Home Mt. Carmel Lutheran Church

Easter Morning

Below are some worship resources which you are welcome to use at no charge. Please just use a copyright acknowledgment "Copyright Lisa Frenz. All Rights Reserved. Used with permission."

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.

Order of Worship

As you are able
Stand = Congregation stands, Sit = Congregation sits

The lights are out, window shades down, if any, no candles are lit.
The Sanctuary doors are closed. If you have no windows which can be opened to gradually let in the light, you might bring your nave lights up slow using a reostat or rank by rank using switches or breakers, depending on your electrical system. The idea is to simulate the rising of the sun. Also, you may need to adapt the movement of the processional to your physical space.

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

P: (spoken over music) Behold the light of the world!
C: The light no darkness can overcome.

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

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)
(When all the congregational candles are lit, the assistant continues...)

A: Come to the light and walk in its pathway.
C: We walk in the way of God.

P: Hear the commandments of life, O Israel; give ear, and learn wisdom! Why is it, O Israel, why is it that you are in the land of your enemies, that you are growing old in a foreign country, that you are defiled with the dead, that you are counted among those in Hades? You have forsaken the fountain of wisdom. If you had walked in the way of God, you would be dwelling in peace for ever. Learn where there is wisdom, where there is strength, where there is understanding, that you may at the same time discern where there is length of days, and life, where there is light for the eyes, and peace. Who has found her place? And who has entered her storehouses? But the one who knows all things knows her, he found her by his understanding. He who prepared the earth for all time filled it with four-footed creatures; the one who sends forth the light, and it goes; he called it, and it obeyed him, trembling; the stars shone in their watches, and were glad; he called them, and they said, "Here we are!" They shone with gladness for him who made them. This is our God; no other can be compared to him! He found the whole way to knowledge, and gave her to Jacob his servant and to Israel whom he loved. Afterward she appeared upon earth and lived with humankind. She is the book of the commandments of God, the law that endures for ever. All who hold her fast will live, and those who forsake her will die. Turn, O Jacob, and take her; walk toward the shining of her light. Do not give your glory to another, or your advantages to an alien people. Happy are we, O Israel, for we know what is pleasing to God. Baruch 3:9-15, 3:32-4:4

P: (spoken over music) Behold the light of the world!
C: The light no darkness can overcome.

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

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

A: Listen to the call of wisdom and walk in her ways.
C: We walk in righteousness and insight.

P: Does not wisdom call, and does not understanding raise her voice? On the heights, beside the way, at the crossroads she takes her stand; beside the gates in front of the town, at the entrance of the portals she cries out: "To you, O people, I call, and my cry is to all that live. O simple ones, learn prudence; acquire intelligence, you who lack it. Hear, for I will speak noble things, and from my lips will come what is right; for my mouth will utter truth; wickedness is an abomination to my lips. All the words of my mouth are righteous; there is nothing twisted or crooked in them. My fruit is better than gold, even fine gold, and my yield than choice silver. I walk in the way of righteousness, along the paths of justice, endowing with wealth those who love me, and filling their treasuries. To those without sense she says, "Come, eat of my bread and drink of the wine I have mixed. 6 Lay aside immaturity, and live, and walk in the way of insight." Proverbs 8:1-8, 19-21; 9:4b-6

P: (spoken over music) Behold the light of the world!
C: The light no darkness can overcome.

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

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

A: Through Christ be free from sin and walk Christ's way.
C: We walk in newness of life.

P: Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? 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. 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. 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. 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. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:3-11

P: (spoken over music) Behold the light of the world!
C: The light no darkness can overcome.

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

While the song is sung the third window shade is opened, and
the Pastor, assistant and acolyte process to the front of the altar.

A: Feast with all the people of God and walk in God's way.
C: We walk in the joy of God's salvation.

P: On this mountain the LORD of hosts will make for all peoples a feast of rich food, a feast of well-aged wines, of rich food filled with marrow, of well-aged wines strained clear. And he will destroy on this mountain the shroud that is cast over all peoples, the sheet that is spread over all nations; he will swallow up death forever. Then the Lord GOD will wipe away the tears from all faces, and the disgrace of his people he will take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken. It will be said on that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, so that he might save us. This is the LORD for whom we have waited; let us be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Isaiah 25:6-9

P: (spoken over music) Behold the light of the world!
C: The light no darkness can overcome.

Processional Song: Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

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

A: Come to the empty tomb and walk in the greatness of God.
C: We walk in the glory of God's revelation.

P: When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to one another, "Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?" When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed. But he said to them, "Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you." So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing to any one, for they were afraid. Mark 16:1-8

Proclamation Song: Vs. 1,3 Rejoice! He Is Not Here (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

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

Easter Proclamation
(spoken over music)

Stand
P: Rejoice! The days are dark and heavy with fear and sadness, war looms about us; yet God is with us, around us, among us, even in our darkest times: times of personal sorrow or distress, times of societal tension or conflict, Rejoice!

Rejoice! As the power of God's redemption dawns over us, like the sun rising in the east, the dull gray of night is shattered with the coming light. The sorrow and pain of the cross, of death, are overturned as Christ reveals his glory. Rejoice!

