of mercy and justice, yet we thwart it by our judgment and injustice. Heal us and all the world, that we may truly enter into the Empire of your love that you have prepared for us. God, have mercy.

“Woman, here is your son. Son, here is your mother.”
PRAYER
Christ our brother, you make us one family in your love. We pray for all our siblings and our kin the world over, for communities, and for mothers who must see their children suffer because of injustice. For the sin of our racism, our divisions and our fears. Forgive us and heal us. God, have mercy.
SILENCE

“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
PRAYER
Gentle God, you share our fear and loneliness. You are always present with us and for us. May the Passion of your beloved Son give us help in all our trials, and strength in our human weakness. We pray for all who are lonely, and all who feel unworthy. God, have mercy.
SILENCE

“I am thirsty.”
PRAYER
We pray for the poor and all who are hungry and thirsty in body or soul. We ourselves hunger for your presence and thirst for your grace. We pray for all who suffer, and for those who exercise power in the world. God, have mercy.
SILENCE

“It is finished.”
PRAYER
Eternal One, you have loved us so deeply, so dearly, so wholly. Christ has faithfully embodied your love among us; the light of your love has shone, even in the darkness. You have set us free from the fear of death, so that we may love courageously. May we, the church, the Body of Christ, embody your love and forgiveness, and radiate your light. God, have mercy.
SILENCE

“Into your hands I commit my spirit.”
PRAYER
O Holy, Indwelling One, may we live by your Spirit, the spirit of gentleness and peace, of compassion and healing. Put to death all that is evil in us, and grant that we may die with Christ, that you may raise us to new life. Into your hands we commit our spirit. God, have mercy. Christ, have mercy. God, have mercy.

SILENCE

SONG

BLESSING

Two extended Eucharistic prayers, expanded from the traditional structure.

Click here to download these prayers in a .doc format.

1.
God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God, our Beloved.
It is right to give God thanks and praise.

Blessed are you, O God, ruler of the universe,
creator of the fruit of the vine.
You have given us the gifts of earth and food,
of life and blessing.
As we bless this bread we thank you for all your gifts
and praise you for all your blessings.
You brought Creation out of chaos, light out of darkness.
You formed us in your image
and breathed into us the breath of life.
You made your Covenant with us, to be our God.
You condemn the powers of evil and injustice,
and set free your beloved people.
Even when our love fails, you remain steadfast.
You love us and redeem us
and bring us up out of slavery
in the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
You deliver us from our imprisonment in ourselves
and restore us to your beloved community.
In your Spirit you make us one body,
and draw us to your table as siblings and kin.
For the gift of Creation, for your faithful providence,
and for your mighty acts of salvation, we thank you.
And so with all the saints on earth and in heaven, we praise you:

[Sanctus, spoken or sung:]
Holy, holy, holy One, God of power and love,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in your name.
Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is Jesus, your Christ, who comes in your name,
who embodies your love among us,
who gives himself to us for heavenly food.Jesus taught us of the Realm of your grace,
the banquet of your generous love.
He healed our bodies, our souls, our relationships,
and set us free from our fear.
On the night in which he gave himself for us,
he gathered his beloved for a meal.
In our fear and isolation he made a community.
In the face of injustice he showed generosity.
Against the powers of evil he shared love.
Amidst our betrayal he gave a feast of self-giving.
Though divine, Christ did not cling to equality with God,
but in complete self-emptying took the form of a servant,
becoming humble to the point of death, even death on a cross.
In offering his body and blood to us, Jesus enters into our suffering.
Therefore we pray for all who suffer, for you are one with them.
Be with us in all our sorrows, O Christ,
and all who watch or wait this night.
Be with those who are sick or poor, in grief or afraid,
those who are imprisoned or enslaved,
victims of torture, persecution or oppression,
those who suffer from addiction or violence.
Gentle Christ, we thank for your great love,
for which you suffered the torture and injustice of the cross.
In your presence may all who suffer find hope and courage
and come to know the true promise of resurrection.

INTERCESSORY PRAYERS

Gracious God, in Christ you have renewed your Covenant
to be our God and to be with us in blessing eternally.
You have brought about your new Passover:
for it was Christ who offered himself as the Passover lamb,
that the power of death may pass over us, and that,
in your suffering for our sin, all condemnation be destroyed.

