Prelude           

The Chiming of the Bells                               

For The Procession: Hymn 179                              “Welcome, happy morning!”

1. “Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say:
hell today is vanquished, heaven is won today!
Lo! the Dead is living, God for evermore!
Him their true Creator, all his works adore!

Refrain:
“Welcome, happy morning!” age to age shall say.

2. Earth her joy confesses, clothing her for spring,
all fresh gifts returned with her returning King:
bloom in every meadow, leaves on every bough,
speak his sorrow ended, hail his triumph now. (Refrain)

3. Months in due succession, days of lengthening light,
hours and passing moments praise thee in their flight.
Brightness of the morning, sky and fields and sea,
Vanquisher of darkness, bring their praise to thee. (Refrain)

4. Maker and Redeemer, life and health of all,
thou from heaven beholding human nature’s fall,
of the Father’s Godhead true and only Son,
mankind to deliver, manhood didst put on. (Refrain)

5. Thou, of life the Author, death didst undergo,
tread the path of darkness, saving strength to show;
come then, true and faithful, now fulfill thy word,
’tis thine own third morning! rise, O buried Lord! (Refrain)

6. Loose the souls long prisoned, bound with Satan’s chain:
all that now is fallen raise to life again;
show thy face in brightness, bid the nations see;
bring again our daylight: day returns with thee! (Refrain)

Flowering of the Cross                                        

The Word of God

Opening Acclamation                                                                     

The people standing

Celebrant Alleluia. Christ is risen.

People The Lord is risen indeed.  Alleluia.

Hymn of Praise:                                                                                     S280

Glory to God in the highest, and peace to his people on earth.

Lord God, heavenly King, almighty God and Father

we worship you, we give you thanks, we praise you for your glory.

Lord Jesus Christ, only Son of the Father, Lord God, Lamb of God,

you take away the sin of the world: have mercy on us;

you are seated at the right hand of the Father; receive our prayer.

For you alone are the Holy One, you alone are the Lord,

you alone are the Most High, Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit,

in the glory of God the Father. Amen.

The Collect of the Day:

The Celebrant says to the people

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Let us pray.

O God, who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by his glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy:  

Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with him in the joy of his resurrection; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.

The Congregation is seated.  

The First Reading Isaiah 65:17-25

I am about to create new heavens
and a new earth;

the former things shall not be remembered
or come to mind.

But be glad and rejoice forever
in what I am creating;

for I am about to create Jerusalem as a joy,
and its people as a delight.

I will rejoice in Jerusalem,
and delight in my people;

no more shall the sound of weeping be heard in it,
or the cry of distress.

No more shall there be in it
an infant that lives but a few days,
or an old person who does not live out a lifetime;

for one who dies at a hundred years will be considered a youth,
and one who falls short of a hundred will be considered accursed.

They shall build houses and inhabit them;
they shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.

They shall not build and another inhabit;
they shall not plant and another eat;

for like the days of a tree shall the days of my people be,
and my chosen shall long enjoy the work of their hands.

They shall not labor in vain,
or bear children for calamity;

for they shall be offspring blessed by the Lord–
and their descendants as well.

Before they call I will answer,
while they are yet speaking I will hear.

The wolf and the lamb shall feed together,
the lion shall eat straw like the ox;
but the serpent– its food shall be dust!

They shall not hurt or destroy
on all my holy mountain, says the Lord.

Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24 

1 Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good; *
his mercy endures for ever.

2 Let Israel now proclaim, *
“His mercy endures for ever.”

14 The Lord is my strength and my song, *
and he has become my salvation.

15 There is a sound of exultation and victory *
in the tents of the righteous:

16 “The right hand of the Lord has triumphed! *
the right hand of the Lord is exalted!
the right hand of the Lord has triumphed!”

17 I shall not die, but live, *
and declare the works of the Lord.

18 The Lord has punished me sorely, *
but he did not hand me over to death.

19 Open for me the gates of righteousness; *
I will enter them;
I will offer thanks to the Lord.

20 “This is the gate of the Lord; *
he who is righteous may enter.”

21 I will give thanks to you, for you answered me *
and have become my salvation.

22 The same stone which the builders rejected *
has become the chief cornerstone.

23 This is the Lord‘s doing, *
and it is marvelous in our eyes.

24 On this day the Lord has acted; *
we will rejoice and be glad in it.

The Second Reading      Acts 10:34-43
Peter began to speak to Cornelius and the other Gentiles: “I truly understand that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him. You know the message he sent to the people of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ–he is Lord of all. That message spread throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee after the baptism that John announced: how God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power; how he went about doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him. We are witnesses to all that he did both in Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a tree; but God raised him on the third day and allowed him to appear, not to all the people but to us who were chosen by God as witnesses, and who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. He commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one ordained by God as judge of the living and the dead. All the prophets testify about him that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.”