Rejoice! The renewal of all creation is assured. The salvation of all peoples is achieved. Death is no longer a finality, but a process and life is the result as the victory of our God is made manifest. Rejoice!
Rejoice! For Christ Jesus has transformed sorrow and suffused us with joy; turned back the darkness and given us light,. And that light is the light that can never fail, for Christ is our Savior, Christ is our Messiah, Christ is our God. Rejoice!

P: Christ is risen!
C: He is risen indeed!

Praise Song: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today! (Lutheran Book of Worship 151, Augsburg Fortress Press)

After the Praise Song the individual candles are blown out.

P: Let us pray,
C: O God of love and mercy, we give you thanks for the gift of life which you have given us through the death and resurrection of your son, Jesus Christ. Bless and empower us that we may carry this news of great joy into the world with us so that the Light of the World may shine upon all we meet; in Jesus name we pray. Amen.

Sit
Anthem:

First Lesson: Acts 10:34-43
Then Peter began to speak to them: "I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ--he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name."

Lesson Song: Vs. 1,4 Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation (Lutheran Book of Worship 367, tune Lutheran Book of Worship 50, Augsburg Fortress Press)

Second Lesson: 1 Corinthians 15:1-11
Now I would remind you, brothers and sisters, of the good news that I proclaimed to you, which you in turn received, in which also you stand, through which also you are being saved, if you hold firmly to the message that I proclaimed to you--unless you have come to believe in vain. For I handed on to you as of first importance what I in turn had received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he was raised on the third day in accordance with the scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, then to the twelve. Then he appeared to more than five hundred brothers and sisters at one time, most of whom are still alive, though some have died. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles. Last of all, as to one untimely born, he appeared also to me. For I am the least of the apostles, unfit to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and his grace toward me has not been in vain. On the contrary, I worked harder than any of them--though it was not I, but the grace of God that is with me. Whether then it was I or they, so we proclaim and so you have come to believe.

Stand
Gospel Song: Halle, Halle, Hallelujah (With One Voice 612, Augsburg Fortress Press)

P: The Holy Gospel According to St. John, Chapter 20 starting at the first verse.
C: Glory to you, O Lord.

Holy Gospel: John 20:1-18
Early 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. So 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." Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus' head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes. But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and 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. They 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." When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus 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." Jesus said to her, "Mary!" She turned and said to him in Hebrew, "Rabbouni!" (which means Teacher).Jesus 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.'" Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, "I have seen the Lord"; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

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

Sit
Music for Meditation
Message

Stand
Theme Song: Christ Is Alive! Let Christians Sing (Lutheran Book of Worship 363, Augsburg Fortress Press)

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 the Creator. 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.

Prayers of the Church

P: The peace of the risen Christ be with you.
C: And also with you.
All share a word of peace.

Sit
Offering

Stand
Offering Song: We Bring the Sacrifice of Praise (Worship & Praise 150, Augsburg Fortress Press)

A: Let us pray, Lord of Love,
C: You gave us the greatest gift of all, our Savior Jesus Christ. We ask that you accept the gifts we bring: our goods, our time and our talents. Use them as You will for your purpose. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Easter Litany:

P: You know that you were ransomed from the useless way of life not with perishable things, silver and gold, But with the costly blood of Christ—as a lamb without blot or blemish. Christ having been known before the foundation of the world was made visible at the end of time for your sake, through him the faithful are in God Who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, So that your faith and hope are in God. 1 Peter 1:18-21
C: All praise and honor and glory is yours, O God!
A: You rescue us from the power of death and give us life eternal.
C: All the angels in heaven sing your praises!
P: For you have accomplished the salvation of all people.
C: The earth claps its hands!
A: The seas shout the news!
C The stars and planets dance for joy!
P: For the Lord is risen!
C: Christ is risen indeed!
P: For I received from the Lord that which I also handed down to you—that the Lord Jesus in the night in which He was betrayed took bread; and after giving thanks, He broke it and said, "This is My body, which is for you; do this in remembrance of Me." In the same way also He took the cup after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant which is in My blood; do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me." For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord's death until He comes. I Corinthians 11:23-26

The Lord's Prayer
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 forever. Amen.

Communion Song: The Trumpets Sound, the Angels Sing (Worship & Praise 139, Augsburg Fortress Press)

Sit
Distribution of Holy Communion
Stand
P: Now may the body and blood of our risen Savior, Lord Jesus Christ keep you always in God's grace.
C: Amen.

Post-Communion Song: Christ Is Risen, Alleluia (W. Michael Aguilar, III, © Shandy Music Industries, P.O. Box 10402, Portland, Oregon 97296.)

A: Lord of all life and light, you sustain us with your very self, giving us food for our journey. Grace us with your continuing presence that we may be an active part of your work in our world, sharing the Easter message of Christ Jesus that all may come to know The Way, The Truth and The Life.
C: Amen.

The Blessing
(One of the following two blessings or other appropriate words are said.)

P: The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make His face shine on you,
And be caring towards you;
The Lord lift up His countenance on you,
And give you peace. Numbers 6:24-26
C: Amen.

OR

P: May Almighty God,
Creator,
Savior,
Counselor,
love you, bless you and keep you now and always.
C: Amen.

Sit
Community Announcements

Stand
Sending Song: Thine Is The Glory (Lutheran Book of Worship 145, Augsburg Fortress Press)

A: Go in peace. Serve the risen Lord!
C: Thanks be to God!
Postlude