Easter Day
An act of Spiritual CommunionThe Service of Light The service would normally begin in silence with all lights switched off. If possible, place a new candle on a table.
The markings of the Easter Candle would normally be traced while the following is said:
Christ yesterday and today, All: the beginning and the end, All: to him be glory and power,
By his holy and glorious wounds may Christ our Lord guard and keep us. All: Amen.
This is the day when our Lord Jesus Christ passed from death to life.
Please light the new candle, and hold it up saying:
May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds.
The light of Christ. All: Thanks be to God.
The ExsultetHymn - Sing, Choirs of Heaven, Richard Shireby (Woodlands) YouTubeSing, choirs of heaven! Let saints and angels sing! The Liturgy of the Word
The following is repeated three times. Alleluia! Christ is risen. All: He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
A joyful fanfare is played: hand-bells rung, if you have them, or even a fanfare of saucepan lids!
Say or sing the Gloria:
Gloria in Excelsis
The Collect
Let us pray that we may reign with the risen Christ in glory.
A period of silent prayer is kept.
God of glory, Amen.
New Testament ReadingActs 10:34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: ‘I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ—he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.’
At the end: This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.
Gradual HymnJesus Christ is risen today, King’s College Cambridge Choir (YouTube)
Jesus Christ is ris’n today, alleluia! But the pains that he endured, alleluia!
Gospel Reading
Alleluia, alleluia. Alleluia. Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Glory to you, O Lord.
The Resurrection of Jesus - Matthew 28:1-10After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.” This is my message for you.’ So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings!’ And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’
At the end: This is the Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.
ReflectionI’m waking up each morning to the lovely sight of sunrise over the village green. Maybe one or two people out walking their dogs. And then my heart sinks as I remember what is going on in our nation and across the world. It’s hard, this year, to stay positive, isn’t it? And yet, here we are in Spring, with lambs being born just around the corner from where I live; spring-bulbs bursting into flower; birds calling their mates (and how lovely to be able to hear their song so clearly, now there is so little traffic noise). All signs of new life, hope and blessing. According to Matthew’s gospel, it was Mary Magdalene and “the other” Mary who went to Jesus’ tomb just as day was dawning on that Sunday morning following the crucifixion of Jesus. In other gospels we read that they had brought spices to anoint Jesus’ body for burial – their first opportunity following the Sabbath ‘lock-down’. They must have woken that morning and ‘remembered’ the events of Good Friday and the pain and emptiness that followed. As they approach the tomb in their grief, they have the most terrifying experience. A great earthquake heralds the arrival of an angel of the Lord! The angel rolls back the stone sealing the tomb to reveal that it is empty (save for some grave-clothes). Jesus’ body is not there! ‘Do not be afraid’, says the angel, who then proclaims the Resurrection of Jesus. Still afraid, but also full of great joy, the women leave quickly to share the good news with the other disciples. Before they can get there – another shock! They meet the risen Jesus! And we hear again, ‘Do not be afraid’, this time from our Lord himself. It’s a message for our time. We are all rather afraid, for ourselves, our loved-ones, our communities. We don’t know how long the coronavirus pandemic will continue to threaten and take lives. We don’t know when life might ever get back to anything like normal for those who weather this storm. Today – the greatest Festival of the Christian year - our church buildings should be places of great rejoicing and fellowship together. But they, like the tomb, stand empty, with their doors shut and locked. That is not the end of the story, any more than the empty tomb was on that first Easter morning. The other message that both the angel and our Lord gave the women was ‘Go and tell’. That, too, is a message for us. Our ‘going’ may be restricted, but we are finding new ways to share the Good News of Jesus. Let’s repeat the prayer we said at the beginning of this service: May the light of Christ, rising in glory, banish all darkness from our hearts and minds. Amen.
Amen, indeed. Alleluia! Christ is Risen! With Easter blessings and my prayers, Revd Sally Affirmation of Faith
We believe and trust in God the Son, We believe and trust in God the Holy Spirit, This is the faith of the Church. This is our faith. We believe and trust in one God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit.
Hymn The Day of Resurrection, Gloucester Cathedral Choir (YouTube – skip Ad)
Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright -
Prayers of IntercessionPray for the needs of the world, for your local community, and for those close to you. Give thanks for the saving death and resurrection of Jesus and ask him to be with you now.
Thanks be to you, Lord Jesus Christ, after the Prayer of St Richard of Chichester You might then add one or more of the following prayers:
God of Life,
Lord Jesus Christ, you said to your disciples, ‘I am with you always’.
O God, help me to trust you,
The Lord’s PrayerRejoicing in God’s new creation, as our Saviour taught us, so we pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
Final HymnThine be the glory, King’s College Cambridge Choir - YouTube Thine be the glory, risen, conqu'ring Son, Refrain: Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son,
Closing PrayerSilence is kept.
God of Life, Amen.
Virtual Blessing He is risen indeed. Alleluia!
God the Father, Amen.
God the Son, Amen.
God the Holy Spirit, Amen.
And may the blessing of God almighty, Amen. Virtual Buck’s Fizz! |
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