Easter Sunday Celebration

This front part of the service for today is from the Celtic Daily Prayer 1994
For today’s service we can each prepare a candle at home all you will need is
A Candle, Pillar style if you have it
4 small nails and 1 larger nail, (push pins work very well)
A hammer
If you do not wish to prepare a candle then you can just light a candle.

For the Sunrise and the lighting of the new fire:

King of the brightness and of the sun,
You alone know the reason for our being,
be with us every day,
be with us every night,
be with us each night and day,
with us every day and night.

 From Saltair

If you have lit a fire to mark this occasion then at the time indicated you will be able to light your candle. Otherwise a lighter will suffice!

Preparing our Candle
Christ behind us in all of our yesterdays.
Christ with us in our today,
Christ before us in all our tomorrows,
Alpha and Omega, Christ, Lord of all!

By the wounds and the blood of the Lamb, May God guard and keep us.



For those who we wish to prepare a candle we will do it here.  I found it helpful to the the candle marked where I was going to put the nails in.

Notes for how it will be formed
*the four small nails will be in the shape of a cross to signify the wounds in the hands, feet and head.  
*larger nail in the centre of the cross you have formed to signify the spear piercing the heart of Jesus
* each sentence can be read by different readers or alternated if there are two persons.  

As you prepare to place the first small nail a reader says:

1.       Praise be to the blood of the Lamb in his forgiving power,

For each consecutive nail as it is hammered in:

2.       Praise be to the blood of the Lamb in his cleansing power

3.       Praise be to the blood of the Lamb in his saving power

4.       Praise be to the blood of the Lamb in his releasing power

5.       Praise be to the blood of the Lamb in his victorious power

By the wounds and blood of the Lamb, may God guard and keep us

Now the candle is prepared and ready
to be lit.  Once lit  and put in a place for us
to be able to see it we all proclaim:

Christ is Risen.  He is risen indeed!  Alleluia!

Exsultet

Leap and spin, you powers of heaven

Burst into explosive songs of joy, all you companies of angels.

Let the throne of God be surrounded with the praises of all that has life.

The earth glories in her Maker.

Now mountain and valley glow in splendour;
the sea on the shore whispers the praises of Jesus.

Rivers stream through thirst soil, bringing news of gladness – the Redeemer is Risen.  
His glory fills the earth.

The trees thunder their praises, and loudly clap their hands.

Sound a trumpet through all the earth.

Our Morning Star is alive!

Risen in splendour, he is among us; the darkness is driven back.

We, his people, join in the dance of all creation.

We praise the blood of the Lamb that has bought our freedom and reversed the curse of

disobedience and wilfulness.

Jesus is the true Lamb that was slain, whose blood is on the door of our hearts, whose blood

is the protection of the homes of all believers.

May the Sun of Justice which never sets find this flame still burning;

May Christ the Morning Star who came again from the dead find his light
brightly burning in our hearts.

In me, Lord, Let there be light.

The Song of Moses

I will sing to the Lord for He has triumphed gloriously.

The horse and rider are thrown into the sea.

The Lord my God, my strength, my song,

Is now become my victory.

The Lord is God and I will praise Him;

My father’s God and I will exalt Him.  

                   ----------                ----------                 ----------                ------------

The Proclamation of the Word

A READING FROM THE ACTS OF THE APOSTLES     10:34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ - he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.              
Listen to the Leading of the Spirit      R: Thanks be to God

PSALM 118:1-2, 14-24
REFRAIN On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; his mercy endures for ever.

Let Israel now proclaim, "His mercy endures for ever." REFRAIN 

The Lord is my strength and my song, and he has become my salvation. 

There is a sound of exultation and victory in the tents of the righteous: 

"The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! the right hand of the Lord is exalted! the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!" REFRAIN 

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord. 

The Lord has punished me sorely, but he did not hand me over to death. REFRAIN

Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them; I will offer thanks to the Lord.

"This is the gate of the Lord; he who is righteous may enter."
I will give thanks to you, for you answered me and have become my salvation.

The same stone which the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone. REFRAIN 

This is the Lord's doing, and it is marvellous in our eyes.

On this day the Lord has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.

A READING FROM THE LETTER OF PAUL TO THE COLOSSIANS  3:1-4  
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, for you have died, and your life is hid-den with Christ in God. When Christ who is your life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.                

Listen to the Leading of the Spirit                   R: Thanks be to God

Hymn

THE HOLY GOSPEL OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST ACCORDING TO 
ST. MATTHEW     28:1-10

R: Glory to you Lord Jesus Christ
After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, 'He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.' This is my message for you." So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me."
The Gospel of Christ              R: Praise to you Lord Jesus Christ

Reflection

An Affirmation of faith for the Renewal of our Baptismal Promises:
From Celtic Daily Prayer (Book one)

I call all heaven to witness today
that I have put on Christ.

I choose no other Lord
than the maker of heaven and earth.

This day I walk with Him
and He will walk with me.

I fasten to me this day
that same Jesus
who came to us as flesh and blood
and was himself baptised in the Jordan River.

He died upon the cross to rescue me,
broke free from death, its conqueror.  
He left us, to return the more certainly.  
All these truths and their power
I fasten close to me this day.

Resist my own selfishness and sin,
refusing to live as a slave to riches,
pleasure or reputation,
rejecting Satan and all his lies,
I call on heaven to witness today
that I have put on Christ.

Hymn

** Although not physically at our church buildings to share our offering together I would encourage you to set you offering of money and food aside so that it can be mailed or arranged to be dropped off or placed in the church once services resume** Please remember ministry is still taking place 

Prayer over the Gifts
God our strength and salvation, receive all we offer you this day, and grant that we who have confessed your name, and received new life in baptism, may live in the joy of the resurrection, through Jesus Christ the Lord. Amen

Prayers of Intercession                             Easter Prayers by the Reverend Mark Moote

Alleluia Christ is Risen - the Lord is Risen indeed Alleluia+

The Vigil is over and the Light is bright in the glory of Resurrection - let us shout for joy - Alleluia+

The battles of life are ever raging especially throughout the world with the current pandemic but the war of good versus evil is over and done - Alleluia+

We pray that those on this planet who fear for freedom may one day see the light - Alleluia+

We continue to seek justice in all our interactions with others in a changing milieu and culture - Alleluia+

We pray for those who have less and need more to sustain the essence of life - Alleluia+

We pray for people we do not know and the ones we know who need special consideration: (please offer your petitions in your heart).....in the name of the risen Lord we pray - Alleluia+

May the fire of the Holy and life giving spirit be with us all this day and forevermore - Amen and Alleluia+

Collect of the Day

Lord of life and power, through the mighty resurrection of your Son, you have overcome the old order of sin and death and have made all things new in him. May we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ, reign with him in glory, who with you and the Holy Spirit is alive, one God, now and for ever.  Amen

Gathering our prayers and praises into one, let us pray as our Saviour taught us,

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. Amen

Dismissal 

Let us bless the Lord. 

Thanks be to God. Alleluia

May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing 

through the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Hymn