20 Apr BULLETIN – EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 20, 2025
WELCOME to MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Organist
Sunday, April 20, 2025
Easter Sunday
ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
THANKSGIVING for BAPTISM
Alleluia! Christ is risen. Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia!
In the name of [☩] the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, the One who was, who is, and is to come. Amen.
Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, we give thanks for what God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit has done, is doing, and will do according to their steadfast love and tender mercies.
Holy God, we give you thanks for waters of baptism which make us your own and restore us to wholeness; empower us also, to be witnesses in your name. Baptized into one, O Living Lord of all, make us one as you are one.
We give thanks for waters of baptism which strengthen believers and give new life to beloved servants of your church; waters that extend your boundless love and cross barriers of our own making. Baptized into one, O Living Lord of all, make us one as you are one.
We give you thanks for waters of baptism which open the hearts of believers and give a voice in the night to those in captivity; waters that set your people on a new path, rejoicing in the Spirit’s power. Baptized into one, O Living Lord of all, make us one as you are one.
Grant us grace, love, and life, O Living One, that our every day is shaped by these waters which give us life in you. We ask this in the name of Jesus, our Crucified and Risen Savior. Amen.
ENTRANCE HYMN
Christ Arose #302 (SS)
APOSTOLIC GREETING Page 57
The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
KYRIE Pages 57-59
🎶In peace let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For the peace from above, and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the Church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶For this holy house, and for all who offer here and online their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord.
🎶Lord have mercy.
🎶Help, save, comfort, and defend us gracious Lord.
🎶Amen.
HYMN OF PRAISE Pages 58-59
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Worthy is Christ, the Lamb who was slain, whose blood set us free to be people of God.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Power, riches, wisdom, and strength, and honor, blessings and glory are his.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. Sing with all the people of God, join in the hymn of all creation: Blessing, honor, glory, and might be to God and the Lamb forever, Amen.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia. For the Lamb who was slain has begun his reign, Aleluia.
🎶This is the feast of victory for our God. Aleluia, aleluia, aleluia.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Let us pray:
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of mercy, we no longer look for Jesus among the dead for he is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit as one God, now and forever. Help us grow in holiness all the days of our lives. Only through Christ, our Savior and Lord could you have provided a way for us to spend eternity together and experience life everlasting. Amen.
FIRST READING ISAIAH 65:17-25
I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I am creating; for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy, and its people as a delight. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and delight in my people; no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it, or the cry of distress. No more shall there be in it an infant that lives but a few days, or an old person who does not live out a lifetime; for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth, and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed. They shall build houses and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit. They shall not build and another inhabit; they shall not plant and another eat; for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be, and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands. They shall not labor in vain, or bear children for calamity; for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord— and their descendants as well. Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. The wolf and the lamb shall feed together, the lion shall eat straw like the ox; but the serpent—its food shall be dust! They shall not hurt or destroy on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.
SPECIAL MUSIC
Hail Thee, Festival Day Joyful Ringers & Chris Hogan
PSALM 118:1-2, 14-24
Give thanks to the Lord, for the Lord is good; God’s mercy endures forever.
Let Israel now declare, “God’s mercy endures forever.”
The Lord is my strength and my song, and has become my salvation.
Shouts of rejoicing and salvation echo in the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the Lord acts valiantly!
The right hand of the Lord is exalted! The right hand of the Lord acts valiantly!”
I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the Lord.
The Lord indeed punished me sorely, but did not hand me over to death.
Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter them and give thanks to the Lord.
“This is the gate of the Lord; here the righteous may enter.”
I give thanks to you, for you have answered me and you have become my salvation.
The stone that the builders rejected has become the chief cornerstone.
By the Lord has this been done; it is marvelous in our eyes.
This is the day that the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.
SECOND READING 1 CORINTHIANS 15:19-26
If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied. But in fact, Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, after he has destroyed every ruler and every authority and power. For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION Page 62
🎶Return to the Lord, your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love, and abounding in steadfast love.
The Holy Gospel according to Saint Luke, the 24th chapter.
🎶Glory to you, O Lord.
GOSPEL LUKE 24:1-12
On the first day of the week, at early dawn, [the women] came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY
The Strife Is O’er, the Battle Done #135
PROFESSION of FAITH Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
creator 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,
by the power of the Holy Spirit he became incarnate from the virgin Mary and became man.
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 INTERCESSION
God of resurrection and new life, we come before you in prayer for the church, the world, and all who are in need.
A brief silence.
Breathe new life into your church, Lord. Encourage creative ways to share the good news of Christ’s resurrection. Bless mission and ministry work that plants seeds of faith. God of grace, hear our prayer.
Protect and nourish new life in creation. Restore life through weather that sustains growth. Help humans recognize your glory in every season. God of grace, hear our prayer.
Empower new life among nations. As you raised Jesus from the dead, bring new hope for peace and reconciliation in every place of war and strife. Raise up leaders who are steadfast in their commitment to justice and transformation. God of grace, hear our prayer.
Bring new hope among all who are in need, especially neighbors without homes or food, and those whose housing or food supply is at risk. Bring healing to all who are fearful, ill, or grieving (especially those on our prayer list). God of grace, hear our prayer.
Awaken new life in people and places that appear currently dormant. Open our hearts to ways you are calling us to be at work in the world and our community. Give us courage to boldly share your love for all people. God of grace, hear our prayer.
Trusting in the promises of the resurrection, we remember with thanksgiving our beloved dead. Sustain us with a living hope until we are reunited with them and all the saints at the heavenly banquet. God of grace, hear our prayer.
We commend all our prayers to you, trusting that you are always with us and active among us, in the holy name of Jesus Christ, our triumphant risen Savior. Amen.
EXCHANGE of PEACE
OFFERING
OFFERTORY
🎶Let the vineyards be fruitful, Lord and fill to the brim our cup of blessing. Gather a harvest of the seeds that were sown, that we may be fed with the bread of life. Gather the hopes and the dreams of all; unite them with the prayer we offer now. Grace our table with your presence, and give us a foretaste of the feast to come.
PRAYER
Risen One, you have gathered us around your table of grace along with these gifts we bring. Come among us again, breathe your life into us, and enliven us with this meal, that we may live as your risen body in the world. Amen.
LITURGY OF HOLY COMMUNION
🎶The Lord be with you.
🎶And also with you.
🎶Lift up your hearts.
🎶We lift them to the Lord.
🎶Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
🎶It is right to give him thanks and praise.
🎶It is indeed right and salutary….we praise your name and join their unending hymn.
🎶Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might; heaven and earth are full of your glory, Hosana, Hosana, Hosana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosana in the highest.
LORD’S PRAYER
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 our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.
INVITATION TO COMMUNION
Come to the table of grace. Receive the gift of new life.
POST-COMMUNION CANTICLE
🎶Thank the Lord and sing his praise; tell everyone what he has done. Let all who seek the Lord rejoice and proudly bear his name. He recalls his promises and leads his people forth in joy with shouts of thanksgiving. Aleluia, Aleluia.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER
Living One, in this feast you have made yourself known to us. Send us now to tell of your wonders, sing of your glory, and proclaim your risen life to a wounded and weary world. Amen.
BLESSING
The triune God, who was, who is, and who is to come, Sovereign, ☩ Savior, and Spirit, light your way with resurrection dawn, now and always. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN
Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia! #128
DISMISSAL
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Go in peace. In Christ you are made new. Alleluia! Alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia!
POSTLUDE