Worship Resources for
the Center for Faith and Giving
Easter 2
Call to Worship
Leader: Behind closed doors
All: God’s Spirit blows over us
Leader: Through closed hearts
All: God’s Spirit works in us
Leader: In closed lives broken open by God’s resurrecting power,
All: We come to worship God,
to wonder at the work of the Spirit,
and to offer our praise for the Risen Christ!
Opening Prayer
Love Incarnate,
Creator of the bluebells and larks
Sustainer of the stars and galaxies
Redeemer of all that has life and breath,
Meeting us in our varied seasons of life,
you come into our midst, speaking to each and to all,
“peace be with you”.
As we gather this morning, sharing our alleluias for death overcome,
come into our midst with your connecting words,
“peace be with you”.
Assure us of your presence surrounding us.
Hold us close.
Support us with your sustaining words, “peace be with you”.
AMEN
(call to worship and opening prayers are adapted from https://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/worship/weekly-worship/monthly/april-2022/24th-april-2nd-sunday-of-easter#prayers)
Moment for Stewardship
The risen Christ appeared to his disciples a week after his resurrection. John tells us Thomas was there (along with the others), and Christ gave them all new energy as he spoke simple words: “peace be with you.”
Today, we have opportunity to follow the Christ, giving new energy and hope to those struggling with fear, despair, scarcity, hunger or loneliness. We share the peace of Christ with our neighbors, our sisters and brothers, through offering our time, our talents and our treasure. Your gifts today help provide (use specifics from your own congregation, as you can…or fill in with this general statement:)
“hope, abundance, food, relationships and deep peace.”
In the coming weeks, our offering will be translated into resources, sharing Christ’s peace with our own community and beyond.
As you have been blessed, so now you are invited to become a blessing for others as we receive our morning offering.
Prayer of Thanksgiving
God of Life and Love, we rejoice in the new life the risen Christ continues to bring to a weary world. So receive these gifts, and allow them to be multiplied and translated into all that will become PEACE for our neighbors, near and far. Build us up, that we might grow in our capacity to give, and to live out Christ’s love for each and for all. AMEN
Invitation to Communion
In John’s Gospel, the risen Christ, appearing to his disciples, speaks through the ages, saying “blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
We have not seen the risen Christ with our own eyes, but week by week, we’re welcomed to his table, invited to share with him in this meal of remembrance, and challenged to move out into the world as believers in Jesus as the Christ.
How blessed are we?
Blessed by recognizing the risen Christ every time we
take,
bless,
break
and give bread to one another.
Blessed by sharing elements which bind us to Christ and to one another.
Blessed by believing, even without seeing.
So come to this feast, eager to be renewed in faith,
strengthened for mission,
and sent out to be witnesses
of God’s love made known in Jesus,
the Christ.