Easter Worship Guide

CALL TO WORSHIP

Worship begins with God calling us to worship Him. The Greek word ekklesia is used in the New Testament and commonly refers to a “called out” assembly or congregation. In this, the church consists of people who are called out by God into His salvation that He offers though the redemptive work of Christ.

Give thanks to the LORD, for he is good and his love endures forever. Let those who fear the LORD say, “His love endures forever.” The Lord is our strength and our song; he has become our salvation. I will give you thanks, for you answered me; you have become my salvation. (Psalm 118)

SONGS

Grace Alone By Dustin Kensrue

Verse 1

I was an orphan lost at the fall

Running away when I'd hear your call

But Father, you worked your will

I had no righteousness of my own

I had no right to draw near your throne

But Father, you loved me still

Chorus 1

And in love before you laid the world's foundation

You predestined to adopt me as your own

You have raised me so high above my station

I'm a child of God by grace and grace alone

Verse 2

You left your home to seek out the lost

You knew the great and terrible cost

But Jesus, your face was set

I worked my fingers down to the bone

Nothing I did could ever atone

But Jesus, you paid my debt

Chorus 2

By your blood I have redemption and salvation

Lord, you died that I might reap what you have sown

And you rose that I might be a new creation

I am born again by grace and grace alone

Verse 3

I was in darkness all of my life

I never knew the day from the night

But Spirit, you made me see

I swore I knew the way on my own

Head full of rocks, a heart made of stone

But Spirit, you moved in me

Chorus 3

At your touch my sleeping spirit was awakened

On my darkened heart the light of Christ has shone

Called into a kingdom that cannot be shaken

Heaven's citizen by grace and grace alone

So I'll stand in faith by grace and grace alone

I will run the race by grace and grace alone

I will slay my sin by grace and grace alone

I will reach the end by grace and grace alone

God Is Able By Hillsong

Verse 1

God is able He will never fail

He is almighty God

Greater than all we seek

Greater than all we ask

He has done great things

Chorus

Lifted up He defeated the grave

Raised to life our God is able

In His name we overcome

For the Lord our God is able

Verse 2

God is with us, God is on our side

He will make a way

Far above all we know

Far above all we hope

He has done great things

Bridge

God is with us

He will go before

He will never leave us

God is for us

He has open arms

He will never fail us

PRAYER

“A Liturgy for A Purposeful Gathering”

And so are we gathered here, uniquely in all of history, we particular people in this singular time and place. Accomplish your purposes among us, O God. Tune our hearts to the voice of your Spirit. Wake us to be present to you and to one another in these shared hours we are given. For it is you, O Lord, who have so gathered us from our various places. Let us prize these moments and care for one another deeply—for each of us, and our relationships to one another, are precious and fleeting. Breathe upon our gathering, O Spirit of God. Grant each of us a place to humbly receive and to faithfully serve, that we might know in this brief gathering, a foretaste of that greater communion yet to come. O Father, enlarge our hearts. O Spirit, expand our vision. O Christ, establish your kingdom among us. Be at work even now, O Lord. May your will, in us, in these hours, be accomplished.

SONG

Graves Into Gardens By Elevation Worship

Verse 1

I searched the world

But it couldn't fill me

Man's empty praise

And treasures that fade

Are never enough

Then You came along

And put me back together

And every desire

Is now satisfied

Here in Your love

Chorus

Oh, there's nothing better than You

There's nothing better than You

Lord, there's nothing

Nothing is better than You

Verse 2

I'm not afraid to show You my weakness

My failures and flaws

Lord, You've seen 'em all

And You still call me friend

'Cause the God of the mountain

Is the God of the valley

There's not a place Your mercy and grace

Won't find me again

Bridge

You turn mourning to dancing

You give beauty for ashes

You turn shame into glory

You're the only one who can (2x)

You turn graves into garden

You turn bones into armies

You turn seas into highways

You're the only one who can (2x)

FAMILY TIME

This is a time in our worship of mutual greeting. We offer and receive the “Peace of Christ” with one another. The gesture is simple, but the meaning is profound. When we extend this greeting, we identify with Jesus, who extended his life to make peace with us.

CHILDREN’S STORY

Children are invited to sit up front for a short bible story.

SCRIPTURE

John 20:11-16

11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.”

John 20:24-27

24 Now Thomas, one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 25 So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!” “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.” 26 A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!” 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.”

John 21:1-3

1 Afterward Jesus appeared again to his disciples, by the Sea of Galilee.[a] It happened this way: 2 Simon Peter, Thomas, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples were together. 3 “I’m going out to fish,” Simon Peter told them, and they said, “We’ll go with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

COMMUNION

The history of the church is around the table. For hundreds of years, this was where the people of Jesus met. The Gospel message spread from one table to the next, from one home to another, all over a meal. The table is a very ordinary place, so routine and everyday, it is easily overlooked as a place of life changing community. By setting a table and sharing a meal, we provide a context for which people feel loved, where people feel heard and a place where God’s spirit can move.It’s a place where he meets with us. This meal symbolizes more than just nourishment, It brings people together and through this shared experience, we see strangers as neighbors and neighbors as family.

SONG

Reckless Love By Cory Asbury

Verse 1

Before I spoke a word, You were singing over me

You have been so, so good to me

Before I took a breath, You breathed Your life in me

You have been so so kind to me

Chorus

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Oh, it chases me down, fights 'til I'm found, leaves the ninety nine

I couldn't earn it, I don't deserve it

Still You give yourself away

Oh, the overwhelming, never-ending, reckless love of God

Verse 2

When I was Your foe, still Your love fought for me

You have been so, so good to me

When I felt no worth, You paid it all for me

You have been so, so kind to me

Bridge

There's no shadow You won't light up

Mountain You won't climb up

Coming after me

There's no wall You won't kick down

Lie You won't tear down

Coming after me

FLOWERING THE CROSS

The entire cross is covered with flowers and is placed prominently at the front of the church to symbolize the new life in our risen Lord to all the worshippers present on Easter Sunday morning. Flowers on the cross visually represents the new life that we are celebrating after witnessing the very instrument of death and endings transformed by Christ's rising.

BENEDICTION

I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with unfailing kindness.

(Jeremiah 31:3)