Home	Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church

Easter Day:
All Things Are Made New
The Resurrection of Our Lord

Most of these worship resources were written for Mt. Carmel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Portland, Oregon combining elements of traditional Lutheran liturgy with new wording, rituals, etc. to meet the needs of a modern worshipping congregation.

The first part of the service is designed to gradually "let" light into the sancturary, to create a feeling of the sun rising. If you don't have windows which can be darkened you might gradually bring lights up rank by rank following the progress of the Pastor and Assistant or what ever works for your space. At the end of the Easter Proclamation any lights not already on should be brought up. Be creative!

You might wish to add or delete readings during the Pascal Candle processional section to suit your congregational needs and space.

The (Spoken over music) note indicates that your musician(s) should play softly under the spoken words. This may be improvisational or the upcoming hymn or other appropriate piece of instrumental music.

Order of Worship

The lights are out, window shades down, no candles are lit.
The Sanctuary doors are closed.

Prelude
Call to Worship: Agnus Dei (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate contempletive special music

Entrance of the Pascal Candle
The Pastor, assistant and acolyte enter the Sanctuary
with the Pascal Candle, stopping just inside the entrance.

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate "walking" song

During the Processional Song the acolyte carries the Pascal Candle
into the congregation so that they may light their individual candles.

(When all the congregational candles are lit, the Pastor,
assistant and acolyte process to the first window at the back.
The assistant continues...)

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

P: (Spoken over music) 17 For I am about to create new heavens and a new earth; the former things shall not be remembered or come to mind. 18 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. 19 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. . . . 23 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. 24 Before they call I will answer, while they are yet speaking I will hear. 25 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. Isaiah 65:17-25

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate "walking" song

While the song is sung the first window shade is opened.
The Pastor, assistant and acolyte then process to the second window.

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

P: (Spoken over music) 1:1 In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, 2 the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters.
3 Then God said, ‘Let there be light'; and there was light. 4 And God saw that the light was good; and God separated the light from the darkness. 5 God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And there was evening and there was morning, the first day.
6 And God said, ‘Let there be a dome in the midst of the waters, and let it separate the waters from the waters.' 7 So God made the dome and separated the waters that were under the dome from the waters that were above the dome. And it was so. 8 God called the dome Sky. And there was evening and there was morning, the second day.
9 And God said, ‘Let the waters under the sky be gathered together into one place, and let the dry land appear.' And it was so. 10 God called the dry land Earth, and the waters that were gathered together he called Seas. And God saw that it was good. 11 Then God said, ‘Let the earth put forth vegetation: plants yielding seed, and fruit trees of every kind on earth that bear fruit with the seed in it.' And it was so. 12 The earth brought forth vegetation: plants yielding seed of every kind, and trees of every kind bearing fruit with the seed in it. And God saw that it was good. 13 And there was evening and there was morning, the third day. . . .
24 And God said, ‘Let the earth bring forth living creatures of every kind: cattle and creeping things and wild animals of the earth of every kind.' And it was so. 25 God made the wild animals of the earth of every kind, and the cattle of every kind, and everything that creeps upon the ground of every kind. And God saw that it was good. Genesis 1:1-25

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate "walking" song

While the song is sung the second window shade is opened.
The Pastor, assistant and acolyte then process to the third window.

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

P: (Spoken over music) 26 Then God said, ‘Let us make humankind in our image, according to our likeness; and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the wild animals of the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps upon the earth.' 27 So God created humankind in his image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them. 28 God blessed them, and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the air and over every living thing that moves upon the earth.' . . .
2:1 Thus the heavens and the earth were finished, and all their multitude. 2 And on the seventh day God finished the work that he had done, and he rested on the seventh day from all the work that he had done. 3 So God blessed the seventh day and hallowed it, because on it God rested from all the work that he had done in creation.
4 These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created. Genesis 1:26--2:4a

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate "walking" song

While the song is sung the third window shade is opened.
The Pastor, assistant and acolyte process to the fourth window.

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

P (Spoken over music) 7:1 Then the LORD said to Noah, ‘Go into the ark, you and all your household, for I have seen that you alone are righteous before me in this generation. . . .
5 And Noah did all that the LORD had commanded him.
11 In the six hundredth year of Noah's life, in the second month, on the seventeenth day of the month, on that day all the fountains of the great deep burst forth, and the windows of the heavens were opened. 12 The rain fell on the earth forty days and forty nights. . . .
17 The flood continued forty days on the earth; and the waters increased, and bore up the ark, and it rose high above the earth. 18 The waters swelled and increased greatly on the earth; and the ark floated on the face of the waters.
8:6 At the end of forty days Noah opened the window of the ark that he had made 7and sent out the raven; and it went to and fro until the waters were dried up from the earth. 8 Then he sent out the dove from him, to see if the waters had subsided from the face of the ground; 9 but the dove found no place to set its foot, and it returned to him to the ark, for the waters were still on the face of the whole earth. So he put out his hand and took it and brought it into the ark with him. 10 He waited another seven days, and again he sent out the dove from the ark; 11 and the dove came back to him in the evening, and there in its beak was a freshly plucked olive leaf; so Noah knew that the waters had subsided from the earth. . . . 8 So Noah went out with his sons and his wife and his sons' wives.
9:8 Then God said to Noah and to his sons with him, 9 ‘As for me, I am establishing my covenant with you and your descendants after you, 10 and with every living creature that is with you, the birds, the domestic animals, and every animal of the earth with you, as many as came out of the ark. 11 I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of a flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.'
12 God said, ‘This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: 13 I have set my bow in the clouds, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. Genesis 7:1-5, 11-18, 8:6-18, 9:8-13

