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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

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

CTW: witnesses

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One: Come, let us worship God!
All: We come with joy and amazement. We come, startled and frightened. We come as we are.
One: We assemble together, saying “It is true!”
All: Are not our hearts burning within us?
One: Look! Touch and see! It is Jesus!
All: He has appeared! Our Lord is risen indeed!
One: Christ stands among us, saying “peace be with you.”
All: And we are witnesses of all these things!

Submitted by Rev. Betsy Turner, Luther Hays Presbyterian Church, Hayston, GA

CTW: whispered alleluias

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One: It was dawn. The sun was warming the earth. The birds were singing.
Many: The beauty of the day was lost on the grieving women.
It may as well have been midnight as they approached the tomb.
One: It was dawn. The earth was rejoicing. The breeze whispered alleluias across the land.
Many: It made no sense. The stone had moved. The body was gone.
Confusion and fear shoved grief to the side.
One: It was dawn. The trees swayed in the rhythm of songs from the heavens.
Many: Dazzling clothes, strange voices, familiar words:
On the third day the Son of Man will rise again.
One: It was dawn. The women were running. The words were forming.
Many: Christ is risen! Come and see!
One: Christ is Risen!
ALL: He is risen indeed.

 

Submitted by Laura Viau.

benediction: fishing for alleluias

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One:    O Holy One, worship might be over. We might be done with our praise.
All:       But, let’s not go to our own homes greiving and sad. Let us go fishing for alleluias in the seas of your love! 

 

Author’s Note: On Easter 7, I’m breaking from the RCL to preach from the Gospel of Peter as we conclude the Easter Season. Though these prayers are based in that scripture, they certainly carry the story of the entire Easter Season – and its end.

Submitted by Rev. Elsa Peters, First Congregational Church, South Portland, ME