Call to Worship

Easter people, Christ is risen! God is doing a new thing!
Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

Life has conquered death! Love has overcome fear!
Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

God has transformed a dead end into a new start!
Hallelujah! Christ is risen!

Easter people, raise your voices! Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah!

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2025.

Prayer for the Day

In thy hand, we see the whole cosmos,
Heaven and earth reflect
the mystery of thy handiwork.

In thy hand, we see a little child,
Men and women are recaptured
by the event of Bethlehem.

In thy hand, we see the scar of the cross.
Sin and death are vanquished
by thy suffering on Golgotha.

In thy hand, behold a new light,
Day and night are transformed
in the glory of Easter morning.

Written by Masao, Fumiko, Makoto, and Yukako in Takenaka, Japan. Printed in Gifts of Many Cultures: Worship Resources for the Global Community, ed. Maren C. Tirabassi and Kathy Wonson Eddy (Cleveland: United Church Press, 1995), 164.

Prayer of Confession

O God, still creating,
we hear your promises of a new day of joy and peace,
and we are skeptical.
We expect things to go on the same as they always have,
from bad to worse.
The past will keep us guilty,
the future will make us afraid,
and the present will burden us
with too little time and too much to do.

Forgive our lack of faith,
our quickness to believe that you do not hear us,
and our pessimism about tomorrow.
Do a new thing in our hearts,
and let us be glad and rejoice in your abundant care;
through Christ, we pray. Amen.

Written by Dr. Tom Cheatham at https://theconnection08.wordpress.com/. Re-posted on the re:Worship blog at https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2013/11/prayer-of-confession-isaiah-65-17-25.html.

Benediction

Go now in the blessing of God, who meets death with life, hatred with love, and hopeless endings with abundant possibilities, to build a community of life, love, and flourishing as Easter people, followers of the Risen Christ! Amen.

Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2025.