ST CLEMENT CHURCH
EASTER SUNDAY COMMUNITY SERVICE
Good morning
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
Happy Easter – today we celebrate the familiar story of Jesus overcoming death and becoming our Risen Lord.
My love to you all
Liz
Lord of life … we pray for all who bring your Word of Life as a light to those in darkness;
for those who bring your Word of Peace to those enslaved in fear;
for those who bring your Word of Love to those in need of comfort.
Lord of Love and Lord of Peace, Lord of Resurrection Life be known through our lives and through Your Power.
Christ the Lord is Risen today
Alleluia!
We say together:
We thank you that Easter is not about a people, but all people, that your Love and Salvation are
for all who confess with voices, hearts, and lives that the tomb is empty because Jesus is risen,
that we might know forgiveness, that lives might be reborn and your name glorified now and for eternity. Amen
Hymn: 357 Jesus Christ is risen today
Prayer of Confession
Jesus Christ, Risen Master and triumphant Lord, we come to you in sorrow for our sins, and confess to you our weakness and unbelief.
We have lived by our own strength, and not by the power of your resurrection.
In your mercy, forgive us.
Lord, hear us and help us.
Amen
The Collect
Lord of all life and power, who through the mighty resurrection of your Son overcame the old order of sin and death to make all things new in him: grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in
Jesus Christ, may reign with him in glory; to whom with you and the Holy Spirit be praise and honour, glory and might, now and in all eternity.
Amen
Readings:
Acts 10. 34 – 43
Colossians 3. 1 – 4
Hymn: 202 Hail the day that sees Him rise
Gospel: Matthew 28. 1 - 10
(Hear the Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew. Response: ‘Glory to you O Lord.’)
After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb.
And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.
His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow.
For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men.
But the angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was
crucified. He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said.
Come, see the place where he lay.
Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.”
This is my message for you.’
So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples.
Suddenly Jesus met them and said ‘Greetings!’
And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him.
Then Jesus said to them, ‘Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.’
(This is the Gospel of our Lord. Praise to you, O Christ)
Reflection
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
That is what we say every Easter Day, isn’t it? Nothing changes; the story stays the same.
Every year we come to Easter and tell the same old story. We’ve been repeating ourselves for two thousand years. We know how the story ends as soon as it begins. We’ve heard it all before.
And that is the best thing that I can say today. It means that each of us can count on the Easter story. It’s trustworthy and here to stay. Regardless of who we are, what has and has not happened in our life, what we’ve done and left undone, or what we do or do not believe, the story is true for each of us today.
We each of us want and need to be reminded that Easter is still true and is still happening. We want to hear the same old story one more time. It’s not because we think the story has changed since last year. It’s because our world and lives have changed over the last year. It’s because we have changed over the last year. And some years are harder than others. We know that, don’t we?
Every Gospel has an Easter Day story. There are two suggested Gospel readings for today – one from John 20. 1 – 18 – in all honesty the usual one for Easter Day – and the one I have chosen, from Matthew.
Why? Well, because it is unusual, and I can’t remember when, or even if, I have ever read this one … I must have!
It is unusual because it is the only story where the stone is still firmly in place when the Marys arrive at the tomb.
Why, if the other Gospels have the stone rolled away, does Matthew have it still in place? Why did the angel roll back the stone from the tomb? It is certainly not so that Jesus can get out.
The women saw Jesus die, they saw Him placed in the tomb, and they saw “a great stone” rolled to the door of the tomb. In today’s Gospel they find the tomb exactly as they saw it on Good Friday. Nothing has changed. Nothing has happened.
The reason the angel rolled back the stone isn’t so Jesus can get out but so the women could look in, so that they could see He had been raised and is not there. And that means resurrection was already happening behind the “great stone” of their lives. It means that new life is always and already taking place even when we don’t see it … don’t expect it, or don’t think it can.
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
That’s why today we fill the church with alleluias, flowers, hymns, candles, white vestments and unreserved beauty. They do not set this place and day apart from all other places and days. Instead, they point to and reveal that resurrection is always and already happening in other places and other days. This is not the day of resurrection. It is another day of resurrection.