…The Blessing and Covenant…

In the Covenant of your forgiveness of our sin, we receive new life.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
in union with Christ’s offering for us
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:

[Spoken or sung:]
Christ has died. Christ is Risen. Christ will come again.

SCRIPTURE — Isaiah 42.1-4

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, O God,
and on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Renew your Spirit within us, O God,
grant us the peace of Christ,
and unite us with all who share in this meal.
In this meal you grant us solidarity with all who suffer,
that we may enter into the brokenness of the world;
May we, bearing the light of your resurrection,
live as signs of your covenant with all Creation,
and the coming of the Realm you have promised.
We pray that every oppressive force may be undone,
including those in which we have a part.
We ask for the courage and compassion of your Spirit,
that we may pray and work for justice for all people.
God of mercy, set us free, and free all your beloved children.
May your Spirit live in us, that we may be fearless in love,
and unafraid to give of ourselves.
Make us your humble servants for the healing of the world,
according to your will.
May your Word be made flesh by all your holy Church,
in the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit.

[Spoken or sung:]
Amen.

___________________________________________

2.
[After each segment of this prayer is a scripture reading, followed by silence. The contents of the scripture readings, in brackets, may be included or omitted from the congregation’s printed materials.]


God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One our God.
It is good to give God thanks and praise.

Loving God, for your abundant creation that sustains us
and fed multitudes in the wilderness,
for your re-creating us in each breath, we give you thanks.
For your presence with us in this meal,
and your giving of yourself in your very flesh, we give you thanks.
John 6.35
[“I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never be hungry, and whoever trusts in me will never be thirsty.”]
Silence…

Holy, whole and infinite One, womb of all that is:
all Creation is glorious with your presence.
We turn to you alone for life.
Blessed is the one who comes in your love.
Ezekiel 34.16
[I will seek the lost, and I will bring back the strayed, and I will bind up the injured, and I will strengthen the weak, but the fat and the strong I will destroy. I will feed them with justice. .]
Silence…

To your welcoming grace, accepting the sinner and the broken,
and your universal forgiveness and generous healing, we open our hearts.
To your grace that reconciles us with you and with each other,
and unites us even with our enemies as siblings at your table,
we open our hearts.
Luke 15.2
[“This fellow welcomes sinners and eats with them.” ]
Silence…

For your invitation to your table,
and the gift of gathering here, we give you thanks.
We pray for all who are not yet free,
who know oppression, servitude, poverty or discrimination,
who are trafficked, abused or imprisoned,
that we may ever be mindful of your yearning for their freedom.
Exodus 3.7-8a
[“I have observed the misery of my people who are in Egypt; I have heard their cry on account of their taskmasters. Indeed, I know their sufferings, and I have come down to deliver them from the Egyptians, and to bring them up out of that land to a good and broad land.”]
Silence…

For your mercy upon us in our sin, we give you thanks.
For your mercy upon us whose greed and complacency
contribute to the suffering of others, we humbly thank you.
Luke 19.42
[If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.]
For your covenant in which you claim us as your beloved people,
and for your faithful mercy, we give you thanks.
For your grace in redeeming us in our poverty and slavery,
for saving us from the fear of death and the weight of our sin,
we give you thanks.
John 8.35-36
[The slave does not have a permanent place in the household; the son has a place there forever. So if the Son makes you free, you will be free indeed. ]
Silence…

To the mystery of your call to die and be raised with Christ;
and to your self-giving, in which we receive eternal life, we open our hearts.
To your grace by which we enter into new lives,
and to the love in which we lay down our lives for one another,
we open our hearts.
John 12.24
[I tell you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains just a single grain; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.]

[The Blessing and Covenant]

Feasting on the food of eternal life, we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.
Remembering Jesus and his love, we offer ourselves with him
to you, for the healing of the world.
John 4.14
[Those who drink of the water that I will give them will never be thirsty. The water that I will give will become in them a spring of water gushing up to eternal life.]

