An Order of Worship for the Lord’s Day
April 12, 2020
Resurrection of the Lord
Prelude
“Christ the Lord is Risen Today” – performed by Michael Collings
Call to Worship – Psalm 118:1, 19-24
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good;
his love endures forever!
Open for me the gates of the righteous;
I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
This is the gate of the Lord
through which the righteous may enter.
I will give you thanks, for you answered me;
you have become my salvation.
The stone the builders rejected
has become the cornerstone;
the Lord has done this,
and it is marvelous in our eyes.
The Lord has done it this very day;
let us rejoice today and be glad.
Lord, save us! Lord, grant us success!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
From the house of the Lord we bless you.
Opening Prayer
Glory to you, Father: on this day you won victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave and giving us eternal life.
Glory to you, Lord Christ: for us and for our salvation you overcame death and opened the gate to everlasting life.
Glory to you, Holy Spirit: you comfort us and empower us and lead us into the truth.
Glory to you, O Blessed Trinity, now and forever. Amen.
Opening Song
“Christ the Lord is Risen Today”
Prayer of Confession
Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. Yet we confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the old ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak and abuse the earth you made. Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the wonder of abundant life given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. (Silent confession)
Assurance of Pardon
God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead, for he is alive and has become the Lord of life. From the darkness of sin and death, raise us with him and renew your gift of life within us. Increase in our minds and hearts the risen life we share with Christ, and help us to grow as your people toward the fullness of eternal life with you, through Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Children’s Message
Scripture Reading – John 20:1-18
Sermon – Resurrection Wonder
Hymn of Response
“Behold Our God”
Affirmation of Faith – The Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Prayers of the People
We give you thanks, Father, for the hope we have in Jesus, who died but is risen and rules over all. We praise you for his presence with us by the Holy Spirit. And we rejoice that, because he lives, we can too. And we can look for resurrection wonder with faith that nothing can separate us from your great love made known in Jesus Christ, our Lord.
Confident in your love for us, we lift up our prayers for:
Our family, friends, and church family from whom we are separated this morning…
Our neighbors in need in Jackson County and Western North Carolina…
Those currently infected by the coronavirus, and those who care for them…
Healthcare staff providing medical care, scientific experts working for a vaccine and a cure, and all who are working double-time so that we may live…
Children out of school, employees out of work, parents who are homeschooling, folks who are lonely, and all who find their lives upended by the coronavirus…
Public officials making difficult decisions about closings and quarantines, and those who feel burdened by those decisions…
Christians across the globe who endeavor to share the gospel and bring healing, justice, and peace…
We trust that you hear these prayers and even our sighs too deep for words. And we pray now as Jesus taught us:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Tithes and Offerings
With gratitude for the gospel, we share our time, talents, and resources with the Lord.
(You may give financially by visiting www.sylvapres.org/giving, or by dropping a check off at the church or sending one to FPC at P.O. Box 2152, Sylva, NC 28779. Thank you!)
Offertory
“Rejoice, the Lord is King” – performed by Margaret Hale
Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow!
Praise Him all creatures here below!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly hosts!
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen.
Closing Song
“Because He Lives” — arranged by Duncan Lemay
Benediction
May the peace of the risen Lord Christ go with you, wherever he may send you.
May he guide you through the wilderness, protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing once again into our doors.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.