For The Sequence: Hymn 199                        Come, ye faithful, raise the strain

1. Come, ye faithful, raise the strain
of triumphant gladness!
God hath brought his Israel
into joy from sadness:
loosed from Pharaoh’s bitter yoke
Jacob’s sons and daughters,
led them with unmoistened foot
through the Red Sea waters.

2. ‘Tis the spring of souls today:
Christ hath burst his prison,
and from three days’ sleep in death
as a sun hath risen;
all the winter of our sins,
long and dark, is flying
from his light, to whom we give
laud and praise undying.

3. Now the queen of seasons, bright
with the day of splendor,
with the royal feast of feasts,
comes its joy to render;
comes to glad Jerusalem,
who with true affection
welcomes in unwearied strains
Jesus’ resurrection.

4. Neither might the gates of death,
nor the tomb’s dark portal,
nor the watchers, nor the seal
hold thee as a mortal:
but today amidst thine own
thou didst stand, bestowing
that thy peace which evermore
passeth human knowing.

The Holy Gospel                                   Luke 24:1-12 The Holy Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ According to Luke

People Glory to you, Lord Christ

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women who had come with Jesus from Galilee came to the tomb, taking the spices that they had prepared. They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but when they went in, they did not find the body. While they were perplexed about this, suddenly two men in dazzling clothes stood beside them. The women were terrified and bowed their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here, but has risen. Remember how he told you, while he was still in Galilee, that the Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, and be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” Then they remembered his words, and returning from the tomb, they told all this to the eleven and to all the rest. Now it was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told this to the apostles. But these words seemed to them an idle tale, and they did not believe them. But Peter got up and ran to the tomb; stooping and looking in, he saw the linen cloths by themselves; then he went home, amazed at what had happened.

After the Gospel, the Reader says

The Gospel of the Lord.

People Praise to you, Lord Christ.

The Sermon    The Reverend Patrick Sanders

The Nicene Creed                                                                           Prayer Book 358

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven 

and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, 

eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light,

true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the 

Father.  Through him all things were made. For us and for our 

salvation he came down from heaven: by the power of the Holy 

Spirit he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary, and was made 

man.  For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he 

suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again

in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven

and is seated at the right hand of the Father.  He will come again in 

glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who

proceeds from the Father and the Son.  With the Father and the Son

he is worshiped and glorified.  He has spoken through the Prophets.  

We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.  We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.  We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come.  Amen.

The Prayers of the People                                                                

The Leader and the People pray responsively. The people may stand or kneel.

Presider:  We gather to rejoice in the message delivered to us from the women at the tomb on the third day, that Jesus is not among the dead, but he has risen!  Hear our prayers, O God, and continue your work of bringing life out of death, as we pray:  Alleluia!  On this day the Holy One has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia!

Litanist:  Eternal One, from the first Easter dawn your Church has proclaimed the resurrection of Christ and preached peace in his name:  Empower your people to live in his life, to share in his communion, and to continue his ministry of healing and reconciliation in the world.  Alleluia!  On this day the Holy One has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia!

Everlasting God, in Christ you have initiated the new heaven and the new earth of your reign:  Let his peaceful Spirit of justice inspire the leaders of our nation and of every nation, that all may reverence you and do what is right and acceptable to bring delight to all people.   Alleluia!  On this day the Holy One has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia!

Loving God, bless this community and all towns and cities, that people may build houses and inhabit them, plant vineyards and eat their fruit, and that no more shall there be an infant that lives but a few days or an old person who does not live out a lifetime, but that our days may be like the days of a tree.  Alleluia!  On this day the Holy One has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia!

Compassionate One, your mercy endures for ever and your right hand is exalted:  Be with people everywhere who live with death, disease, poverty or oppression, and deliver them with your power.   Alleluia!  On this day the Holy One has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia!

We remember those for whom we pray in intercession this day, especially those we now mention aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause); all those serving our country at home and abroad; and those on our prayer list.  We rejoice and give thanks for God’s many blessings, especially for those celebrating birthdays and anniversaries  Suzie, Will, Julie, Lonnie, Karen, Earline, April, Mike & Sue.  We entrust to the new life of resurrection those who have died, especially those we now remember aloud or in the silence of our hearts (pause).  The right hand of the Most High has triumphed; the right hand of the Most High is exalted.  Alleluia!  On this day the Holy One has acted; we will rejoice and be glad in it.  Alleluia!

Presider:  The stone is rolled away from the tomb, and we stand amazed before the resurrection gift of God:  Fill our hearts with new life and hope, that we may continually be witnesses of the power of God, as brothers and sisters in the fellowship of Christ and servants of your Spirit of healing and reconciliation, through the saving work of our Savior Jesus Christ.  Amen.

The Peace

Celebrant: The Peace of the Lord be always with you.

People: And also with you.

The Ministers and People greet one another in the name of the Lord.

