A Gathering in Worship Offered by the People of the Church of Christ, Union
Easter Sunday 10:30 am
Celebration of the Resurrection
Meditation
God of terror and joy, you arise to shake the earth. Open our graves and give us back to the past; so that all that has been buried may be freed and forgiven, and our lives may return to you through the risen Christ, Amen. ~Janet Morley
From There to Here: We Gather
Prelude
The Good News! Mark 16:1-8
Late on the sabbath, as the light grew toward the first day after the sabbath, Mary the Magdalene and the other Mary came to visit the tomb.
And behold, there was a great earthquake, for the angel of the Lord came down from heaven and approached the stone and rolled it away and was sitting on it.
His look was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
And those who were on guard were shaken with fear of him and became like dead men.
But the angel spoke forth and said to the women: Do not you fear; for I know that you look for Jesus, who was crucified.
He is not here. For he rose up, as he said. Come here, and look at the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and behold, he goes before you into Galilee. There you will see him.
And quickly leaving the tomb, in fear and great joy, they ran to tell the news to his disciples. And behold, Jesus met them, saying: I give you greeting. They came up to him and took his feet and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them: Do not fear. Go and tell my brothers to go into Galilee, and there they will see me.
~ translated from the Greek by Richmond Lattimore
Call To Worship
One: God of life, in gratitude and great joy we laud you for the gifts of Christ’s Resurrection.
All: Weeping may linger for a night, but joy comes in the morning.
One: God turns our weeping into dancing and clothes us in gladness. No more do we walk in shadow. Death is swallowed up forever.
All: What was dead shall live;
what was dark shall shine;
what was forgotten shall be remembered,
for the Lord is risen and walks among us.
One: Alleluia!
All: Christ is Risen!
One: He is risen indeed!
Processional
Please remain seated as this introduction to the hymn is played, and the elements of celebration transform the sanctuary from tomb to garden. When invited, please rise and join a we sing together:
¨ Hymn # 233 Christ the Lord Is Risen Today Easter Hymn
1 Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia! Mortal tongues and angels say, Alleluia! Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia! Sing, glad heavens, and earth reply, Alleluia!
2 Let the Victor’s people sing, Alleluia! Where, O death, is now your sting? Alleluia! Dying once, Christ lives to save, Alleluia! Where your victory, now, O grave? Alleluia!
3 Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia! Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia! Death in vain forbids Christ rise, Alleluia! God has opened paradise, Alleluia!
4 Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia! Following our exalted Head, Alleluia! Made like Christ, like Christ we rise, Alleluia! Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
¨ Passing the Peace of Christ
All who come to this sanctuary are welcome companions on this day! You are invited to turn to those nearest you and greet them with words of peace.
Word and Worship
Sung Psalm 113
The psalms were originally musical compositions. During Lent we will pray the psalms in musical form. You are invited to sing the response when invited, at the “R” if using the hymnal.
Children’s Moment as the children return to their seats we sing:
May God’s blessings guard, protect and guide you. God bless you, God bless you. Our savior’s loving arms be ever ’round you. God bless you, God bless you.
Anthem The Trumpet Shall Sound Handel -Christian Snyder and Olivia Puckett
The trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed. For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.
Scripture Reading Acts 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.”
Easter Acclamation #236 Hallelujah
Sermon Resurrection for the Rest of Us Rev. Kent Gilbert
¨ Sung Response The God of Second Chances David Haas
Video Reflection
Living Prayer
Call to Prayer
Ringing of the Peace Bell
The Union Church Peace Bell was created by Jeff Enge in honor of Union Church member Carl Eschbach (1904-1998). A twin bell hangs in Berea’s sister province in Japan and is also rung in the hope of peace for all nations.
Offertory
A Chance for Generosity: www.easytithe.com/union
A community of caring relies on support. Your recurring or one-time donation will make a ministry of healing, justice, and teaching available to all in need.
¨ Use your smart phone or computer and go to www.easytithe.com/union. No registration required, but registering once makes future generosity simply an amount and a click.
¨ Baskets for checks or cash are located at the head of each aisle for those who wish to make an in-person donation.
¨ Give by Text. Text an amount to 859-448-3403 (Example: Text “$50.00 Offering”)
¨ Give by Mail to: 200 Prospect St., Berea, KY 40403
Your contribution is love made visible. Thank you!
Prayers of the Community Rev. Carla Gilbert, Reader
Litany for Easter Sunday
One: Lord Jesus, here are your disciples. We meet you even in the midst of confusion. Help us live into those questions for which there are no easy answers. Feed our faith with the assurance of your presence.
All: May we hear your voice in and through all the other voices we hear. May we find life even in our questions; blossom, even in our uncertainty.
One: Lord Jesus, here are your disciples. We meet you even amidst the tombs and stony places. Bring new life where we are worn and tired. Bring new love where we have turned hard-hearted. Bring forgiveness where we feel hurt and where we have wounded others. Bring joy and release where we are prisoners of ourselves.
All: May we let go of fear and embrace hope. Heal our broken places that we may share your resurrection joy.
One: Lord Jesus, here are your disciples, the body of Christ, your Church. We pray for your Church throughout the world and for that part to which we belong: that it may be ready to spend and be spent in your service.
All: May we spend and be spent in lavish joy. May we be liberated and united by the love of the resurrected one.
¨ Our Lord’s Prayer
Eternal Spirit, Earth-maker, Pain-bearer, Life-giver, Source of all that is and that shall be; Father and Mother of us all, Loving God, in whom is heaven:
The hallowing of your name echo through the universe!
The way of your justice be followed by peoples of the world,
Your heavenly will be done by all created beings!
Your commonwealth of peace and freedom sustain our hope and come on earth.
