Liturgy
In the nervous silence of our doubts, we are aware
of nothing but your absence, Jesus, and we begin
to wonder whether the rumors of your death are true;
Then, suddenly, you are among us, your presence
so real we can almost touch you…your life flowing
out into the world unconstrained;
And we realize that there is nothing to fear, that the
worst the world can throw at us is insufficient to
suppress the inexorable rising of resurrection.
We offer our praise, Christ Jesus.
We thank you for your life that can not be
quenched, that fills us now and that calls
us to be a resurrection people in a world that
too often believes in the deceptions of death.
We worship in the name
of the Father,
of you, the Resurrected Son
and of the Holy Spirit,
Amen.
Community Confession
God of the empty tomb, we come
today to celebrate the knowledge
that you have made this day.
Let us focus only on you this week,
and guide our timid eyes to the cross.
Remind us again of the tomb;
filled and now empty.
Remind us again of Mary’s tears;
of sorrow and now joy.
Remind us again of Peter’s words;
denial and now telling.
God of the empty tomb, grant
us the grace to accept both the
cost and the joy of following you.
Lord of our lives, have mercy on us.
We bless you, oh God, and thank you
for the gift of your Son, that we may
have life in abundance.
We pray to our God in community, holy in One.
Amen.
Sermon and Reflection
Sermon Podcast 3.27.16 -Practice Resurrection
How do we engage in relentless curiosity in our journey of faith?
What is the fear in our lives that we can come together to engage?
What are the areas that we can actively participate and simply respond through action?
Benediction
You had not imagined
that something so empty
could fill you to overflowing
and now you carry the knowledge
like an awful treasure, or like a child
that roots herself beneath your heart:
how the emptiness will bear forth a
new world that you cannot fathom
but on whose edge you stand.
So why do you linger? You have seen,
and so you are already blessed. You have
been seen, and so you are now the blessing.
There is no other word you need.
There is simply to go and tell.
There is simply to begin anew.
So go and proclaim the wonderful name
of the Father,
of the Resurrected Son
and of the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Go in peace and live the church.
See you throughout the week.