Announcements

Oblations brought forward (congregation stands)

Offertory  Alleluia, Christ is risen 

Presentation Hymn                                                      Sung to tune of 618

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;

praise him all creatures here below.  Alleluia, alleluia.

  Praise him above, ye heavenly host: Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.  

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia.

The Holy Communion

Eucharistic Prayer A                                                                       Prayer Book 361

The Lord be with you.

People And also with you.

Celebrant Lift up your hearts.

People We lift them to the Lord.

Celebrant Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

People It is right to give him thanks and praise.

Celebrant It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and

earth.

Celebrant

It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.

The Celebrant adds an additional prayer (Proper Preface) followed by

Therefore we praise you, joining our voices with Angels and Archangels and with all the company of heaven, who for ever sing this hymn to proclaim the glory of your Name:

Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of Hosts:
Heaven and earth are full of thy glory.
Glory be to thee, O Lord Most High.

Here may be added

Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

The Celebrant continues

Holy and gracious Father: In your infinite love you made us for yourself; and, when we had fallen into sin and become subject to evil and death, you, in your mercy, sent Jesus Christ, your only and eternal Son, to share our human nature, to live and die as one of us, to reconcile us to you, the God and Father of all.  He stretched out his arms upon the cross, and offered himself, in obedience to your will, a perfect sacrifice for the whole world.

On the night he was handed over to suffering and death, our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat:  This is my body, which is given for you.  Do this for the remembrance of me.” After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.  Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”

Therefore, we proclaim the mystery of faith:

Celebrant and People say together                                                                               

Christ has died.

Christ is risen.

Christ will come again.

The Celebrant continues

We celebrate the memorial of our redemption, O Father, in this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving.  Recalling his death, resurrection, and ascension, we offer you these gifts.

Sanctify them by your Holy Spirit to be for your people the Body and Blood of your son, the holy food and drink of new and unending life in him.  Sanctify us also that we may faithfully receive this holy Sacrament, and serve you in unity, constancy, and peace; and at the last day bring us with all your saints into the joy of your eternal kingdom.

All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ.  By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever.  Amen.

Celebrant:

And now, as our Savior Christ has taught us, we are bold to say,

The Lord’s Prayer                                                                                 

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, and the power, and the glory for ever and ever. Amen.

The Breaking of the Bread

The Celebrant breaks the consecrated Bread as a period of silence is kept.

Alleluia. Christ our Passover is sacrificed for us;

Therefore let us keep the feast.  Alleluia.

Celebrant:

The Gifts of God for the People of God. 

Communion of the People

Wherever you are on your journey of faith you are welcome at this table.

For the Communion:                                                                         

Hymn 208                                                                    Alleluia!  The strife is o’er

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

1. The strife is o’er, the battle done,
the victory of life is won;
the song of triumph has begun.
Alleluia!

2. The powers of death have done their worst,
but Christ their legions hath dispersed:
let shout of holy joy outburst.
Alleluia!

3. The three sad days are quickly sped,
he rises glorious from the dead:
all glory to our risen Head!
Alleluia!

4. He closed the yawning gates of hell,
the bars from heaven’s high portals fell;
let hymns of praise his triumphs tell!
Alleluia!

5. Lord! by the stripes which wounded thee,
from death’s dread sting thy servants free,
that we may live and sing to thee.
Alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Post Communion Prayer                                                      Prayer Book 365

Celebrant Let us pray.

Celebrant and people

Eternal God, heavenly Father, you have graciously accepted us as living members of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, and you have fed us with spiritual food in the Sacrament of his Body and Blood.  Send us now into the world in peace, and grant us strength and courage to love and serve you with gladness and singleness of heart;  through Christ our Lord. Amen.

For The Retiring Procession:

Hymn:  180
He is risen, He is risen!

1. He is risen, he is risen!
Tell it out with joyful voice:
he has burst his three days’ prison;
let the whole wide earth rejoice:
death is conquered, we are free,
Christ has won the victory.

2. Come, ye sad and fearful-hearted,
with glad smile and radiant brow!
Death’s long shadows have departed;
Jesus’ woes are over now,
and the passion that he bore–
sin and pain can vex no more.

3. Come, with high and holy hymning,
hail our Lord’s triumphant day;
not one darksome cloud is dimming
yonder glorious morning ray,
breaking o’er the purple east,
symbol of our Easter feast.

4. He is risen, he is risen!
He hath opened heaven’s gate:
we are free from sin’s dark prison,
risen to a holier state;
and a brighter Easter beam
on our longing eyes shall stream.

Blessing

Dismissal

Serving Today

Chris Scarborough, Reader     Duncan Ing, Reader

Marie Porter, Chalice    Rod Rishel, Chalice

Carl Rackley, Usher     Tim Barrineau, Usher

Mike Fitzgerald, Vestry Person  

JT Anglin, Organist, choirmaster

       The Rev. Scott Williams, Deacon        

                                       The Rev. Patrick Sanders, Rector