Join us online live at 11am on Sunday at http://facebook.com/CommaChurch
Please contact the Pastor directly by text or phone with prayer requests. Pastor Nathan will be prudent in offering prayers i.e. “For First name only, in need of healing”; “For First name only, comfort in grief” etc. Please contact the pastor directly with news of those needing extra pastoral care.
The Way for Worship at Trinity United Church of Christ
April 17, 2022 Easter Sunday 11am
*Gathering Music You Are Welcome Here Bruxvoort-Colligan One License # 86033
You are welcome here
You and your children.
You and your children’s children,
Oh yes, you are welcome here.
Blessings be upon you,
Blessings grow within you.
Blessings ripple out from your amazing life. (Repeat as led)
Greeting and Announcements
Centering Music and lighting of altar candles
*Responsive Intent
This day is not like any other day.
Today we slow down. Today we take it all in. Today we rest in good news.
This day is not like any other day.
Today we are singing. Today we are full to the brim. Today joy cannot be contained.
This day is not like any other day.
Today the stone was rolled away. Today the women saw the empty grave.
Today we know—death does not win.
This day is not like any other day.
Alleluia! Amen.
Call to Confession
Prayer of Confession
God of new life, we are a mixed bag.
We want to be full to the brim with hope and joy, but often we overflow with comparison and doubt.
We want to embody the resurrection, but often we’d rather stay the same than to begin again.
We want to have the courage to be like the women on that Easter morning— to run and speak truth, but often we are weary of courage and uncertain of our own voices.
Forgive us for all the ways we remain unchanged.
Break into our hearts. Overflow here. With hope we pray, amen.
Words of Forgiveness
Anthem O How Good (Oh, quė Bueno) Puerto Rican Folk Hymn arr. Ronald A. Nelson
Morning Prayer Concerns and Celebrations
Hearing the Sacred Word
The Gospel Lesson Luke 24:1-12
*Hymn Expansive Life Tune: LASST UNS ERFREUEN
(see insert in bulletin) Text: Anna Strickland
Sermon Rev. Nathan King
Giving of Our Gifts to God
Invitation to Offering
Offertory and Bringing of Our Gifts
Offertory Anthem Christus Paradox Variations on PICARDY words by Sylvia Dunstan music by Alfred Fedak
*Praise Response Doxology
Prayer of Dedication
Celebrating God’s Extravagant Grace
Invitation to the Table
Jesus has always been one to invite.
He said, “Drop your nets and follow me.”
He said, “Let the little children come.”
He said, “Stand up from your mat, you are healed.”
Jesus has always been one to invite, and that has not changed.
So friends, you are invited to this Table. Each and every one of us—with our doubts, our fears, our scars, our joy, our dreams, our hopes, our questions—we are invited to God’s table.
And here we will be met. Here we will be fed. Here we are given a taste of an expansive life that is full to the brim with love, overflowing with joy.
So come. Not because you must, but because you can. Come. You are invited. This Table is for you.
Prayer of Great Thanksgiving
God of the garden, God of new life, God of the here and now, where do we begin?
Our hearts are full to the brim with gratitude, hope, fear, doubt, dreams, and belief.
As a result, our prayers can often feel chaotic at best, bouncing around to each name and need that comes to mind.
Settle us. Excavate us. Summon out what we shall be.
Lift our prayers from the rubble of our distracted minds and hold us close.
God, there are some things we would like to let go of, things we’d like to bury,
things that we do not want to bring with us into this new day.
In particular, we’d like to let go of our stress and fatigue.
We’d like to let go of our own self-criticism and low self-esteem.
We’d like to let go of the fear to put ourselves out there, and the worry that we might not have enough or be enough.
(other concerns…)
These things are always easier said than done, God, which is why we need you.
At the same time, there are things we’d like to hold close—things that draw us closer to that expansive life you dream for us, things we are running toward.
In particular, we want to move closer
to balance and to meaningful friendships,
to health of mind, body, and spirit,
to justice that sets our hearts on fire, and to your Word—lived out in our daily lives.
Help us.
Guide the way.
Meet us in the garden.
Roll back the stones that stop us.
Give us the energy to run toward you.
Gather us up into your expansive love.
Until the promised day when swords are beaten into plowshares, and the prayers
of the people are only prayers of joy, we ask that you pour out your Spirit on this
bread and cup so that we might catch a glimpse of you here at this Table. Gather us up into your expansive love.
Until that promised day, we will continue to pray. . .
Our Mother-Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever.
Amen.
Procession for the Elements
Going Forth with Good News
*Chiming of the Trinity (In the name of the Creator, Christ and Holy Spirit)
*Benediction
Postlude Halle, Halle! Caribbean
Postlude This Joyful Eastertide (VRUECHREN) arr. Ronald Nelson
Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from OneLicense with license #A714152
Celebrations in April
19 Deborah K.
20 Angela G.
22 Florain C.
23 Rachel H.
In Need of Prayers
• Pat L.
• Cindy
• Ken
• Rachel
• Neil and Jennifer
• April is Autism Awareness Month
• Rev. Alan M.
• Revs. Jerry and Marion
• George S.
• Alice
• Family of Barbara G.
• Palestine/Israel
• Ukraine/Russia
Recent Comments