Easter Sunday Gathering - Apr 4

Trinity United Church
Easter 1
April 04, 2021
Zoom Worship

“Connection not Perfection”

WE GATHER

Greeting/Welcome

You will want to have communion elements prepared.

Acknowledgement of Territory
The United Churches of Canada
repudiates the doctrine of discovery
that assumed these lands were unoccupied
when European explorers and settlers first came here.
In humble appreciation,
we acknowledge that Trinity United Church rests
on the unceded territory
of the Coast Salish peoples,
the Kwikwetlem First Nations.

Prelude/Welcome Home Easter: CLICK HERE for video.

Call to Worship:
Christ is Risen!
   Risen Indeed!
Christ is Risen!
    Risen Indeed!
Christ is Risen!
    Risen Indeed!

Prayer of Approach:

God of Easter celebration gather us in.
Gather us in to witness the mystery.
Gather us in to know resurrection.
Gather us in to proclaim Good News.
Gather us in to become the Living Body
of wonder, joy and new life. Amen.

Hymn: “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” VU 155
CLICK HERE for video.

Affirmation of our Faith: “A New Creed”    CLICK HERE for video.

WE HEAR THE WORD

Retelling our Ancient Story: “An Emotional Morning” 
It is year B so we are hearing the story told by Mark.

Sad: 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?”

Confused: 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.

Joyful: 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.”

Amazed: So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them;

Afraid: and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.

Hymn: “Hey Now! Singing Hallelujah!” MV 121
CLICK HERE for video.

Reading:

1 Corinthians 15:1-11

15Now I should remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, 2through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you—unless you have come to believe in vain.
3 For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, 4and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, 5and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. 6Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. 7Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. 8Last of all, as to someone untimely born, he appeared also to me. 9For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. 10But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace towards me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them—though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. 11Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

This is the witness of the early church. Thanks be to God!

Message: CLICK HERE for video (From Monday afternoon on.)

Special Music 

WE RESPOND

Communion Hymn: “Let Us Talents and Tongues Employ” VU 468
CLICK HERE for video.

The Great Thanksgiving:
The Lord be with you.
And Also with you.
Lift up you hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks and praise.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

In Every time and every age, O God,
it is good and faithful that we give you thanks,
for your mercy is sure
and your steadfast love endures forever.
In your compassion you gave us Christ Jesus,
who frees us from darkness
and lights our path to endless renewal and life eternal.
And so, with all of creation,
with all the needy and hungry ones,
with all those who have enough and plenty,
with creatures large and small,
with sun and moon and stars,
and with the saints of every age…
…We praise your name and join their unending hymns:*

*Feasting on the Word, Liturgies for Year B Vol 1, p217ff

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord
God of power and might;
Heaven and Earth are full of your glory,
Hosanna in the highest!
Blessed is the one who comes in your name;
Hosanna in the highest!

Blessed are you, O God, creator of all things.
By your power and love you continue
to deliver your people from bondage,
thwart the designs of evil,
show the way through the wilderness,
turn hardship into righteousness,
and reveal your hand upholding the just.

Blessed are you, O Christ, servant of the universe.
You came among us to feed and heal and teach,
to confound the haughty,
to confuse the tricksters,
to challenge the wrong-hearted,
and, in all these things,
to give hope to those who long for peace.

[I invite you to hold up your bread]

We remember that on the night he was betrayed,
having gathered his friends at the table,
our Lord Jesus took bread and gave thanks,
broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying:
Take and eat. This is my body given for you.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

[I invite you to hold up your juice/wine]

And again, after supper, he took the cup
and gave it for all to drink, saying:
This cup is the new covenant in my blood
shed for you and for all people
for the forgiveness of sin.
Do this for the remembrance of me.

Remembering our Lord’s self-giving love,
we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died;
Christ is Risen;
Christ will come again!

[I invite you to hold your hands over your elements in a sign of blessing]

Blessed are you, O Spirit, giver of life.
You give us words when we have none;
you fill us with vision when we have the most need;
you give us voice to proclaim our faith in every hour.
Be our guide and teacher, today and always.

Come now, O Prince of Peace,
Spirit of Love,
Breath of Life.
Bring to all this hurting world the joy that Mary knew,
and teach us to proclaim with her,
“I have seen the Lord!”
In the unity of the Holy Trinity,
in gratitude for this great day of resurrection,
we praise you, God of all that is…
…now and forever.

And the people say,
Amen.

The Disciples’ Prayer: “Our Father” VU 960
CLICK HERE for video.

WE GO FORTH

Prayer after Communion:
God of new and eternal life,
we thank you that in this meal
we have witnessed and received the living Christ.
Nourish us with this food
that we may see the face of Christ more clearly
in our friends and neighbours,
have the courage and faith to proclaim our faith,
and be the children of light you call us to be.
May our eyes bear your glory,
our lips speak your word
and our hands work your justice.
In the name of the blessed stranger
who accompanies us on the journey,
we pray. Amen.

Hymn: “Thine Is the Glory” VU 173
CLICK HERE for video.

Commissioning and Benediction:
Christ is Risen!
Risen Indeed!
Christ is Risen!
Risen Indeed!
Christ is Risen!
Risen Indeed!
Go and proclaim the good news!

Announcements

Giving:

• if you are already on Pre-Authorized Remittance, thank you.
• we do ask that you continue to offer your financial support even though we are not meeting face to face, our ministry together continues.
• above you will see a "Donate Now" button. If you click on it, it will lead you to our donation page.

Postlude