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate "walking" song

While the song is sung the fourth window shade is opened.
The Pastor, assistant and acolyte process to the Baptismal Font.

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

P (Spoken over music) 2 Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid, for the LORD GOD is my strength and my might; he has become my salvation. 3 With joy you will draw water from the wells of salvation.
4 And you will say in that day: Give thanks to the LORD, call on his name; make known his deeds among the nations; proclaim that his name is exalted. 5 Sing praises to the LORD, for he has done gloriously; let this be known in all the earth. 6 Shout aloud and sing for joy, O royal Zion, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel. Isaiah 12:2-6

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate "walking" song

While the song is sung the Pastor, assistant and acolyte process to the Altar.

A: Behold the Light of God!
C: The Light that makes all things new.
A: The former things shall not be remembered or come to mind,
C: God's Light renews us all.

P (Spoken over music) 3 Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 4 Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life. 5 For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. 6 We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 For whoever has died is freed from sin. 8 But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. 10 The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:3-11

All Stand as they are able.

Proclamation Song: Good News, Alleluia! (c) 1987 Ray Makeever, admin. Augsburg Fortress Press, Dancing At The Harvest 65
(You might have the cantor or choir do the verses and the congregation the refrain.)

Refrain: Good news, alleluia! . . . has rolled the stone away.

1. On the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene . . . body of Jesus was gone. Refrain

2. Mary ran and she ran to tell Simon Peter . . . body of Jesus was gone. Refrain

3. John outran Peter to the tomb, looked in, . . . died was not to be found. Refrain

4. Then John came in, and together they wondered . . . died could go living on. Refrain

Easter Proclamation

As the Easter Proclamation is read the assistant lights the candlelighter
from the Pascal Candle and lights the altar candles.

A: Long and long our God has declared it:
P: All things will be made new!
C: And God's promises are sure.

P: All the heavens and the earth.
C: All the seas and dry lands.
P: All the stars and moons.
C: All have been made new!

A: All the forests and the fields.
C: All the valleys and the mountains.
A: All the rivers and the lakes.
C: All have been made new!

P: All the fish and the corals.
C: All the birds and the beasts.
P: All the worms and the insects.
C: All have been made new!

A: (spoken over music) For God has done it!
C: God has turned death into life.
P: God has turned brokenness into wholeness.
C: God has saved this people!
P: Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed!

Praise Song: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today Vs. 1,2,4 Tune: Easter Hymn, Text: Latin carol, 14th cent., sts. 1-3; Charles Wesley, 1707-1788, st. 4; tr. Lyra Davidica, London, 1708, sts. 1-3 (Augsburg Fortress Press, Lutheran Book of Worship 151)

1. Jesus Christ is ris'n today, Alleluia!
Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia!
Who did once upon the cross, Alleluia!
Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia!

2. Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia!
Unto Christ, our heav'nly king, Alleluia!
Who endured the cross and grave, Alleluia!
Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia!

4. Sing we to our God above, Alleluia!
Praise eternal as his love; Alleluia!
Praise him, all you heav'nly host, Alleluia!
Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Alleluia!

Sit

Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:19-26:

19 If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied.
20 But in fact Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died. 21 For since death came through a human being, the resurrection of the dead has also come through a human being; 22 for as all die in Adam, so all will be made alive in Christ. 23 But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, then at his coming those who belong to Christ. 24 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. 25 For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. 26 The last enemy to be destroyed is death.

Psalm: The Day of Resurrection! Tune: Lancashire; Text: John of Damascus, c. 696-c. 754; tr. John M. Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

1 The day of resurrection!
Earth, tell it out abroad,
the passover of gladness,
the passover of God.
From death to life eternal,
from sin's dominion free,
our Christ has brought us over
with hymns of victory.

2 Let hearts be purged of evil
that we may see aright
the Lord in rays eternal
of resurrection light,
and list'ning to his accents,
may hear, so calm and plain,
his own "All hail!" and hearing,
may raise the victor strain.

