Morning Service for Easter Day 2024
LIGHTING OF THE PASCHAL CANDLE
Eternal God, who made this most holy morn
to shine with the brightness of your true light:
set us aflame with the fire of your love,
and bring us to the radiance of your heavenly glory;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Christ yesterday and today,
the beginning and the end,
Alpha and Omega,
all time belongs to him and all ages;
to him be glory and power,
through every age and for ever. Amen.
May the light of Christ, rising in glory,
banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
The light of Christ.
Thanks be to God.
Alleluia! Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
HYMN Jesus Christ is risen today NEH110 – Easter Hymn
1 Jesus Christ is risen to-day, Alleluya!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluya!
Who did once, upon the Cross, Alleluya!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluya!
2 Hymns of praise then
let us sing, Alleluya!
Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluya!
Who endured the Cross and grave,
Alleluya!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluya!
3 But the pains that he endured Alleluya!
Our salvation have procured; Alleluya!
Now above the sky he’s King, Alleluya!
Where the angels ever sing. Alleluya!
The COLLECT
Lord of all life and power,
who through the mighty resurrection of your Son
overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin
and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise and honour, glory and might,
now and in all eternity.
FIRST READING – Acts 10.34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: 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. 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; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, 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. 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. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”
HYMN The strife is o’er the battle done NEH 119 – Victory
1 The strife is o’er, the battle done;
Now is the Victor’s triumph won;
O let the song of praise be sung.
Alleluya!
2 Death’s mightiest powers have done their worst,
And Jesus hath his foes dispersed;
Let shouts of praise and joy outburst.
Alleluya!
3 On the third morn he rose again
Glorious in majesty to reign;
O let us swell the joyful strain.
Alleluya!
4 *He brake the age-bound chains of hell;
The bars from heaven’s high portals fell;
Let hymns of praise his triumph tell.
Alleluya!
5 *Lord, by the stripes which wounded thee
From death’s dread sting thy servants free,
That we may live, and sing to thee.
Alleluia!
GOSPEL Mark 16.1-8
When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
SERMON
Easter is about conversion – one thing becoming another – or if you prefer, transformation.
A tomb with a body becomes empty; women coming in sadness leave in awe and wonder, the language is just that of the transfiguration, when the true nature of Jesus was revealed; women not allowed to speak in public become the vital messengers of new life; a frightened, defeated community of disciples become the body of Christ sharing their resurrection faith with the while world; and, of course, the most central of all transformations, Jesus dead now Jesus risen.
But that’s not the only transformation this service celebrates – bread into body and wine into blood, the simple things we bring into the things that carry Christ himself into our very selves.
And why do we need to celebrate, to take part in, these transformations? Because otherwise we do not have written into our hearts and minds, feelings and attitudes, emotions, senses and our deepest instincts that the way of God is a way of transformation. Without these miracles of one thing becoming another, we do not have reconciliation and forgiveness springing from the deepest hurt, we do not have hope and possibility being born form despair and hopelessness, and we do not have risen, joyful, abundant life being re-born from the dust of death.
Without being fed again and again with the bread of Christ’s body and the wine of his suffering how can we keep his resurrection always in our thoughts? And without his resurrection always in our thoughts how can we give light to the world?
Easter isn’t just for one day in the year, it has to be for every week of the year. How about starting the week with something that reminds us of the power of God’s transforming life – something like a Sunday morning communion service?
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
Let us declare our faith in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ:
Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures;
he was buried; he was raised to life on the third day
in accordance with the scriptures;
afterwards he appeared to his followers,
and to all the apostles: this we have received,
and this we believe. Amen.
1 Corinthians 15.3-7
Almighty God, we thank you for our fellowship
in the household of faith with all those
who have been baptised in your name.
Keep us faithful to our baptism,
and so make us ready for that day when the whole creation
shall be made perfect in your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
HYMN The day of resurrection NEH 117 – Ellacombe
1 The Day of Resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad;
The Passover of gladness,
The Passover of God!
From death to life eternal,
From earth unto the sky,
Our Christ hath brought us over
With hymns of victory.
2 Our hearts be pure from evil,
That we may see aright
The Lord in rays eternal
Of resurrection-light;
And, listening to his accents,
May hear so calm and plain
His own ‘All hail,’ and, hearing,
May raise the victor strain.
3 Now let the heavens be joyful,
And earth her song begin,
The round world keep high triumph,
And all that is therein;
Let all things seen and unseen
Their notes in gladness blend,
For Christ the Lord hath risen,
Our joy that hath no end.
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION – Keith Atton
O Lord, we pray that churches throughout the world may be filled with life, with love and with joy today as we celebrate Christ’s resurrection. We ask this especially for the churches in our diocese and in our benefice.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we pray that, as we appreciate the beauty of nature all around us, all may be good guardians of the bounty we have received.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we pray for our families, our friends and the communities in which we live. May they be sustained by the experience of loving relationships.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we pray for those in need in body, in mind or in spirit. We bring before you any we know personally in need of healing. Remembering especially Marie Bawcutt and Geoff Small.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
O Lord, we remember before those whom we have loved who have died and those who mourn them. May the Easter message of resurrection give those who mourn hope and strength.
Lord in your mercy, hear our prayer.
We thank you, Lord, for all the good that we have received and for the hope that you have given for our future.
Merciful Father,
accept these prayers, for the sake of your Son, our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen
As our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Lead us not into temptation
but deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours
now and for ever. Amen.
BLESSING
May Christ, who out of defeat
brings new hope and a new future,
fill you with his new life.
And the blessing of God Almighty,
the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit,
be among you and remain with you always. Amen
HYMN Thine be the glory NEH 120 – Maccabaeus
1 Thine be the glory,
risen, conquering Son,
Endless is the victory
thou o’er death hast won;
Angels in bright raiment
rolled the stone away,
Kept the folded grave-
clothes where thy body lay.
Refrain:
Thine be the glory, risen,
conquering Son,
Endless is the vict’ry
thou o’er death hast won.
2 Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
Let the Church with gladness
hymns of triumph sing,
For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting: [Refrain]
3 No more we doubt thee,
glorious Prince of Life;
Life is nought without thee: aid us in our strife,
Make us more than conquerors
through thy deathless love;
Bring us safe through Jordan
to thy home above: [Refrain]
Father, we have celebrated our Saviour’s death and resurrection.
Help us, for whom he died,
to live his life that has no end.
We have offered the Church’s sacrifice of praise.
Help us, who have received the bread of life,
to be thankful for your gift.
We have greeted the new dawn of hope.
Help us, who light these candles,
never to forsake the light of Christ.
We bless one another in your name.
Help us, who now go in peace,
to shine with your light in the world.
Thanks be to God! Amen.