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Easter prayer: we come in hope

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Resurrecting God, we have come to see the stone rolled away.
We come in hope that no matter who we are,
no matter where life has taken us,
no matter what choices we have made,
no matter what sins we have committed,
we will find Christ in this place.
The empty tomb assures us that nothing we can do is beyond your power to recreate.
Be with us as we celebrate the beauty of new life, we ask in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray saying:

Our Father…

 

Submitted by Rev. Martha Spong, First Congregational Church, North Yarmouth Maine.

(note from liturgylink…this would also adapt into a really great call to confession!)

Easter prayer

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Very early on that first day
you caught chaos unawares,
Astounding God:
planting grace in a garden,
setting love loose on creation,
flinging joy into the air.

Very early on that first day
Jesus, Sun of Justice:
you staggered sin,
throwing its weight off the world;
you confounded death,
leaving it alone in the grave;
you opened the gates of the kingdom,
so all could follow you into life.

Very early on this first day of the week,
while we were washing sleep from our eyes
and trying to make sense of our lives,
you sang glad songs to us,
Scarred Spirit:
rolling away fears from our hearts
so we can see the Risen Lord.

God in Community, Holy in One,
very early on this first day of the week,
as we do on every day of our lives,
we lift our prayers as Jesus has taught us,
Our Father . . .

 

Submitted by Rev. Thom Shuman, author of Lectionary Liturgies.

Easter Confession

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Call to Reconciliation
Very early in the morning, God created all that is
good and beautiful.  Very early in the morning,
a mother placed her newborn in a manger.  Very
early in the morning, the good news was shared
with frightened friends, that Jesus was risen and
alive in our midst.  Let us confess the fears and
the amazement we bring this morning . . .

Unison Prayer of Confession
On this morning of hallelujahs, we must confess how
human we are, Emptier of tombs.  We haven’t done
any great evil, but we have failed to do good when
we had the chance.  We have not intentionally hurt
any one, nor have we offered healing to the broken.
We easily accept the witness of the angel in the tomb,
but find it difficult to share this good news with our
friends and neighbors.
Bring us new life, Dazzling God.  Where we are tired
and stressed, give us the energy to serve your creation;
transform our hardened hearts into fountains of grace;
forgive us of all the damage we have done, and fill us
with the joy of your Spirit.  In the name of Jesus Christ,
who gives us new life, we pray.

Silent Prayers may be offered.

Assurance of Pardon:
L:    God, our Creator, gives us new life;
Christ, our Redeemer, prepares a Table for us;
Holy Spirit, our Joy, calls us to service.
This is the good news: the tomb is empty, sin
is powerless, death is defeated forever.
P:    On this very first day, and every day, we walk
as God’s people, forgiven and made whole.
Thanks be to God.  Amen.

 

Submitted by Rev. Thom Shuman, author of Lectionary Liturgies.

CTW: this is the day

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L:    This is the day:
P:    when tears are wiped away;
shattered hearts are mended;
fears are replaced with joy.
L:    This is the day the Lord:
P:    rolls away the stone of fear;
throw’s off death’s clothes;
goes ahead of us into God’s future.
L:    This is the day the Lord has made:
P:    death has no fear for us;
sin has lost it’s power over us;
God opens the tombs of our hearts
to fill us with life.
L:    This is the day  –  Easter Day!
P:    Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!

 

Sbumitted by Rev. Thom Shuman, author of Lectionary Liturgies.

CTW: early on the first day of the week

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Call to Worship     (John 20:1 and Psalm 118:19-23)
Leader One: Early on the first day of the week…
Leader Two: Open to us your gates of righteousness,
All: That we may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord.
Leader One: While it was still dark…
Leader Two: This is the gate of the Lord;
All: The righteous shall enter through it.
Leader One: Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw…
Leader Two: We thank you that you have answered us;
All: We thank you that you have become our salvation.
Leader One: …that the stone had been removed from the tomb.
Leader Two: The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
All: This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes!
Submitted by Rev. Martha Spong, First Congregational Church, North Yarmouth Maine.