For the sake of the true spirit of this meal in solidarity with all who are oppressed,
for the sake of good news for the poor and freedom for those in prison,
pour out your Spirit on us.
For compassion for those who suffer, and strength for the journey ahead,
for courage in the struggle for justice, pour out your Spirit on us.
Isaiah 58.6-8
[Is not this the fast that I choose: to loose the bonds of injustice, to undo the thongs of the yoke, to let the oppressed go free, and to break every yoke? Is it not to share your bread with the hungry, and bring the homeless poor into your house; when you see the naked, to cover them, and not to hide yourself from your own kin? ]

For the sake of your Realm of mercy and justice which is to come;
for the sake of the Resurrection Life which you promise,
pour out your Spirit on us. Amen. John 14.26-27[The Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom God will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid.]

[This service is an extended Eucharistic prayer, interspersed with scripture readings. It may include a homily at any point, and it may include foot-washing.]

Click here to download this service in a .doc format.
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“This is my command: love one another.” — John 15.17

Greeting

John 12.1-8

Prayer
O God, in this Holy Week we proclaim the mystery of our faith as we behold the great love of Christ, and contemplate his call for us to love one another. As Jesus faced his death with humility, compassion and grace, help us now to watch with him in his passion. Set us free from our bondage to self, that by your grace we may enter into the fellowship of his suffering, trusting in your grace alone. Grant that in his spirit we may freely serve one another in all lowliness, for the sake of your will. Amen.

The Four Questions … Reflections
[Asked by a young person:
Why is this meal different from all other meals? We often eat together, but this meal is special. Why do we have these special festivities?

All other meals have no name. But we call this meal communion, or the Lord’s Supper. Why do we call this meal by a special name?

In all our meals we have all kinds of foods. Why in this meal do we eat bread together?

In all our meals we may drink many things. Why in this meal do we share a common cup?]

Exodus 12. 1-5, 11-14

Prayer
God of Creation, God of our liberation, God of salvation, it is your will that all people be freed from hatred, violence, servitude and poverty. We pray that we may be freed from the bondage of all sin. We pray for all those who suffer injustice and oppression. We confess our complicity in injustice, and pray for courage to be set free ourselves. We pray for those of other faiths, that we may honor and learn from one another, and that there be no hatred between us. God of mercy, set us free, and free all your beloved children. Amen.

Psalm 116

Eucharistic Prayer
Holy God, Creator of this world and all that is to come,
we give thanks for your mighty acts of mercy.
For you have brought Creation out of chaos, light out of darkness.
You have formed us in your image
and breathed into us the breath of life.
You have brought us up out of slavery
and made your Covenant with us, to be our God.
You have spoken to us through your prophets,
and made us your people, the church.
Even when our love failed, you have remained steadfast;
you have loved us and redeemed us
in the life, death and resurrection of Christ.
And so with all the saints on earth and in heaven, we praise you:
[Sanctus]

Music

Luke 22. 24-37

Eucharistic Prayer
Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ, who, though he was divine,
did not cling to equality with God,
but in radical self-emptying, took the form of a servant,
becoming humble to the point of death, even death on a cross.
Gentle Christ, we thank for your great love,
for which you suffered the injustice of the cross.
In your suffering you are one with all who suffer.
We pray for all who suffer, that you may be with them.
In your presence may they find hope and consolation,
and come to know the true promise of resurrection.
You make all things new; free us from our fear of suffering,
that in the spirit of Christ’s compassion,
we may offer ourselves for justice and the healing of the world,
according to your will.

Intercessory Prayers

Music

Luke 22. 21-23, 31-34

Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, we confess that we do not love you perfectly, nor our neighbors as ourselves. We confess the injustice of our world, the greed and violence at the heart of our society. We confess that we are part of it: we are dominated by fear and selfishness, helplessly entangled in powers of death and injustice. We cannot wash our hands of the suffering we have caused, benefited from, or been party to. By the grace of your Gentle One, Christ Jesus, have mercy upon us. Create in us a clean heart, O God, and put a new and faithful spirit within us. Heal us, forgive us, renew us, and lead us, that we may delight in your will and walk in your ways, by the power of your Holy Spirit. Amen.
Silent Confession … The Word of Grace

Music

Luke. 22.14-20

Eucharistic Prayer
Gracious God, in Christ you have renewed your Covenant
to be our God and to be with us in blessing eternally.
You have brought about your new Passover:
for Christ is our Paschal lamb, whose blood proclaims
that the power of death shall pass over us.
In your wiling suffering at the hand of our sin,
and your loving forgiveness, all condemnation is destroyed.
In the Covenant of your grace, we receive new life.
Dying, Christ destroyed our death.
Rising, Christ restores our life.
Christ shall come again in glory.

