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Invitation to Worship
Our Love is truly risen! Alleluia! Alleluia!
O Holy One + open my lips.
~And my mouth will proclaim your praise.
The stone which the builder rejected, Alleluia
~Has become the cornerstone, Alleluia!
Hymn for Easter Mornings
The Day of Resurrection! Earth spread the news abroad!
The Paschal feast of gladness, the Paschal feast of God.
From death to life eternal, From earth to heaven’s height
Our savior Christ has brought us, the glorious Lord of Light.
Our hearts be free from evil That we may see aright
The savior resurrected In his eternal light;
And hear the message plainly, Delivered calm and clear:
“Rejoice with me in triumph, Be glad and do not fear.”
Now let the heav’ns be joyful, and Earth her song begin,
The whole world keep high triumph And all that is therein;
Let all things in creation Their notes of gladness blend,
For Christ our Love has risen, Our Joy that has no end.
Text: John of Damascus (+749) tr. JM Neale; Tune: ELLACOMBE 76 76 D (1784);
PSALMODY
Antiphon
God goes up with shouts of joy!
Adonai goes up with trumpet blasts! Alleluia!
Psalm 46/47
All you peoples, clap your hands,
cry to God with shouts of joy!
For Adonai, the Most High is awesome and great;
and reigns over the Earth with such love!
God’s love overwhelms those who hate;
and changes foes into allies and friends.
All we have, has been given by God,
given to us out of love.
God goes up with shouts of joy;
Adonai goes up with the blast of trumpets.
Sing praise for God, sing praise.
Sing praise to Love, sing praise!
God-Love reigns over all the earth,
sing praise with all your skill!
God-Love reigns over the nations;
God-Love is enthroned in holiness.
The holy ones from every tradition
are assembled with the saints of our own.
We are all one family of God
whose Love reigns over us all.
Glory to the One and to the Word
and to the Breath of Love
as always before,
so now and evermore. Amen.
God goes up with shouts of joy!
Adonai goes up with trumpet blasts! Alleluia!
READING Acts 8: 29-38
Philip ran up to [the Ethiopian eunuch] and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet; Philip asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” The man replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him as he read:
“As a sheep led to the slaughter, or a lamb before its shearer is mute and opens not his mouth…” … Philip then began with this passage in order to share the good news of Jesus. As they continued on the journey they came to some water, and the eunuch said, “Look here is some water! What is to prevent my being baptized?” So they stopped the chariot and both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water, where Philip baptized him.
Responsory
R. Baptized into union with Christ we have all put on Christ as a garment * we are all one person in Christ Jesus our Lord: alleluia, alleluia! V. There is no such thing as Jew and Greek, slave and free, male and female* we are all one person in Christ Jesus our Lord, alleluia, alleluia! V. Glory to the Abba and the Word and the Holy Breath of Love.
Canticle of Zachariah
Antiphon
I am the Living Bread
that came down from heaven,alleluia, alleluia!
Blessed + be Adonai, the God of Israel,
Who visits this people to set us free
Raising for us a sign of salvation
In the house and family of David.
God promised throughout past ages
In words of holy prophets
To save us from our enemies,
And from the control of our oppressors.
Adonai favored our ancestors
And remembered the sacred covenant.
The pledge to Abraham and Sarah
Is now renewed for us;
That freed from the grip of our foes
We might worship without fear
And be both just and holy
For the rest of our days.
And you, child, called “prophet of the Most High,”
Will go ahead to prepare the way,
By teaching this people of salvation
Through forgiveness of their sins.
For the loving compassion of the Holy One
As the Rising Sun will shine upon us
To illumine the darkness and dispel death’s shadow
To Guide our feet on the way of peace.
Glory to the ONE and to the WORD
And to the BREATH of Love!
As always before,
so now and evermore. Amen
I am the Living Bread
that came down from heaven, alleluia, alleluia!
SERVICE OF PRAYER
Litany of Intercession
O Risen Christ, you are the living bread that came down from heaven,
~free us to share all that you give us to sustain and nourish life.
O Risen Christ, you gave your flesh and blood for the life of the world;
~free us to use our hearts, minds and bodies to share our lives with the world.
O Risen Christ, you revealed yourself as the Way and Truth of eternal Life , ~free us to embrace your way of life with its loving, forgiving, valuing, including and serving others.
O Risen Christ, you sent Philip to be a spiritual companion for the Ethiopian eunuch and to welcome him into the community of your disciples; ~ free us to walk with and welcome those whom society, culture and religion exclude or oppress for being different in any way.
O Risen Christ, the Universe celebrates the glory and beauty of your resurrection with every sunrise, the sprouting of every seed, and the birth of every new life; ~free us to live mindfully in harmony with Mother Earth and all of Earthkind.
Prayer of Jesus
Our Father…
Closing Prayer
Good and Gracious God, creator and ruler of the universe, in every age you have called human beings to develop and use their gifts, talents and abilities to contribute to the common good. Help us to do the special work you have asked from each of us so that we can join you and the rest of Earthkind in the ongoing work of creation where the power and glory of your love is revealed now and forever. Amen
Blessing
May the God of Life and Light who raised Jesus from the dead + bless us and grant us peace. ~Amen.
Let us bless Adonai, Alleluia, Alleluia!. ~Thanks be to God, Alleluia, Alleluia!