3 Now let the heav'ns be joyful,
let earth its song begin,
let all the world keep triumph
and all that is therein.
Let all things, seen and unseen,
their notes of gladness blend;
for Christ the Lord has risen,
our joy that has no end!

4 Then praise we God the Father,
and praise we Christ his Son,
with them the Holy Spirit,
eternal Three in One;
till all the ransomed number
fall down before the throne,
and honor, pow'r, and glory
ascribe to God alone!

All Stand as they are able.

P: The Holy Gospel is found in Luke 24:1-12.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.

The Holy Gospel is read

1 But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they did not find the body. 4 While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. 5 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. 6 Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.' 8 Then they remembered his words, 9 and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. 10 Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. 11 But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. 12 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.

P: The Word of the Lord.
C: Praise to you, O Christ.

Sit

Music for Meditation

Message

All Stand as they are able.

Theme Song: Christ Is Risen, Alleluia! (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.) or other appropriate song

P: We confess our one Christian faith in the words of the Nicene Creed,
C: We believe in one God the Creator Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and of all things visible and invisible.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only-begotten Son of God, begotten of the Creator before all worlds, God of God, Light of Light, Very God of Very God, begotten, not made, being of one substance with the Creator by whom all things were made; who for us, and for our salvation, came down from heaven, and was incarnate by the Holy Spirit of the Virgin Mary, and was made man, and was crucified also for us under Pontius Pilate. He suffered and was buried, and the third day he rose again according to the Scriptures, and ascended into heaven, and sits on the right hand of God. And he shall come again with glory to judge both the quick and the dead, whose kingdom shall have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord and Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Creator and the Son, who with the Creator and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who spoke by the prophets. And we believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the remission of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Sit

Anthem:

Prayers of the Church

All Stand as they are able.

P: The peace of the risen Christ be with you.
C: And also with you.

All share a word of peace.

Sit

Offering

All Stand as they are able.

Leader: Come, bring them to the table . . . of our lives.

All: Come, bring them to the table . . .of our lives.

Offering Prayer:
A: We give you thanks and praise for all that you have given us. Take our lives, our hearts, our minds and use them for your work, O God, for we are your people now and through eternity.
C: Amen.

P: The world has changed. Creation is not the same. For in the beginning God created all things and now redeems all things, as promised to Adam and Eve, to Abraham and Sarah, to all of us.

Alleluia! Jesus is risen!
Trumpets . . . miracle God has in sight!

Refrain Jesus is risen and we shall arise:
. . . Alleluia!

P: On the night he was betrayed the Lord Jesus
took bread; and after giving thanks, He broke it and said,
"This is My body, which is given for you;
do this in remembrance of Me."
In the same way also He took the cup after supper, gave thanks and said,
"This cup is the new covenant which is in My blood;
do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me."

Response: Alleluia! Jesus is Risen! Vs.4, 5 (see above)

Weeping, be gone; . . .adorn us in light. Refrain

City of God, Easter . . .to God the I AM! Refrain

P: For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes.
C: Amen. Come Lord Jesus.
P: Let us pray,
C: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever. Amen.

Sit

He is exalted, the King . . . is exalted on high.

Distribution of Holy Communion

All Stand as they are able.

P: Now may the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ keep you always in God's grace.
C: Amen.

Post Communion Prayer:
A: O Lord Christ Jesus, through your death on the cross and resurrection from the grave you have made of us a new people, giving us the knowledge of the joy of eternal life. Fill us with the faith to trust in this hope and the courage to go into the world and share this renewal of life with all that we meet.
C: Amen.

Sit

Community Announcements

All Stand as they are able.

Sending Song: Christ the Lord Is Risen Today; Alleluia! Tune: Llanfair, Text: Latin sequence, c. 1100; tr. Jane E. Leeson, 1807-1882, alt. Lutheran Book of Worship 128, Augsburg Fortress Press

1. Christ the Lord is ris'n today; Alleluia!
Christians, hasten on your way; Alleluia!
offer praise with love replete, Alleluia!
at the paschal victim's feet. Alleluia!

2. For the sheep the Lamb has bled, Alleluia!
sinless in the sinner's stead. Alleluia!
Christ the Lord is ris'n on high; Alleluia!
now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia!

3. Hail, the victim undefiled, Alleluia!
God and sinners reconciled, Alleluia!
when contending death and life, Alleluia!
met in strange and awesome strife. Alleluia!

4. Christians, on this holy day, Alleluia!
all your grateful homage pay; Alleluia!
Christ the Lord is ris'n on high; Alleluia!
now he lives, no more to die. Alleluia!

A: Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed!
A: Go in peace. Serve the Risen Lord.
C: Thanks be to God.

Postlude

Home	Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church

Updated: November 14, 2003
Contact: Lisa Frenz

Easter Day: All Things Are Made New The Resurrection of Our Lord

Easter Day:
All Things Are Made New
The Resurrection of Our Lord