Isaiah 42.1-4

Eucharistic Prayer
By your grace, as we take into ourselves the Body of Christ,
Grant that we may become the Body of Christ,
that by your Spirit in us, we may proclaim in our lives,
as we do in this meal, the blessing of your Covenant with us.

Music

John 14. 15-20, 26-27

Eucharistic Prayer
Renew your Holy Spirit within us, O God,
and unite us with all who share in this meal:
grant us communion with all your beloved,
and solidarity with all who suffer,
who know violence or injustice.
Pour out your Spirit upon us, and grant us the peace of Christ,
that we may enter into the brokenness of the world,
and, bearing the light of your resurrection,
live as signs of the Realm you have promised.
Grant that we may be taken as your beloved,
blessed as the body of Christ in your Covenant,
broken, crucified for the healing of all people,
and given, raised, for the building of justice
and the redemption of all Creation.
May your Word be made flesh by all your holy Church,
in the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Music

Sharing the Meal

John 15.9-17

Prayer
Loving God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. God of Steadfast Love, grant that we may be drawn to Christ, who is the light of our life. Grant that we may receive the light of Christ into our hearts, and be transformed by your presence within us as children of light. Strengthen our faith, renew your Holy Spirit within us, that your name may be glorified through us.

John 13. 1-17

Prayer
God of steadfast love, in Christ you have made us clean.
We give thanks, for you have served us faithfully,
led us as our teacher, called us as your servants,
and claimed us as your friends.
Grant us Christ’s hope in healing and justice,
and spirit of surrender and servanthood,
that in the name and companionship of Christ
we may live in love and humility,
for the sake of your will. Amen.

Music

Washing of Feet

John 13. 34-35

Music

Prayer
Holy One, Triune God, Lover and Beloved
and the Flowing of Love,
grant by the life of Christ in us
that we may love one another,
not merely as we love ourselves,
but even as you have loved us.
Amen.

Silence

Blessing

Lectionary Texts

Exodus 1-4, 11-14 establishes the Passover feast

Psalm 116 gives thanks for God’s saving grace.

In 1 Corinthians 11.23-26 Paul passes on the tradition that at the last supper Jesus said “this is my body… this is my blood.”

In John 13.1-17, 31b-35 Jesus washes the disciples’ feet and gives them the commandment to love one another.

Guiding Thoughts

The word “Maundy” is rooted in “commandment.” On this might we focus on the distinctive mark of Christian faith, not the Ten Commandments but the One Commandment: to love one another as Christ has loved us. Note that, as usual, Jesus raises the bar above the golden rule: we are commanded to love our neighbor not just as we love ourselves (which is admittedly imperfect) but as Christ has loved is, which is, in fact, perfect. Jesus embodies this love in washing our feet as a servant, and will do so in his forgiveness on the cross.

Two powerful rituals occur this evening. You may chose to observe either or both. Communion is most directly tied to the Last Supper, although it is also a re-enactment of every instance of Jesus feeding us. Notice how often Jesus “took, broke, blessed and gave” bread: the loaves and fishes, the meal at Emmaus, the Easter breakfast on the beach. Those four actions, or parts of them, occur multiple times in the gospels as well as here in 1 Corinthians. Powerful actions, they are. Jesus himself is taken, blessed, broken and given. And as disciples so are we.

On Holy Thursday we give special attention to the sacrament of communion; it may expand and take up most of the service. If you use one of the extended eucharistic prayers I offer, you might want to shorten the rest of the service.

