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Easter

prayers of the people: risen Lord, hear our cry

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Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed!
Risen Lord, hear our cry for help –
for those surrounded by the shroud of death
for those covered by the mantle of dying
for those hemmed-in by illness, visible or veiled
hear our cry for help…
for those weighed down with worries
for those carrying the burden of distress
for those overwhelmed by isolation
hear our cry for help…
for those who are weary
for those who are tattered and worn
for those who collapse from exhaustion
hear our cry for help…
Risen Lord, hear our cry of thanksgiving –
for the graciousness with which you hear
for the patience with which you listen
for the grace with which you care
hear our cry of thanksgiving…
for the ways you accompany us through deep valleys
for the ways you lead us to still meadows
for the ways you provide all we need
hear our cry of thanksgiving…
for transforming death in resurrection life
for blessing and breaking ordinary bread
for opening our eyes to recognize you
hear our cry of thanksgiving…
Risen Lord, hear our cry for communities of faith –
that we retain memory of being together
that we embrace unity in the reality of distance
that we foresee a future side-by-side, hand-in-hand
hear our cry for communities of faith…
that we sense purpose beyond ourselves
that we perceive the needs of creation
that we stretch ourselves to respond
hear our cry for communities of faith…
that our ways be formed by Your Way
that our lives be shaped by Your Life
that our love be Your Love
hear our cry for communities our faith…
And hear us as we pray together….
inspired by Psalm 116 & Luke 24:13-31a
submitted by Katherine Kussmaul, Saint Giles Presbyterian Church, Raleigh, NC

Prayer: out of the tomb

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God of resurrection power,
you called your Son out of the tomb
and in so doing, called the whole creation into new life.
Even now, you call us to join your way of resurrection,
you lift our eyes and raise our hearts,
you transform our minds and renew our spirits.
Bring us once again into awareness of your presence,
that we may offer you our worship,
and be nourished for your kingdom’s work.
We pray in the name of the risen Christ. Amen.

Submitted by Rev. Teri Peterson, Gourock St. John’s Church of Scotland

POP: Appearances

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God of Life,

On that first Easter our Risen Lord appeared to Magdalene, who stood alone — weeping — beside a garden tomb; and to a pair of downcast disciples walking the Emmaus road; and to a band of fearful followers, huddled at home behind locked doors.

On that first Easter Christ came to those who loved him — not in some sacred shrine, filled with trumpet blasts and shouts of ‘Alleluia!’ — but in quiet, tucked-away places, where the faithful sought refuge from a death-dealing world.

Having cast aside his own grave clothes, Christ came to unburden his disciples: to wipe away their tears, to set their hearts ablaze, to offer the gift of peace.

And so you come to us this day, while the shroud of death hangs heavy, while your people scatter for safety’s sake. You come to us, meeting us in ordinary places — the backdrops of our ordinary lives — to whisper the most extraordinary news: Christ is risen!

You come to us, Living Lord, to wipe away our tears, to set our hearts ablaze, to offer us the gift of peace.

And so we lift joy-filled voices to proclaim again and for all time: He is risen, indeed! Even in this season of fear, when anxiety is a constant companion; even in this season of uncertainty, when chaos seems to reign; even in this season of grief, when the forces of death seem determined to triumph, we rejoice. Especially now, we rejoice. For you have shattered the power of the grave and opened the way to eternal life!

As you come among us this day, open our hearts to your presence among us and grant us faith to believe the good news. Faithful God, we lift before you all who feel trapped in a ‘Good Friday’ world, all who cannot glimpse the brightness of Easter morn. Bring comfort to those who feel death’s sharp sting, and hope to those entombed by despair. Breathe reassurance into the hearts of those who cannot yet imagine a day when mourning turns to dancing, and send whispers of resurrection through rooms where fear still holds sway. Wrap these sisters and brothers in the steadfastness of your love, and fill them with peace.

Resurrected One, we know that Easter is not the end of the story. Christ goes before us still, leading us into a world that is desperate for good news. Though today we cannot go to the ends of the earth, or even to the streets of our neighborhoods, you still commission us to bear witness to this good news of overwhelming joy. Breathe your Spirit upon us so that we might live as a resurrection people. As disciples of the crucified and risen Lord, give us compassion in the face of suffering, courage in the face of injustice, and hope in the face of despair. Empower us, we pray, so that we might live as those who have seen the Living Lord.

We lift this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord, who gave us words to pray: Our Father … 

My thanks to the Rev. Casey Wait, whose observations in a recent Facebook post regarding Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances were a source of inspiration for this prayer.

submitted by Rev. Sudie Niesen Thompson, Westminster Presbyterian Church, Wilmington, DE

CTW: Holy Humor / all-age worship

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One: Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!
All: Joy! Joy! Joy!
One: Break forth into joyous song and sing praises.
Choir: Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia! [GtG #236: The Strife is O’er]
One: Sing praises to the Lord with the lyre!
All: We would, but what sound does a lyre make?
One: With trumpets and the sound of the horn make a joyful noise before the King, the Lord.
All: We know that one: toot, toot, toot!
One: Let the sea roar, and all that fills it.
All: Roar!
One: Let the floods clap their hands!
All: [Applause]
One: Let the hills sing together for joy!
Choir: I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart. I’ve got the joy, joy, joy, joy down in my heart. Where? Down in my heart to stay!
One: Christ is Risen! Let us worship God.

~Submitted by Rev. Elana Keppel Levy, Trinity Presbyterian Church in Bixby, Oklahoma

Confession: other powers

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O God, our protector, we take refuge in you;
you alone are the source of all our good.
We seek to be counted among the godly and upright,
but we confess that we have run after other powers,
and we have brought trouble upon ourselves and others.

O Lord, our portion and our cup,
you sustain us and lead us in good and pleasant ways.
We confess that we have trusted in false wisdom
and set our hearts on short-sighted desires.

Forgive us, God our life.
Help us set you always before us,
and sustain us in your righteousness.
Let our hearts be glad, our spirits rejoice,
and our bodies rest in hope,
for you do not abandon us to our sin
or let your chosen ones dwell in the pit.
In Christ you show us the path of life;
you welcome us into the joy of your presence;
you feed us with pleasures forevermore. Amen.

 

Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA