The Day of Resurrection Arrives ...

Today we celebrated our Easter Services in the Band Pit at Tanners Crossing School. Our first service was at 9am, followed by a brunch of hotcross buns, boiled eggs and wonderful fellowship hosted by the AOTS Mens' Club.

Then at 11am, we celebrated our Easter Service with the full congregation. The Choir shared two wonderful musically pieces. And in the service we welcomed into membership through Confirmation four of our young people. It was a wonderful service, that even though it wasn't in a home that is ours, was a celebration of community.

Following our 11 o'clock service, Eleanor Taylor (Our organist and music director) went to Townview (the highrise on Main St and 4th Ave SE, for lunch with the residents and a third Easter Service. We reused the 9am liturgy, and with a small gathering of about 2 dozen residents had a lunch and a great service.

Today I will post here the order of service for the 9am and the 1:15 services, and tomorrow I will post the order of service for the 11 o'clock service (it's a good way to ensure you'll come back ...). For now - what follows is the order of service we used at the Pit at 9am and in the 6th floor common space at 1:15 ... the Reflection I used for both services was an Easter Litany from the Iona Community's book "Stages on the Way" where four disciples share their reflections on the Easter/Resurrection experience ... Today, inspite of being a pilgrim people was a day of proclaiming our certainty in the simple statement: "He is Risen !!! He is Risen Indeed !!"

MINNEDOSA UNITED CHURCH
Sunday April 16th 2006
Easter Sunday 9am Service

One: The Church is Good Friday.
Darkness burnt into blackness,
Abysmal absence of anything good.
We acknowledge that death is real
And we tremble for a world that would kill its God.
Our feet stand in quicksand;
Our voices echo sterile silence.
We huddle together to meet the dark and the death,
Forgetting what was taught us …
Forgetting that somewhere
A seed is sprouting
Somewhere a child is growing …
(Ann Weems)

SCRIPTURE READING: Mark 16:1-8

HYMN: #155 Jesus Christ is Risen Today (vs 1,2 & 4)

CALL TO WORSHIP:
One: This the Good News:
the grave is empty,
Christ is Risen.
ALL: HALLELUJAH !!
One: This is the Good News:
the light shines in the darkness
and the darkness can never put it out.
ALL: HALLELUJAH !!
One: This is the Good News:
Once we were no people
Now we are God’s people
ALL: HALLELUJAH !!
One: Christ is our peace,
The indestructible peace
We now share with each other
ALL: AND WITH THE WORLD !! AMEN.

One: The Church is Easter.
Out of Death: Life.
Out of darkness:
A lush green world.
Flowers in the ice
Sunrays in the storm
Mustard seeds galore
Our souls enter a spiritual springtime,
Our bodies given over to leaping and dancing,
Our very beings saturated with hosannas.
Our shouting crashes in upon this world:
The Lord Lives. (Ann Weems)
ALL: WE LIVE !!!
One: Resurrection resound throughout our community!!
ALL: CHRIST IS RISEN !!! HALLELUJAH !!

HYMN: #179 HALLELUJAH, HALLELUJAH, GIVE THANKS

EASTER REFLECTION:

EASTER LITANY:
One: Eternal God, your Word declares
That the love which is laid down in faith
will be raised and produce a great harvest.
This we celebrate as we proclaim:
ALL: CHRIST HAS DIED,
CHRIST IS RISEN,
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
One: we remember and praise you
For the saints and the martyrs of this and every age.
ALL: THESE LIVES, LIKE SEEDS,
DROPPED TO THE GROUND
YET THEIR WITNESS HAS BORNE FRUIT
AND ENABLES US TO SAY:
CHRIST HAS DIED,
CHRIST IS RISEN
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
One: We pray for your Church throughout the world
And for that part to which we belong,
That it may be ready to spend
And to be spent in your service,
That the love of self preservation
May be set aside,
That the deaths you demand of it
May be embraced joyfully,
And that through all it may proclaim:
ALL: CHRIST HAS DIED,
CHRIST IS RISEN,
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
One: In silence,
We surrender ourselves
And all that we count important
To God’s will and purpose.
For we cannot know
The glory of Christ’s Resurrection
If we do not have the fellowship of his sufferings
And we cannot expect to gather
the Kingdom’s harvest
If we do not sow the kingdom’s seed.
In us, and through us,
May your Spirit proclaim:
ALL: CHRIST HAS DIED,
CHRIST IS RISEN,
CHRIST WILL COME AGAIN.
HALLELUJAH !!

READING: “And the Glory” by Anne Weems

HYMN: #412 THIS IS THE DAY, THIS IS THE DAY.

COMMISSIONING / BENEDICTION:
One: The Risen Christ goes with us!
ALL: IN CHRIST THERE IS NO FEAR.
One: The Risen Christ goes with us!
ALL: IN CHRIST DOUBTS ARE FACED.
One: The Risen Christ goes with us!
ALL: IN CHRIST PEACE IS FREELY SHARED.
One: The Risen Christ goes with us!
ALL: WITH THE RISEN CHRIST,
WE WILL GO FORTH IN JOY AND HOPE!! AMEN.