32C - Easter 2C — 34C - Easter 4C
See also my posts from 2013, 2016, 2019, 2022
CALL TO WORSHIP (from Psalm 30)
Sing praises to the LORD,
and give thanks to God’s holy name
for the LORD our God has healed us
when we cried for help
and restored us
in times of deepest despair.
The LORD has turned our sorrow into dancing;
taken our sackcloth from us,and clothed us with joy.
Sing to the LORD without end,
and give thanks to the LORD for ever.
Eternal and ever present God,
sustain and excite our gathered community;
arouse our expectancy;
subdue our expectations.
Come, silent Spirit, and embrace us.
Let the words we see and hear and speak and sing
be transformed by the Word made flesh,
that our worship may be wholly yours, Lord God.
We pray in the name of the risen one. Amen
WE GATHER BEFORE GOD(from Psalm 30)
Joyful praise I give you, O LORD;
you drew me up and did not let my enemies rejoice over me.
I called on you and you healed me;
you brought my life up from the darkest depths.
I was among those going down to a pit of death,
but you brought me to life.
All you faithful, praise the LORD,
praise the holy name of the LORD.
PRAYER OF PRAISE AND THANKSGIVING (from Psalm 30)
O LORD, a fractured relationship with you is like a death;
yet your one desire is life – community with you.
With darkness weeping remains,
but joy comes with the hint of morning light.
We’ve come to take so much for granted in our lives:
“I’m OK – steady as a rock.
In fact, LORD, you’ve been so good to me
I’m more secure than a strong mountain.”
Then it seemed that you hid your face from me,
and I was terrified.
I cried out to you, LORD, when things were really grim;
I pleaded with you to restore my good circumstance:
“What profit is there in my weeping, in my going down in the pit?
Will the dust praise you? Will it declare your faithfulness?
Hear me, LORD, and be merciful.
O LORD, be my help.”
You transformed my mourning into dance,
and gave me new life;
you have taken my sack-cloth and clothed me with joy,
so that my life will praise you, and not weep.
O LORD, my God, I will praise you – for ever.
OFFERING
Risen One,
As the disciples brought their abundance
so we bring our gifts and our lives.
As you fed your disciples with bread and fish
enable us by our giving and living
to sustain and encourage others in body and spirit. Amen
For use in worship, with acknowledgement. © Jeff Shrowder 2000, 2013.
A CREATIVE MOMENT – John 21:1-19
(a) Place a bowl of water with a lighted tea candle floating in it at a focal point in the worship space. Drape a swathe of light blue clothe from that arrangement onto the floor, or perhaps use “fishing net” e.g. the type used to protect fruit trees/vines from birds, which you can purchase by the metre from your local hardware store. Attach fish cut from coloured paper.
Serve “fish fingers” at morning tea after worship.
Click here for some ideas for worship in Lent and Easter gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print), published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession with connection to the lections for the day. Sometimes this prayer borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Risen Jesus,as you encouraged your disciples
encourage us to cast your nets of care and hope
more widely
and, strengthened by your spirit,
be strength to those whom we name
in word and silence…
company to the lonely…
comfort to those weighed down with grief…
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR EASTER 3 – YEAR C |
|
| Acts 9: 1-6 |
|
| God gives us a future | TIS 687 |
| God moves in a mysterious way | TIS 126 |
| Make me a captive, Lord | TIS 604 |
| My God accept my heart this day | TIS 485 |
| Psalm 30 |
|
| Come, O God of all the earth | TIS 181 |
| Comfort, comfort all my people | TIS 647 |
| I danced in the morning when the world was begun | TIS 242 |
| I will praise you, Lord, you have rescued me | TIS 18 |
| Made in God’s likeness, moved by the Spirit | TIS 670 |
| O love that wilt not let me go | TIS 602 |
| Through all the changing scenes of life | TIS 112 |
| Revelation 5:11-14 |
|
| All glory, praise and honour | TIS 333 |
| Come, let us join our cheerful songs | TIS 204 |
| Crown him with many crowns | TIS 228 |
| Glory be to Jesus | TIS 344 |
| Glory to our boundless God | TIS 189 |
| Hail Redeemer, King divine | TIS 237 |
| Hail, gladdening light, of his pure glory | TIS 191 |
| I, the Lord of sea and sky | TIS 658 |
| King of glory, King of peace | TIS 201 |
| Lord, enthroned in heavenly splendour | TIS 520 |
| Nature with open volume stands | TIS 343 |
| The love of God is greater far | TIS 151 |
| To him who sits upon the throne | TIS 770 |
| We praise, we worship you, O God | TIS 98 |
| Worship, honour, glory, blessing | TIS 772 |
| John 21: 1-19 |
|
| Blessed Jesus, at your word | TIS 437 |
| Come, let us to the Lord our God | TIS 577 |
| I, the Lord of sea and sky | TIS 658 |
| King of glory, king of peace | TIS 201 |
| Nature with open volume stands | TIS 343 |
| The love of God is greater far | TIS 151 |