EASTER SUNRISE MEDITATION Sunrise: 6:21 am April 15, 2020
Find a quiet, lovely spot in your yard or in view of the river or… and center yourself.
MUSIC SUGGESTIONS Blue hymnal 104-12 OR Red hymnal (see index in hymnal)
OR: www.youtube.com for sing-along/solo/anthem selections
Blue #104 Christ Is Risen ! Shout Hosanna *
Blue #106 Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks
Blue #108 Christ Is Alive!
Blue #113 Christ The Lord Is Risen Today!
Blue #115 Come Ye Faithful Raise The Strain
Blue #118 The Day Of Resurrection
Blue #119 The Strife Is O’er
Blue #122 Thine Is The Glory
Blue #111 Good Christians all
Blue #123 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
CLOSING HYMN Blue 466 or Red 130 O for a Thousand Tongues
CALL TO WORSHIP Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!
“Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” — 1 Peter 1:3
PRAYER
Lord, you gave your only Son to suffer death on the cross for our redemption, and by his glorious resurrection you deliver us from the power of death. Inspire us die every day to sin, that we may enjoy resurrection life. Through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
GOSPEL LESSON John 11.25
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live…
MUSIC OR SILENT MEDITATION
GOSPEL LESSON John 20:1-3
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. 2 So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.”
REFLECTION A Few Days — for Forever
Early one night,the night in which you were betrayed, you took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to your friends, saying, Take. Eat. This is my body. Broken for you.
After supper, you took the cup, and when you had given thanks, you gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new and eternal covenant relationship in my blood. Shed for you and shed for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.
Early the next morning, surrounded by blinded religious leaders, anxious statesmen, and silent friends, you accepted the penalty for doing good, for being God: you shouldered and suffered the cross.
Early on Sunday morning, women in a guarded graveyard proved that you had risen, and that you had come back to those and even for those who had forgotten, denied and destroyed you. Great is the mystery of faith:
Breathe your Spirit of new life upon us now. May we be changed to become part of you, Creator, Redeemer and Life-Giver, One God, now and forever. Amen.
MUSIC OR SILENT MEDITATION
SCRIPTURE LESSON Acts 4:33
With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all.
MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES
Eight-year old Stephen was developmentally disabled due to a rapidly worsening disease. His Sunday School Teacher sent his class home, each with a large plastic Easter egg and she asked them to put something in it that represents new life. The next Sunday, they opened the eggs. The first egg had a tiny flower in it. “That’s mine,” said Barb, “flowers grow from seeds—and that’s new life. The second contained a rock. The teacher thought it was Stephen’s, but Bill almost shouted, “That’s mine. It shows new life because it has moss growing on it!” Another egg had a dried butterfly in it. Eddie beamed with pride at discovering the butterfly, explaining that it hatched from a cocoon that looked like a dead leaf. They opened another egg. It was empty. The teacher quickly reached for the next egg, assuming it was Stephen’s. “Don’t skip mine!” cried Stephen. Then Stephen joyfully explained: “Jesus’ tomb was empty and that means new life for everybody.”
That’s not the end of the story: Little Stephen soon died and at his funeral, mourners found plastic Easter eggs that his classmates had put in a basket next to his casket—all empty.
That’s not the end of the story: Little Stephen soon died and at his funeral, mourners found plastic Easter eggs that his classmates had put in a basket next to his casket—all empty.
PRAYER
Lord, we have breathed in the unexplainable mystery and hope of resurrection and we are empowered by the spirit of new creation. May we live in this renewal wherever we go. In Jesus’ name. Amen
BENEDICTION
Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Let us go out into the world and follow our Lord who raises us to new life.
OPTIONAL
Take a meditative walk outside.