Liturgy

On this Easter Sunday, how do you come?
How might you imagine, we as a community
come this morning? Whether in grief or joy,
recently betrayed or reconnected, the invitation
this morning is to accept what is, here and now.

O, infinite One of radical acceptance,
help us have the faith to welcome
ourselves and each other as we are
on this Easter morning.

Where are you noticing the divine in your life?
Where might you imagine, we have been noticing
the Divine in our community?

Whether dimly seeing through layers of
disillusionment or with the clarity of glasses that
are just right, the invitation this morning is to awe
for the diverse presence of the Divine, here and now.

O, infinite One of peculiar creativity,
may you grant us the hope to have
our imagination refreshed for how
you are present this Easter morning.

What have you been sensing a call to?
What might you imagine we as a community
are sensing a call to? Whether in ambivalence
or passion, the invitation this morning is to
continue the Divine’s work, here and now.

O, infinite One of playful delight,
would you rouse our love for that
which you awaken in our individual and
collective heart this Easter morning.

In the name of God, our Queen who repairs,
Christ, our Prophet who sees clearly,
and Spirit, our Priest who welcomes.
Amen.
(Lauryn Williams)

Scripture Reading

We invite you to hear from the Gospel of John 20: 11-18.

11 But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept,
she bent over to look 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, “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.

The Good News of the Lord.
Thanks be to God!

The grass withers and the flower fades,
but the Word of the Lord endures forever. Amen.

Sermon and Reflection

Sermon Podcast 04.04.21 Unexpected Resurrection

How have we been accompanied in the losses we have experienced?

How are we invited to a path of healing and restoration that Jesus offers?

What restorative work are we being invited to participate in?

Benediction

As a loving parent offers their child the
security of repair after relationship rupture,
may we go in the faith that Jesus’ resurrection
is an ever-present invitation to imagine repair
in our individual and collective lives.

So, with the empty tomb behind us,

Go and rest.
Go and play.
Go and hope.
Go and heal.
Go and reclaim.
Go and love.

The God whose face bears
every race, gender, and ability
is behind us at resurrections past,
with us in resurrections present,
and before us in resurrections to come.

May we go forth and rejoice,
in the name of God, our loving Parent,
Christ, our loving Sibling,
And Spirit, our loving Guide. Amen.

Happy Easter!
Go in peace, and live the church.
May you find safety and rest this week.
(Lauryn Williams)

[Photo by Pelayo Arbués]