Order of Worship

Easter Sunday

BOLD indicates congregational SPEAKING participation

GATHERING AS THE BODY OF CHRIST

Prelude

 "Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise"

 UMH #312

Welcome

A Time to Make Connections

Meditation Time

Introit

    “He Is Alive”

Buryl Red

Adult Choir & Praise Band

Opening Hymn

  “Christ the Lord Is Risen Today” 

  UMH #302 (vs. 1-4)

Call to Worship

Liturgist:  Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, the stone was rolled away, and a new world began.

People:  Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!

Liturgist: We come like Mary Magdalene – carrying grief, questions, and longing.

People: And we are met by the Risen Christ, who calls us by name.

Liturgist: We come looking for what we have lost, but God reveals what is being made new.

People: We are invited not to hold on to what was, but to follow Christ into new life.

Liturgist: Come, let us worship the One who conquers death.

People: Come, let us rejoice in the life that cannot be contained. Alleluia!

Opening Prayer

Risen Christ, on this holy morning, you meet us in places of sorrow and surprise. Like Mary at the tomb, we come with hearts that do not yet fully understand, yet you call us by name and open our eyes to your presence. Lead us from darkness into light, from fear into trust, from holding on to what is past into the new life you are creating among us. Awaken our hearts to the power of your resurrection. Help us to hear your voice, to recognize your presence, and to follow where you lead. We worship you as the Living One, who is making all things new. Amen.

Message in Music

    “I Will Rise”

Chris Tomlin, Jesse Reeves,

Louie Giglio, Matt Maher

Praise Band

Blessings of Coins for Lent & Young Disciple's Time

Pastor Jinyong Choi

Holy Communion

The Lord be with you.

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,

always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

Almighty God, creator of heaven and earth.

You brought all things into being

and called them good.

When we turned away and our love failed,

your love remained steadfast.

You delivered us from captivity,

made covenant to be our sovereign God,

and spoke to us through your prophets.

And now, in these last days,

you have raised Jesus Christ from the dead,

breaking the power of sin and death

and opening for us the way of eternal life.

In the empty tomb, you revealed

that your love is stronger than death,

your grace deeper than our fear,

and your life more enduring than the grave.

And so,

with your people on earth

and all the company of heaven,

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.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest. (UM Hymnal p. 17)

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.

On the morning of resurrection, he came to those who were grieving and afraid and called them by name. He turned sorrow into joy, confusion into faith, and death into new life.

He continues to come among us – not to be held onto,

but to lead us into a new world in our midst,

a world shaped by grace, mercy, and love.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,

you gave birth to your Church,

delivered us from slavery to sin and death,

and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said: “Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.”

When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant, poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

And so,

in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving

as a holy and living sacrifice,

in union with Christ’s offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again. (UM Hymnal p. 18)

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,

and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ,

redeemed by his blood.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,

one with each other,

and one in ministry to all the world,

as we live as resurrection people –

bearing hope where there is despair,

light where there is darkness,

and love where there is fear –

until Christ comes in final victory

and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,

all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father,

now and forever.

Amen. (Hymnal 18, Musical Setting A)

The Lord’s Prayer

And now, with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:

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 us 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. Amen.

Breaking the Bread

Because there is one loaf, we, who are many, are one body; for we all partake of the one loaf. The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ. The cup over which we give thanks is a sharing in the blood of Christ.

Giving the Bread and Cup

Prayer After Communion

Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us. Grant that we may go into the world as witnesses of the resurrection – not holding onto what was, but following where Christ leads, living as signs of your new creation. In the name of Jesus Christ our risen Lord. Amen.

ATTENTION TO THE WORD OF GOD

Scripture Readings: John 19:1-18

 1Early 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. 2So 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.” 3Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. 4The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. 6Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, 7and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. 8Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; 9for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. 10Then the disciples returned to their homes.

11But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; 12and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. 13They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” 14When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. 15Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” 16Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). 17Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her. (NRSV) 

Liturgist: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God.  

Message

   “A New World in Our Midst: Holding On to Jesus or Following Him?”

  Pastor Jinyong Choi

We Respond

Offertory

     “Thine Be the Glory” 

UMH #308

Doxology

 UMH #94

*Offertory Prayer

Generous and life-giving God, you have given us the greatest gift – the risen Christ, who calls us into new life. As we offer these gifts, receive them as signs of our gratitude and trust. Use what we bring to share the good news of resurrection, to bring hope where there is despair, and to reflect your love in the world. Teach us not to hold tightly to what we have, but to follow you in lives of generosity and grace. In the name of the Risen Christ, we pray. Amen.

Closing Hymn

        “Easter People, Raise Your Voices” 

UMH#304

The Blessing and Sending Forth 

Pastor: Christ is risen – and a new world is already breaking into our midst. Do not hold on to what is past, but follow the Risen Christ into the life that is unfolding before you

People: We will go, trusting the One who calls us by name.

Pastor: Go in the light of resurrection - to love, to serve, and to bear witness:

People: We have seen the Lord!

Pastor: And may the grace of the Risen Christ, the love of God, and the power of the Holy Spirit go with you now and always.

All: Alleluia! Amen.

Benediction Response 

 “Hallelujah Chorus” (from Messiah)   

by G. F. Handel

Adult Choir

Postlude

  "Final In D Major"       

    Louis Vierne