Easter Sunrise Bulletin, Apr 20 2025

Easter Sunrise Worship Service

April 20, 2025, 5:45 am

Gathered around the fire, we remember the fire 

near which Peter denied Jesus three times.

Greeting

Pastor: Grace to you from Jesus Christ, who was, and is, and is to come. Dear siblings in Christ, on this most holy morning when we proclaim the passage of Jesus Christ from death to life, we offer up our songs and prayers as a new dawn breaks. Through light and the word, we recall Christ’s death and resurrection, we share Christ’s triumph. 

Hear these words: 

"Death is swallowed up in victory. 

O death, where is your victory? 

O death, where is your sting?" 

1 Corinthians 15:54-55

Hymn: “Morning Has Broken” sung a cappella 

Words: Eleanor Farjeon, Music: Traditional Gaelic

  1.  Morning has broken like the first morning; Blackbird has spoken like the first bird. Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning!

Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!

  2.  Sweet the rain's new fall sunlit from heaven, like the first dewfall on the first grass. Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden, sprung in completeness where His feet pass.

  3.  Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning. Born of the one light Eden saw play! Praise with elation; praise ev'ry morning, God's recreation of the new day!

Silent Meditation

Responsive reading based on Psalm 93

One: You who dwell in the shelter of the Most High who abide in the shadow of the Almighty. 

All: We will say to the Lord, "My refuge and my fortress, 

my God, in whom I trust." 

One: God  will save you from the fowler's snare  and from the deadly pestilence. 

 ALL: God will cover us with God’s feathers, and under God’s wings we will find refuge; God’s faithfulness will be our shield and rampart. 

 One: You will not fear the terror of night, nor the arrow that flies by day, 

 ALL: Let us make the Most High our dwelling— even the Lord, who is our refuge- 

One: For God will command the angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways; 

ALL: We will call upon God, and God will answer God will be with us in trouble, God will deliver us. 

Prayer of Invocation

Powerful and loving God, you have raised Jesus Christ from the dead. God, raise us too. May fresh life burst among us like buds awakening to the spring. May shells of distrust and self-hatred that keep us from loving, be broken away so that new life can emerge. May new community spring up where fear has kept us from the stranger. Keep us patient in making peace and building justice. Teach us to trust the slow process from seed to stem, from stem to flower, from flower to fruit. Breathe on us with your Spirit, through the risen Christ. Amen

Hymn: “In the Bulb there is a Flower” sung a cappella

Words and Music: Natalie A. Sleeth

1. In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree; In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free! In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

2. There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody; There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me. From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery, Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

3. In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity; In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity, In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory, unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Blessing of a New Flame 

(flame taken from fire)

One: Let us pray.

All: Eternal God, giver of light and life, bless this new flame, that by its radiance and warmth we may respond to your love and grace, and be set free from all that separates us from you and from each other; through Jesus Christ, the sun of righteousness. Amen.

Lighting of the Paschal Candle

(Christ Candle is lit with flame from the fire)

ALL: May the light of Christ, rising in glory, 

illumine our hearts and minds.

Lighting of Memorial Candles

(At this time, all are invited to come forward and light a candle and speak the name(s) of those who have died from this life to be born into the next. You might also light a candle for the death of former ways or beliefs that have died from your own life).

Listening for God

One: Dear friends in Christ, we have begun our morning vigil. As we watch and wait, let us seek the Word of God who became flesh and dwelt among us, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer!

All: Let the Word of God fill us as we hear the reading of the scripture.

Luke 24:1-12

 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they went to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here but has risen. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to the hands of sinners and be crucified and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.[e]

Sharing of Thoughts, Poems, and Insights

Easter Prayers

One: Gracious, living God, we come before you with open hearts. On this Easter morning we are thankful for life and for the victory of life over death. We are mindful of those who have left this life and we are mindful of how our lives have changed in this past year. Parts of ourselves have died away. Keep your promise of new life. Restore us and hear us as we offer you the prayers from our hearts.

(Anyone who would like to voice a prayer is welcome to do so now.)

Lord’s Prayer

First Raising of the Paschal Candle

(Joe McSwain carries the Paschal Candle into the narthex and all follow.)

The one carrying the candle raises it and says: “Christ our Light.”

All: Thanks be to God.

Second Raising of the Paschal Candle

(All enter the sanctuary)

One raises the candle and says: “Christ our Light.”

All: Thanks be to God.

Third Raising of the Paschal Candle

(All enter the chancel)

One raises the candle and says: “Christ our Light.”

All: Thanks be to God.

Easter Proclamation

(The candle set in its place)

One: Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our Light is risen! Sound the trumpet of salvation!

All: Rejoice, O Earth, in shining splendor, 

radiant in the brightness of your Sovereign! 

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you! Night vanishes forever!

One: Rejoice, O servant church! Exult in glory! The risen Savior shines upon you! Let this place resound with joy, echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!

My dearest friends, standing with me in this holy light, join me in asking for God’s loving presence to be ever among us. 

All: With full hearts, minds, and voices we praise the unseen God, the Eternal Creator, and your only begotten one, Jesus the Christ.

One: For Christ has claimed us as God’s own. This is the morning when Christians everywhere celebrate how God’s great love overcomes even the worst of this world. This is the morning when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death and rose triumphant from the grave.

All: O God, how wonderful your care for us!  How boundless your merciful love! The power of this blessed morning dispels all evil,  washes guilt away, restores lost innocence, brings mourners joy; it casts out hatred, brings peace, and humbles earthly pride. Morning is truly blessed when heaven is wedded to earth

and humanity is reconciled with God!

One: Therefore, gracious Creator, in the joy of this morning, receive our praise. May this Easter candle be a pillar of fire that glows to your honor, O God.

All: Let it mingle with the lights of heaven and let the light in our hearts continue bravely burning to dispel the shadows! May the morning star that never sets find our flames still burning. In Christ, that morning star who came back from the dead, shed your peaceful light on all creation, and who lives and reigns for ever. Amen.

Hymn “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” sung a cappella 

1. Christ the Lord, is risen today, Alleluia!

Mortal tongues and angels say, Alleluia!

Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!

Sing, glad heavens, and earth, reply, Alleluia!

2. Let the Victor’s people sing, Alleluia!

Where, O death, is now your sting? Alleluia!

Dying once, Christ lives to save, Alleluia!

Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!

3. Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!

Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!

Death in vain forbids Christ rise, Alleluia!

God has opened paradise, Alleluia!

4. Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!

Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!

Made like Christ, like Christ we rise, Alleluia!

Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

UNISON BENEDICTION

Christ is Risen! 

We seek Him no more at the tomb. Creation is made new! 

We open our hearts to growth and joy. Christ is with us! 

We go out into lives transformed by God’s love. Christ is risen indeed!