The Last Supper was a Passover meal, a celebration of God’s liberation of the Hebrews from slavery, and a recognition of God’s desire for the liberation of all who are still oppressed. It is woven of past and present, celebration and confession, personal and political. (It wouldn’t have been what we knows as a Passover Seder: that was a later invention.) As we lament the oppression in the world it is appropriate to examine our complicity in injustice an participation in systems that benefit us at others’ expense: social sins including greed, racism, materialism, heterosexism, xenophobia, violence of all kinds, abuse of the earth, and systems that produce poverty…. At the same time that God judges these evils God loves us, forgives us, and redeems us, empowering us to live in new ways. Methodist baptismal vows ask us to “accept the power Gods gives us to resist evil, injustice and oppression in whatever forms they present themselves.” So our confrontation of our sin is not gloomy but hopeful. This is the good news of the cross. God meets us in our sin, as both victim and judge, with love.

The Last Supper, in John’s gospel, is followed by a footwashing.Enacting this can be challenging in any American congregation, because of its awkwardness and intimacy. Of course that’s what makes it so powerful. Love invites us to risk feeling awkward and not in control, for the sake of another person. Of course in these days of the Covid pandemic it’s not only intimate but risky. And for those churches conducting worship online—how do we do a footwashing on Zoom?? I think we don’t. The whole point of the footwashing is personal presence. We can speak and sing about it but we can’t do it…(yet). But the image is powerful: of washing feet, of getting on our knees, doing something that feels beneath us, in love. And the image of Jesus, the Chosen One, getting on his knees and doing a lowly chore, tenderly, for our sake—well, there you have it.

Here is a Maundy Thursday liturgy that is an extended Eucharistic Prayer

Opening Prayer

1.
Leader: Baruch atah Adonai, Eloheinu melech ha-olam,
hamotzi lechem min ha-aretz.
Blessed are You, Holy One our God, Ruler of the Universe,
who brings forth bread from the earth. Amen.
All: We praise you, God, for the abundance of the earth.
You give all creatures their food in due season.
We give thanks for your grace, that when we were slaves in Egypt, you set us free.
You commanded us to remember our bondage,
to remember your mighty acts, and to remember all those who are still oppressed.
We come to your table to share this bread that you give to all people.
We receive it with praise and thanksgiving,
and pray that by your grace we may bear it to all of your Beloved,
especially those who hunger, in the name of Christ. Amen.

2.
Leader: God of love, in a time of fear you invite us in love.
All: In a time of division you make us one.
In a time of violence you give us your peace.
In a time of uncertainty you remind us of your Covenant.
Even Jesus, your Beloved, faces his death, he shares with us the joy of life.
We give thanks. Grateful, humble and hungry,
we come to the table of grace. Amen.

3.
Leader: God is with you.
All: And also with you.
On this day we remember Jesus’ command to love one another.
God, we come to receive your love, so that we may pass it on.
Jesus said there is no greater love than to lay down your life for your friends.
We are the friends for whom Jesus laid down his life.
Grateful and humbled, we come to behold your love,
to feast upon your grace, and to die and rise with Christ in love. Amen.

Collect / Prayer of the day

1.
Holy One, on this night we remember Jesus gathering with his disciples for a Passover meal. You have delivered your people from slavery, and you call us to celebrate. Tonight we give thanks for the love by which you set us free from our fear of death; we confess our part in the oppression of others, and we pray for all who are still in bondage. In wonder and gratitude we meditate on the mystery of this supper in which you give yourself to us. We pray that as we receive the bread of the earth we may also receive the bread of heaven. We pray in the name and the companionship of Christ. Amen.

2. [May also be read responsively.]
Loving God, you invite us to feast on your grace. We come.
Generous God, you give us yourself. We open ourselves to you.
Gentle God, you suffer our violence. We confess our sin and receive your grace.
Loving God, you renew us. Feed us your love, and we shall live.

3.
Gracious God, as Jesus ate with his friends, we come to experience the grace of your table. As Jesus celebrated your Passover, we come to rejoice that your deliver us from sin and death. As Jesus washed the feet of his friends, we come to be washed in your love. Jesus commanded us to love one another,; fill us with the bread of our love, that we may humbly and lovingly serve the world in the name of Christ. Amen.

4.
God of grace, as Jesus called his beloved friends to the table, so you call us now, to share in table fellowship as siblings, to give thanks for Jesus, and to receive him into our hearts. Fill us with the love of Christ, that we may be his faithful disciples. Amen.

