An Easter Affirmation (***)
Each of us is created in the image of God. Believe it!
God’s will for us is GOODWILL always. Believe it!
We follow the Christ who lived to forgive. Believe it!
He showed us a new way to connect with God by serving one another. His mission
became our mission to bind up the broken hearted and proclaim release to those held captive by the ways of the world.
Jesus took all that separated us from God and carried it to the cross where he died. He was buried in a tomb.
But on the morning of the third day, he rose. He rose from the dead! Believe it!
In his death and resurrection he threw open the doorway that leads to the heart of God and invited us to enter in. Believe it!
The Holy Spirit is God with us speaking truth to all who have ears to hear. Believe it!
When we live the commandment to love God with all of our heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourselves, we become the body of Christ. Believe it!
CONGREGATIONAL PRAYER
Ever Surprising and unfathomable Lord, what a glorious morning this is! Our hearts are triumphant. Our spirits are full and we rejoice at the news of Christ’s resurrection. Let our response to your promise fulfilled be unreserved and boisterously glad. Cause us to cheer even louder today than we do when our favorite team wins the Super Bowl. Christ’s resurrection is not the stuff of everyday. It is an event unmatched in human history. And it is your most wondrous, mysterious and wholly unchangeable gift of forgiveness and love. With the disciples who witnessed Jesus’ crucifixion, we held our breath, in anticipation waiting to exhale. Today you have revealed what lies beyond the grief of loss, the mourning of death. Your message for all the world is clear. The tomb is empty, and life, with all of its ups and downs, has been touched by the promise of eternity. We embrace the gift you offer us in Christ’s resurrection and respond with a renewed and more powerful faith. Dearest Lord, today you have made all things new and the sting of death is no more. We give you thanks and praise in the name of the Christ. Amen.
PREPARING FOR THE OFFERING
Some of you know that I can be a bit obsessive about the importance of not celebrating Easter or preaching about the resurrection during Lent — that is before it has happened. But on Tuesday, I heard about a church — a really big church— that held its annual Easter Egg Hunt two weeks before Easter. 500 kids with parents in tow, showed up. When I couldn’t figure out why the church would do that, someone who is much smarter than me, said: “You get them to come to the church for the candy and the bunny and when you have their candied attention you convince them to come back on Easter Sunday to give credit to the creator of the bunny and the eggs.” Now, why didn’t I think of that?
UNISON OFFERTORY PRAYER
Gracious God we are so very grateful for this day of resurrection. There is no clearer message of goodwill; no more graphic demonstration of your love; no greater assurance of your hope for humanity. The gifts we offer on the Easter Sunday cannot compare to the gift you have given us, but we hope they will, in some small measure, bring the message of your love and goodwill to those who have never known it. In the name of the risen Christ we pray. Amen.
*** The Easter Affirmation written by Rev. Dr. Amanda Burr
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