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
This is our story. And it’s worth repeating.
Alleluia. Christ is risen.
Alleluia. You and I are risen.
Alleluia. We are risen.
Amen
Hymn: 207 Hallelujah, sing to Jesus
Our Intercessions
The response to: Christ is Risen is He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Christ is Risen, and the power of His Resurrection fills the world with new life, hope, and expectation and so we bring Him all our praises and prayers.
Faithful God, we think of your Church today celebrating the Resurrection all over the world. Language, race, nationalities, colour may be different but our worship and our joy on this day make us one in the Gospel. We pray that the Holy Spirit may guide and strengthen us in mission and service, praying that day by day we may grow in love for you and for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Creator God, we live in a troubled world where so many leaders of nations are not content with their own people but want power over other nations too and will use violence to achieve it. We pray for the people of Ukraine and for those in the Middle East as war continues to cause devastation and great loss of life. We pray for all where injustice and violence tear apart the lives of so many innocent people.
We pray that the leaders of the nations of the world may give priority to those with the greatest need in the distribution of the world’s basic resources. On this special day we pray for peace, fairness, and justice for all.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Gracious God, on this Easter Day we bring before you our little church of St Clement where for centuries people have sung their praises and offered up their prayers to you. This is a special place of welcome for all who enter, whatever their colour or creed, whoever they maybe. Today, on this special day, we offer to you any worries or concerns we may have about our little church’s future and the well-being of all it serves. Please guide us in our thoughts and worship and may we always be mindful of our much-loved Reverend Diane’s and Father David’s well-being.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Father God, at this joyful Eastertide we pray for our families and friends especially for those joining us here in Cornwall during the Easter holiday. We thank you for the joy of sending and receiving Easter messages of love. Thank you for all the modern communication systems which bring our loved ones so close even when we are separated by great distances.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Loving God, we pray for those in need and ask you to wrap your loving arms around those who are suffering in any way. We especially pray for all those within our church family who need our prayers. We pray for the broken-hearted, for the sick, for the lonely, for those for whom there seems no light at the end of endless darkness, that your presence may comfort them in their time of need. We especially bring before you, Reverend Diane, Ken, Sabie, Brian, May, Susan, Lauren, Lynda, Sandra, Roger and Helen, Daphne and David, Pam and David, Dot, Maureen, Mary, Allison and Rob, Jan, Anita and Stephen, Michael and Patricia, Jeremy, Felicity, Callum and Elaine, Barbara, Laurie, Jeanette and Dave, all those who we know and those who have no one to pray for them.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Merciful God, we pray that all those who have recently died may share in the promise of new life won for us all by the Resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ and His triumph over death and the grave. Be with all those grieving loved ones and comfort them in their time of need.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia!
Father God, as we go out into the world, we pray that we may reflect your love in our families, our church, and our community; so that the world can witness that we are followers of Christ and draw others into His loving care.
Merciful Father: accept these prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
Christ is Risen: He is Risen indeed, Alleluia! Amen
We say together:
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, the power, and the glory, for ever and ever. Amen
The Stone Was Rolled Away
The morning light breaks soft and bright,
A whisper stirs the air,
The grave stands empty – death has lost,
For Christ is no longer there.
The stone was rolled, the veil was torn,
Redemption’s price was paid.
No earthly power could hold him in,
No tomb could make him stay.
The nails, the cross, the crown of thorns,
The weight of sin he bore,
Yet love refused to leave us lost –
Now grace for evermore.
So lift your eyes, O weary heart,
For hope has risen, life restored –
Rejoice this Easter Day.
The Peace
Jesus says: ‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you.
Do not let your hearts be troubled,
Neither let them be afraid.’
The peace of the Lord be always with you.
Hymn: 689 Thine be the glory
The Blessing
And now, may the God of Peace, who brought back again from the dead our Lord Jesus, equip us with all we need for doing his will.
May he produce in us, through the power of Jesus Christ, all that is pleasing to him.
To him be glory for ever and ever. Amen
Christ is risen. Alleluia!