The Day of Resurrection
* Those who are able please stand
Organ Prelude “Easter Day” (C. Loret)
Easter Welcome, Welcome Back
Choral Offering “Rise Up Singing” (Craig Courtney)
Responsive Call to Worship
Leader: Christ is Risen!
All: He is risen indeed!
*Opening Hymn #123 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
*Unison Prayer of Gathering and New Life
Triumphant God, humble in your love, wise in your way, and here in our midst, now draw our many spirits to the glorious height and eternal hope of your resurrection. Take all of us who have been apart so long, and unite us in your bold, living, loving Spirit. Rejoice with us and guide us past fear. Reveal to us the promises beyond the powers of death. Assure us that fear and death do not get the last word in Jesus’ way, and connect us to the risen, rejoicing, radical power of your Messiah. Transform our brokenness so we receive and share the wholeness of new life this Easter. We pray all this in Jesus’ beloved name, Amen.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
* Hymn Response #115 Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain (verse 2)
*Sharing of the Peace
One Voice: The Peace of Christ be always with you. All: And also with you!The Gospel Reading Mark 16: 1-8
Special Music Duet Psalm 95 (Felix Mendelssohn)
The History of Easter Acts 10: 34-43
The Easter Acclamation The Rev. Kenneth F. Baily
Choral Offering “Rise Up Singing” (Craig Courtney)
*Easter Doxology
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise Christ the word in flesh born low,
Praise Holy Spirit evermore,
One God, Triune, whom we adore. Amen.
*Hymn (insert) Now the Green Blade Rises
Celebration of Holy Communion
All: For this table is spread for you and for me that we might know that God has come to us and shared our common lot and invited us to receive life anew. Indeed, God has triumphed even over death.
So we come to this table for thanksgiving, for grace, for God’s presence, for peace.
Leader: Let us unite our voices in preparation. God be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to God!
Leader: Let us praise God, speaking together:
All: Santo, Santo, Santo… Holy Holy, Holy: God of power and
might; Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Blessed is the Christ, who comes in the name of our creator: Hosannah in the highest! Alleluia!
The Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer
Our Father and Mother, 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.
Sharing of Communion (You are welcome at the station closest to you)
*Prayer of Thanksgiving
*Closing Hymn #108 Christ is Alive!
*Benediction
*Choral Response “Christ is Risen” (Lloyd Larson)
Postlude “Christ the Lord is Risen Today” (arr. Lani Smith)
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Thanks to worship leaders Kenneth Baily, Yevgenia Semeina, Jan Zimmerman,
Wendy Donnell, Joy Huber, Tannika Scott, Mission Committee, & Misha Hill.
Each Sunday, NHCC is blessed to be able to include remote members and friends in worship via YouTube and on our website. Our services are live streamed and recorded. We don’t control who can watch or who can be seen. If you do not wish to have your likeness recorded, streamed, or photographed, please inform a greeter so you can be seated appropriately.
If you would like to be on our list to learn more about mission and ministry here,
if you would like to connect with our new member group, participate in adult education, church school or other events, and even make a donation — and if you have a smartphone, please scan the qr code and access plenty of our parish information. (Also, you can talk to our reader or pastor, any day at all.)
Newton Highlands Congregational Church
United Church of Christ
An Open and Affirming, Still Speaking Congregation
54 Lincoln Street
Newton Highlands, Massachusetts 02461
(617) 527-3898
Visit our website at www.nhcc.net
The Rev. Dr. Kenneth F. Baily, Senior Pastor
Wendy Donnell, Director of Christian Education
Jan Zimmerman, Music Director
Yevgenia Semeina, Organist
Judah Coffman, Office Administrator
Sally Brickell, Moderator
Yoko Bryden, Buildings Manager
Misha Hill, Worship Technician