Prayer of Confession

1.
Loving God, we will betray you; yet you invite us to your table.
We will deny you; yet you give us yourself in love.
We will fail to pray with you; yet you pray for us.
We will crucify you; yet you forgive us.
We confess our sin. We receive your grace.

2.
God of love, we give thanks for the mystery of this meal,
in which, even in our sin, you offer us love and grace.
Therefore we are bold to confess our sin to you with one another.
Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you
with all our heart, nor loved our neighbors as ourselves.
In our fear we have withheld compassion.
In anger we have judged others. We have betrayed Christ.
We repent of our sin, and ask your forgiveness.

3. [May also be used as a follow-up prayer to #2 above.]
Gracious God, grant us Christ’s spirit of humility, obedience and love.
Set us free from our bondage to self,
that by your grace we may enter into the fellowship of his suffering
and the body of his love, trusting in your grace alone.
Grant that in his spirit we may freely serve one another
in all lowliness, for the sake of your will. Amen.

Listening Prayer

Jesus, I would not have you wash my feet. I am too proud.
And I am also unworthy.
Heal both my shame and my pride.
Let me feel your tender love, your strong hands, the cleansing of your love.
Wash my feet.

Eucharistic Prayer

[See also these alternative (expanded) Eucharistic Prayers.]

[The body of the prayer may be read responsively with the congregation or by the presiding leader(s) alone).]

God is with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your heart.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to the Holy One, our God.
It is good and beautiful to give God our praise.

God, Holy One, Triune Mystery: Love, the Beloved and the flowing of Love:
we thank you. You create us in your image,
claim us as your children, and call us as your Beloved.
When our love fails you remain steadfast in your mercy.
You delivered your children from slavery in Egypt.
You delivered your children from slavery in America.
And even though we are still enslaved by sin,
by greed and fear, by injustice and oppression,
still you love us, heal us, and set us free.
Even though we will betray and deny you, you invite us to your table.
And so we come, singing your praise with all Creation.
     (Sanctus)

Blessed are all who come in your name,
and blessed is Jesus, your Christ,
who fed the hungry and healed the hurting,
who embodied your liberation and stood with tender courage
against all the systems that divide us.
He proclaimed a new life, an Empire of Grace,
and stands among those who still are enslaved and oppressed.
Even as the Empire of Power threatened his death,
he gathered with his beloved to offer the gift of himself
and the gift of life that cannot be taken.

     (The Blessing and Covenant)

As long as we break this bread and share this cup
we remember his death and resurrection, until he comes again.
Therefore, remembering these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
     (Memorial Acclamation)

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, O God,
and on these gifts of bread and cup,
that they may be for us the Body and Blood of the Beloved, Jesus Christ.
Renew your Spirit within us, O God,
grant us the peace of Christ,
and unite us with all who share in this meal.
In this meal you grant us solidarity with all who suffer,
that we may enter into the brokenness of the world;
May we, bearing the light of your resurrection,
live as signs of your covenant with all Creation,
and the coming of the Realm you have promised.
We pray that every oppressive force may be undone,
including those in which we have a part.
We ask for the courage and compassion of your Spirit,
that we may pray and work for justice for all people.
God of mercy, set us free, and free all your beloved children.
May your Spirit live in us, that we may be fearless in love,
and unafraid to give of ourselves.
Make us your humble servants for the healing of the world,
according to your will.
May your Word be made flesh by all your holy Church,
in the love of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Prayer after Communion

1.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. In Christ’s self-giving we receive life. In his Spirit may we give of ourselves, lay down our lives for others, and join in his work for justice for all who are not yet free. In humility and hope, in courage and joy, we pray, as we go forth, in your name and your Spirit. Amen.

2.
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery
in which you have given yourself to us.
You have given us your covenant to be with us in blessing.
You have given us the Body of Christ,
and made us the Body of Christ:
you have united us with one another
and with the crucified and risen Christ.
God of Creation, God of our liberation, God of salvation,
it is your will that all people be free
from hatred, violence, persecution, servitude and poverty.
We pray that we may be freed from the bondage of all sin.
We pray for all those who suffer injustice and oppression,
that they may be set free.
Having set us free, send us to be servants of justice
for the sake of the world.
You have gathered us in a community of love and justice.
By your spirit may we make the world a community of love and justice.
In the grace of your forgiveness,
in the power of your resurrecting love,
send us into the world to be the healing hands of Christ
until we feast together in the Realm that you promise.
“This is my commandment,” Jesus says,
that you love one another as I have loved you.”
May we live in love according to your grace,
in the name and Spirit of Christ. Amen.
_________________________

Suggested songs

(Click on titles to view, and hear an audio clip, on the Music page)

At Your Feet (Original song)

Jesus, at your feet I bow.
I am yours completely now.
By your mercy show me how
to be loving.

