This is a communion service, please have bread and juice on hand so you can participate
Easter celebration at 10:30 can be found at this link. (The recording remains on the site if you want to view it later.)
Acknowledgement of the Land
For thousands of years, Indigenous people have walked on this land. The relationship with the land is at the center of their lives. We acknowledge the first peoples and their stewardship of this land throughout the ages. The land we worship and live on is part of Treaty 1. Our water comes from Treaty 3 and our hydro from Treaty 5 territories. We acknowledge errors made in the past by those arriving from other lands, and we pledge to work towards the right relationships with all First Nations people.
This Is the Day
This is the day [x2] That the Lord has made [x2]
We will rejoice [x2] And be glad in it [x2]
This is the day that the Lord has made
We will rejoice and be glad in it
This is the day [x2] That the Lord has made.
Aja ko din, Aja ko din,
Unle sree je ka, Unle sree je ka,
Romaundai jaun Khushee manow
Ra ananda Garoun, Ra ananda Garoun,
Aja ko din Unle sree je ka
Romanundai jaun Khushee manow
Aja ko din, Aja ko din
Unle sree je ka
Hamba Nathi
Zulu Hamba nathi Mkhululi wethu x4
Mkhululi, Mkhululi,Mkhululi wethu x4
English You are holy, you show us the way x4
You show us, you show us, you show us the way x4
Tagalog Banal ka ipakita ang daan x4
Ipakita, ipakita ang daan x4
Nepali Hamro yatra lamo lamo chha x4
Lamo chha, lamo chha, lamo lamo chha x4
MV51 Yahweh Be Praised
Yahweh be praised in the heavens
Yahweh be praised in the streets
Yahweh be praised with our singing
when in worship we meet.
Yahweh be praised (x8)
Call to Worship
One: The discovery of courageous women at the tomb.
All: “Jesus is risen!”
One: The voices of astounded disciples.
All: “He is risen!”
One: The joyful cry of Easter Christians down the ages.
All: Christ is risen!”
One: Joy beyond joy; hope beyond home; love beyond love;
yes, Christ is risen!
All: He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Singing: VU #155 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
- Jesus Christ is risen today, hallelujah!
our triumphant holy day, hallelujah!
who did once, upon the cross, hallelujah!
suffer to redeem our loss. Hallelujah!
- Hymns of praise then let us sing hallelujah!
unto Christ, our heavenly King, hallelujah!
who endured the cross and grave, hallelujah!
sinners to redeem and save. Hallelujah!
- But the pains which he endured, hallelujah!
our salvation have procured; hallelujah!
now above the key he’s King, hallelujah!
where the angels ever sing. Hallelujah!
- Sing we to our God above, hallelujah!
praise eternal as God’s love; hallelujah!
praise our God, ye heavenly host, hallelujah!
praise the Son and Holy Ghost. Hallelujah!
Passing the Peace
Children’s Time: Creating Flowers
(for this time children are invited to bring three or four Kleenexes and an elastic band or twist tie)
Lord’s Prayer (all languages welcome and spoken)
Music Ministry: MV 161 I Have Called You by Your Name
- I have called you by your name, you are mine;
I have gifted you and ask you now to shine.
I will not abandon you; all my promises are true.
You are gifted, called, and chosen; you are mine.
- I will help you learn my name as you go;
read it written in my people, help them grow.
Pour the water in my name,
speak the word your soul can claim,
offer Jesus’ body, given long ago.
- I know you will need my touch as you go;
feel it pulsing in creation’s ebb and flow.
Like the woman reaching out,
choosing faith in spite of doubt,
hold the hem of Jesus’ robe, then let it go.
- I have given you a name, it is mine;
I have given you my Spirit as a sign.
with my wonder in your soul, make my wounded children whole;
Go and tell my precious people they are mine.