With the bread we need for today, feed us. In the hurts we absorb from one another, forgive us. In times of temptation and test, strengthen us. From trials too great to endure, spare us. From the grip of all that is evil, free us. For you reign in the glory of the power that is love, now and forever. Amen.
¨ Sung Response The God of Second Chances David Haas
From Here to There
Community Connections
Announcements
We share opportunities for Beloved Community and ways to serve. Please see the listing of church & community events, prayers, and notices in the pages following the service.
Lighting the Justice Candle to Lead us Forth
“The death and resurrection of Jesus Christ brought about justice, the loosening of physical, mental, emotional and spiritual bonds. It brought about the restoration of the relationship between God and [his] image bearers — every one of us.
This justice is what allows us to work our redemption and reconciliation in our homes, our neighborhoods, our cities, our states, our nation and our world.
If we call ourselves God’s people, then righteousness, justice, love and faithfulness are what we are to be about. Not just on sacred holidays, but every single day.”
~The Rev. Samuel Rodriguez, president of the National Hispanic Christian Leadership Conference.
Today’s Justice Candle is lit in honor of all those, named and unnamed who do the work of justice in the many different ways, large and small in the many places,,, every day…. wherever and whenever they can.
¨ Hymn #240 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Llanfair
If you would like to join the choir in singing the Hallelujah Chorus, please make your way to the choir loft, if able, as the hymn begins. You’re also welcome to sing from your pew!
1. Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia! Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia! Who did once, upon the cross, Alleluia! Suffer to redeem our loss, Alleluia!
2. To the tomb the women bring, Alleluia! Spices rich, an offering, Alleluia! Asking where might Jesus be, Alleluia! Savior come to set us free, Alleluia!
3. There the angel clothed in white, Alleluia! Tells the news with great delight, Alleluia! This the news the angel gives, Alleluia! That the Sovereign glorious lives, Alleluia!
4. “Hasten now to Galilee,” Alleluia! “Tell the others what you see!” Alleluia! With excitement trembling, Alleluia! Off they run, good news to bring, Alleluia!
5. Christ appears in full array , Alleluia! Sing with joy this Paschal day, Alleluia! Christ now from the dead is raised, Alleluia! Holy Trinity be praised, Alleluia!
¨ Benediction
¨ Benediction Response
Hallelujah! For the Lord God omnipotent reigneth! The kingdom of this world is become the kingdom of the Lord and of his Christ, and he shall reign forever and ever: King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Hallelujah!
Light
In Italian, the phrase, “to give birth”
Literally means, “to bring into the light.”
A mother will labor for hours and days,
Breaking herself for you,
Whispering between fractured breaths,
“This is my body, broken for you.”
A mother will do this as long as it takes
So that you, her beloved,
Have a chance at life.
So that you, her beloved,
Can feel the warmth of the light.
And after all that pain,
The sun will rise.
The doctor will put a baby on her chest.
The mother will hold her child as if
Letting go is indeed physically impossible.
She will breathe easy,
And then she will whisper softly,
“All this time,
All these deep breaths…
It was love, again and again and again.”
It is childbirth,
But it is also resurrection.
A body broken.
Breath fractured.
A long night.
A sunrise.
Breath returned.
New life,
And a love that won’t let go.
Friends, maybe Easter is just God whispering,
“All this time,
All these deep breaths…
It’s been love, again and again and again.”
I think we’ve been standing in the light all this time.
Now that I think of it, isn’t it warm?
~ Rev. Sarah Are
Our Prayers for Others
¨ Each week we join millions of Christians who pray for one another through the ecumenical prayer cycle and, locally, the Berea Ministerial Association’s prayer cycle (World Council of Churches Ecumenical Prayer cycle: union-church.org/ministries/prayer) Let us hold the people of The Balkans – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia; ; and our brothers and sisters at Mt. Zion Christian Church in our hearts, and pray for them today and throughout the week.
¨ All the people of Ukraine for their safety and sovereignty. Prayers also that the government of Russia will turn to reason & respect for their own peoples’ lives as well as for Ukrainian families.
¨ All those affected by the devastating losses in the current conflict in the Middle East.
¨ Our church family members in nursing homes or who are homebound: Jan Hamilton, Betsy Hoefer, Dorie Hubbard, Lois Morgan, Sara Parker, Cheryl Payne, Alva Peloquin, Laura Robie, Sally Zimmerman.
¨ All those suffering from mental strain, trauma, and disease: may God soothe and heal all who are troubled.
¨ Members and Friends who need safer housing and income security.
¨ JoAnn Russell, Reda Hutton’s aunt, facing several medical challenges.
¨ Barb Taylor, recovering at home from a stroke.
¨ NoraRuth Jenkins, recovering from two recent surgeries.
¨ Cron Carpenter, recovering from extensive heart surgery, and Delores as she cares for him.
¨ Rita Lashley Barlow and the family, at the death of her oldest sister, Janet.
¨ Andrea Wescott, at the loss of her grandmother, Ella Fay Rader.
¨ Keila Thomas, recovering from recent surgery.
¨ Seth Hutchins, recovering well from a complicated shoulder surgery.
¨ Muse Watson, at the loss of a dear cousin.
¨ Our Muslim neighbors, family and friends who are commemorating the holy month of Ramadan. May God add a blessing to both fast and feast.
¨ In praise and thanksgiving for the Berea College community as we prepare to celebrate the inauguration of the 10th President, Dr. Cheryl Nixon. We pray for all that the light of knowledge may ever illuminate our faith and our service!
¨ Celebrations with Prayers of Joy!
Birthdays: Today, March 31 – Colin Perman
Anniversaries: April 1 – Richard & Cheyenne Olson; 6 – Steve & Ann Rhodes
If we haven’t got your important dates, let us know. We’ll help you get connected in FellowshipOne Go!
Leave a Reply