Jesus, Master, you who save,
you have served me as a slave.
This, the perfect gift you gave:
to be loving.

In each hurting one I meet
it is you, O Christ, I greet.
Make my faithfulness complete,
to be loving.


Kyrie       (Original tune)

Kyrie Eleison. Christe Eleison. Kyrie Eleison.
Grant us peace and mercy.


Behold the Lamb of God     (Original song)

Behold the lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world.
Come, let us follow, come let us follow
the lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.


This Is the Passover     (Original Song)

This is the Passover you have desired to share
as you deliver us out of our slavery and fear.

This is the new living covenant sealed in your blood.
Grant that it may be fulfilled in the Kingdom of God.

Stripped in our suffering of all but our need for your grace,
join us to you in your dying and rising, O Christ.

Come, Holy Spirit, and grant us new life in our Lord.
gather us into your Body, made new by your Word.


You Feed Us, Gentle Savior     (Tune: O Sacred head Now Wounded)

You feed us, gentle savior, the bread that makes us whole,
the wine of your compassion poured out into our soul.
the food of your own presence, your spirit, strong, within,
the grace that heals us deeply and overcomes our sin.

You bind us, gentle savior, and weave us into one,
one flesh and blood, made holy, the Body of your Son.
We gather here in hunger, one hunger, all the same;
and with one grace you bless us together in his name.

You call us, gentle savior, and send us in your name.
You teach and heal and show us how we can do the same.
So strengthened by your Spirit and nourished by your grace,
we go to be your presence in love, in every place.

Click here to download this service in a .doc format

GREETING
Pastor: God be with you.
All: And also with you.
Hosanna. Beloved, Save us!
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the God of Love.
Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven.

SONG

GOSPEL: Matthew 21.1-11 … or… Mark 11.1-11 …or… Luke 19.28-40

PRAYER
Beloved, that we may praise Christ in all we do,
grant us mindfulness, O God.
That Jesus may truly be our king,
grant us obedience, God.
That we may be as gentle as Christ,
grant us humility, O God.
That we may turn to you alone to save us,
grant us faith, O God.
Hosanna. Save us! Amen.
SILENCE

NEW TESTAMENT: Philippians 2.5-11

PRAYER
For the gift of Christ, who comes among us as our humble servant,
we give you thanks.
For our lust for power, and for wanting our own way,
forgive us, God.
For our distrust of your grace,
heal our fearful hearts.
For deep trust in the power of resurrection,
give us faith, O God. Amen.
SILENCE

OLD TESTAMENT (Isaiah 50.4-9)

God has called me to reach out to those in need,
            to sustain the weary with good news.
Morning by morning God awakens me
            and calls me to humble awareness.
God has opened my understanding,
            therefore I won’t turn away.
I stand in solidarity with those who suffer,
            I give my heart to those who know injustice.
I will not hide from our cruelty.
            God helps me to enter the suffering of the world.
I will not fear disgrace.
            Therefore I have courage to move forward.
I am not afraid of the world’s taunts.
            I believe only God’s gracious love.
To those who don’t believe this
            I will come near, without fear.
Even to those who would oppose me
            I am not afraid to act in love.

SILENCE

SONG INTERCESSORY PRAYERS

PRAYER OF DISCIPLESHIP
We pray that we may be at peace with Christ, our savior and our ruler.
We pray that we may be at peace with all that is wounded in us.
We pray that we may be at peace with all people, and all Creation.
We pray that we may be at peace with those who oppose us as we resist injustice.
We pray for those in need.
We pray for the work of your Spirit in our own lives.

THE JESUS PRAYER (The “Lord’s Prayer”)

SONG

BLESSING AND SENDING