Welcome and Announcements
Introit, Easter Fanfare, Carla J. Giomo
Call to Worship
Beloved church, behold the victory of our God: Jesus, Our Lord, has conquered the grave.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Sin and death shall reign no more.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
Let the world resound with joy.
Christ is risen! Alleluia!
LET US WORSHIP GOD!
Hymn, Jesus Christ is Risen Today, 232
Prayer of the Day
Prayer of Confession
Lord Jesus, through the power of the Holy Spirit we have been raised from the waters of baptism to share in Your glorious resurrection. Yet we have not lived as Easter people. We are unsure of Your promise, confused about Your will, and afraid in the face of pandemic danger. Like Mary, we weep at the tomb, but do not recognize Your presence. Call us by name, risen Lord, that we may know You with confidence. Whenever we are tempted to fear death, give us courage to confess Your Easter victory. Whenever we are distracted by petty conflicts, keep our minds on Your reconciling love. Whenever we are overwhelmed by the power of evil, reveal again to us Your triumph over the destructive powers of oppression. Forgive us our sin and let our lives be a testimony to Your salvation through the love of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit.
Assurance of Pardon
Prayer for Illumination
Almighty God, by the power of Your Spirit roll away the stone and reveal to us the Word of life. AMEN.
Time for Children, the Children of Sixth
New Testament Reading, Colossians 3:1-4
So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth, 3 for you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God. 4 When Christ who is your[a] life is revealed, then you also will be revealed with him in glory.
Epistle Reading, Acts 10:34-43
34 Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, 35 but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. 36 You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. 37 That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 38 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. 39 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; 40 but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 41 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. 42 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. 43 All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
Gospel Reading, John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” 3 Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4 The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7 and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8 Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9 for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10 Then the disciples returned to their homes.
11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look[a] into the tomb; 12 and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13 They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14 When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15 Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew,[b] “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17 Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
Anthem, Easter Morning, Paul Christiansen
Mary came and told the disciples
That she had seen the Lord.
Then the same day at evening,
as they all were assembled
Came Jesus and stood in the midst.
Then said Jesus unto them;
Peace be unto you.
Sermon, “The Stranger We Have Always Known,” Rev. Vincent Kolb
Hymn, Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing, 239
Affirmation of Faith, Confession of 1967, 9.26
Life in Christ is life eternal. The resurrection of Jesus Christ is the sign that God will consummate the work of creation and reconciliation beyond death and bring to fulfillment the new life begun in Christ.
The Lord’s Supper
Anthem, Alleluia, Randall Thompson
The Lord’s Prayer, 2019 Vatican Update
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name,
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts,
as we forgive our debtors;
do not let us fall into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Hymn, Thine Is the Glory, 238
Benediction
Postlude, Toccata, Charles-Marie Widor
Announcements
* The Session has closed the building through April 30 to observe the governmental restrictions of social distancing.
* Many thanks to Jenny Newman, our children, Ethan Miller, Hanna Pistorius, and Paul Watt-Morse for being part of the service this this week!
* Want to join Pastor Vincent’s Wednesday morning Bible study on the lectionary texts? Contact the office to get on the email list for connection to the Zoom meeting.
* Zoom confused? Set up a call with Amy, and we’ll work through it together.
* It’s not the same as the thrill of putting the envelope in the plate, but you can still pay on your pledges either through eGive (click here!) or by mailing your check to the church. We continue to need your support in this challenging time!
* If you make your One Great Hour of Sharing offering through eGive, please be sure to use the drop-down menu to properly designate it. If you give by check, please make sure to write the designation on the memo line. Undesignated gifts automatically go to the general fund.
* Weekly Sunday school lessons and other resources are on Jenny’s Children and Youth blog (click here!)
* The Sixth Church Mouse Returns! For congregants who would like to participate in an email form of prayers of the people, please contact sixthchurchmouse@gmail.com to be added to the list. You can submit prayer requests to the same email address by Thursdays at 5 pm to be included in an email sent each Friday. Please remember that confidentiality still applies; we want this to be a safe place for both participants and those we love.
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