South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ
Andover, Massachusetts

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

April 16, 2006          9:00 am and 10:30 am
Easter Sunday
The Festival of the Resurrection of Jesus Christ

 PRELUDE     Christ is arisen     J.S. Bach

INTROIT     Alleluia     Boyce

CALL TO WORSHIP

Night has ended, the dawn is come. Awake! Arise! Make ready for the coming of our Christ!

Our Christ is risen! Risen indeed!

Shout with joy! Sing alleluias! The One who taught us to love is among us. The One who claims us is calling us to celebrate.

The Word has been freed from its bonds and restraint! Our Christ dances in our midst.

All of Creation enlivens with glory! Our souls resound in the presence of the Holy One.

Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

* HYMN   Christ the Lord is Risen Today  #182 blue

 INVOCATION         (Unison)

O Risen Christ who comes to us as light through the shadows of our lives, find within each of us a welcome place. Inhabit us and become our voices, that we might speak with wisdom and compassion. Become our eyes that we might see and understand both the needs and the joys of this world. Become our hands that we might give generously and receive graciously. Become our knees that we might kneel in service and prayer. Become our ears that we might hear what is said and what is unsaid. Become our hearts that we might love unbounded and live as people of hope. Amen.

SCRIPTURE I Kings 19: 9-12     (see insert)

LET THE CHILDREN COME         “The Great Storm is Over” Ed Parker

SCRIPTURE   I Corinthians 15: 1-10     (see insert)

* HYMN  Alleluia, Alleluia! Give Thanks #106 red

SCRIPTURE   Mark 16: 1-8 (see insert)

SERMON     After the Storm - Resurrection   Dr. Mutti

PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER (debt/debtors)

  OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING TO GOD
        Invitation  “200^th Anniversary Fund: Andover Newton Theological School
      Offertory Anthem        Christ the Lord is risen  John Rutter
 *   Doxology    
 *   Dedication Prayer

* HYMN  Thine Is the Glory   #193 blue

* BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE   Finale Jubilante     Willan

* Those who are able may stand.

 

Participating in the Service
Trumpet: Peter Spollett
Deacon: 9:00 am –Tom Larsen
10:30 am –Terri Guenard
Acolytes: 9:00 am –Rebecca Long & Melanie Long
10:30 am –Geoffrey Cook & Shannon Cheung
Youth: 9:00 a.m. - Marianne Jordan
10:30 am – Andrew Harris
Greeters: 9:00 am –Deanna & John Atchison
10:30 am – Susan & Peter Spollet

 

Scriptures For This Day      New Revised Standard Version

I Kings 19:9-12

At that place Elijah came to a cave, and spent the night there. Then the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “What are you doing here, Elijah?” He answered, “I have been very zealous for the Lord, the God of hosts; for the Israelites have forsaken your covenant, thrown down your altars, and killed your prophets with the sword. I alone am left, and they are seeking my life, to take it away.” He said, “Go out and stand on the mountain before the Lord, for the Lord is about to pass by.” Now there was a great wind, so strong that it was splitting mountains and breaking rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

I Corinthians 15: 1-10

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.

Scriptures For This Day   New Revised Standard Version

Mark 16: 1-8

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 anyone, for they were afraid.