Scripture Reading: John 20: 1-18
Reflection: I Have Called You by Your Name: Resurrection People
Offering
The ministry and mission of Knox continues, even when the building is closed. God’s love and concern for those who are struggling is shared. You make it possible to carry this message to everyone. If you normally give when you are in worship, we encourage you to continue your regular donations through Canada Helps. The link is here: https://www.canadahelps.org/en/charities/107576134RR0001-knox-united-church/ All donations made will be forwarded to Knox Winnipeg. Or, if you have envelopes, you could put your offering in an envelope each Sunday and bring them with you when we get back to in person worship. Thank you for your generosity in these times of trouble.
Offering Song: MV 88 Over My Head (sung in English and French)
English: Over my head, I hear music in the air (3x)
There must be a God somewhere
French: Aud’ssus de moi, c’est d’la musique que j’entends. (3x)
Il ya un Dieu quelque part.
Invitation to Communion
Prayer for Communion:
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed!
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Holy Mystery that is Wholly Love….
And so we rejoice with all your people of every time and place,
and with angels and archangels, to proclaim the glory of your name:
Holy, holy, holy, Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full
of your glory. Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
It is Jesus, God incarnate, the Risen Christ,
who joins us together as a community of broken but hopeful believers….
In sharing this meal, we live out the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.
Holy Mystery, God the Spirit….
Through Christ, in Christ, and with Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory is yours, God most holy,
now and forever.
Breaking the Bread, Pouring the Cup
The body of Christ,
the bread of life.
The lifeblood of Christ,
the cup of blessing.
The gifts of God for the people of God,
Thanks be to God!
Singing: MV #201 I am the Bread of Life
I am the bread of life, broken for the world,
I am the cup poured out for all.
Those who believe in me will never die.
I am the life of the world.
Sharing of the Meal
Community Prayer
Prayer Litany (Ted Dodd)
In John’s gospel account, the first Easter happened while it was still night,
In our pandemic world, it can feel like we are in perpetual night.
People are dying.
Folk are quarantined.
Front line workers are in danger.
God of Easter, grant us hope and a sense of daylight.
In John’s gospel, the Easter morning the disciples seem to run in circles and do not understand.
In the face of COVID 19, so much is
confusing,
upsetting and
stressful.
God of Resurrection, grant us peace and a spirit of prayerfulness.
In John’s gospel account of the first Easter, Mary Magdalene stood at the tomb weeping,
In this virus world of social isolation, a lot of us are weeping,
in grief,
in fear,
in anxiety.
God of the Empty Tomb, grant us reassurance and a willingness to see the world without despair.
In the gospel, despite death and misunderstanding and tears,
Easter happened.
A stone was rolled away.
Angels appeared.
Jesus spoke Mary’s name.
God of the gospel good news,
speak each of our names, that we might know assurance and faith.
God of Easter,
roll away the stone of sadness, that we might be people of hope.
God of Resurrection,
race with us to the site of new life, that we might live in courage.
God of the Empty Tomb,
help us to see angels, that we might experience strength.
As we together throughout the world unite to slow the pandemic, you are invited to pray for:
- Stopping the spread of the virus
- Restoring the already infected
- Peace for families who have lost loved ones
- Restoring the world’s economies
- Wisdom for governments to deal with the outbreak.
- Our Knox family and Community HUB friends in our efforts to adjust to physical distancing and social networking, recognizing our deep interconnectedness and our need to support one another
Singing: VU 173 Thine Is the Glory
- Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son;
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.
Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes where thy body lay.
Refrain
Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son:
endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.
- Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom.
Let his church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
for the Lord now liveth; death hath lost its sting. R
- No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life;
life is nought without thee; aid us in our strife;
make us more than conquerors, through thy deathless love;
bring us safe through Jordan to thy home above. R
Blessing
Singing: VU 884 You Shall Go Out with Joy
You shall go out with joy
and be led forth with peace
The mountains and the hills
will break forth before you
There’ll be shouts of joy,
and all the trees of the field will clap,
will clap their hands
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands xx
The trees of the field will clap their hands xx
The trees of the field will clap their hands
While you go out with joy.