Resurrection Sunday Sunrise Service

Sunrise Service – April 16, 2006

Welcome and Instructions:

Opening Prayer (spoken together)

Lord Jesus, we greet You, risen from the dead, victorious over sin and

death, over suffering and shame, over all evil and wrong.

Lord Jesus, we greet You, risen from the dead, overcoming by the power of

love, by patient trust and perseverance, by faith in God alone.

Lord Jesus, we greet You, risen from the dead, proving that nothing can

separate us from God’s love, showing us how far that love will go, and

suffering for the sins of the world.

Lord Jesus, we greet You, risen from the dead, and we offer You our thanks

and our praise, our prayers and our worship, our devotion and our service.

Lord, Jesus, we greet You, and we pray to you, and we pray through you,

and we pray with joy and confidence as you taught us, saying Our Father...

Gospel Reading: John 19:31-20:18

Prayer:

PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

On this day we overflow with thanks and praise, O God,

for this is the day you have made,

- the day that fills us with both fear and great joy.

On this day you sent your angels to roll back the stone

and you raised Jesus, who had been crucified, from the dead.

Never again need we search for Jesus

in the places of dead memories and buried dreams,

for now he has been raised and goes forever ahead of us

to open the gates of justice,

preaching peace and the forgiveness of sins.

Indeed though he was the stone rejected by the builders,

you have made him the cornerstone,

the rock on which is founded the life everlasting,

the life that is hidden for us in Christ

until it is revealed with Christ in glory.

We thank you and we praise you O God,

both now, and through your living word,

eternally. Amen. Amen.

Hym 215 “Alleluia! Alleluia!”

John Donne (1572-1631)

Holy Sonnets: Death, be not proud

1Death, be not proud, though some have called thee

2Mighty and dreadful, for thou art not so;

3For those whom thou think’st thou dost overthrow,

4Die not, poor Death, nor yet canst thou kill me.

5From rest and sleep, which but thy pictures be,

6Much pleasure; then from thee much more must flow,

7And soonest our best men with thee do go,

8Rest of their bones, and soul’s delivery.

9Thou art slave to fate, chance, kings, and desperate men,

10And dost with poison, war, and sickness dwell;

11And poppy or charms can make us sleep as well

12And better than thy stroke; why swell’st thou then?

13One short sleep past, we wake eternally,

14And death shall be no more; Death, thou shalt die.

Introducing the Exsultet:

The Exsultet, sometimes seen as "Exultet" is an ancient chant (from before 300AD) sung during the Easter Vigil. It is traditionally sung by the deacon after the Paschal candle has been lit and the clergy have processed to the altar. The tone of the hymn is very much one of joy at having received so great a gift as our redemption and eternal life.

The Exsultet:

Rejoice, heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels!

Exult, all creation around God’s throne!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Sound the trumpet of salvation!

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Rejoice, 0 earth, in shining splendor,

radiant in the brightness of our King!

Christ has conquered! Glory fills you!

Darkness vanishes for ever!

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

Rejoice, 0 holy Church! Exult in glory!

The risen Savior shines upon you!

Let this place resound with joy,

echoing the mighty song of all God’s people!

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

It is truly right that we should praise you,

invisible, almighty, and eternal God, and your Son, Jesus Christ.

for Christ has ransomed us with his blood,

and paid the debt of Adam’s sin to deliver your faithful people.

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

This our Passover feast, when Christ, the true Lamb, is slain.

This the night when first you saved our forebears,

you freed the people of Israel from their slavery

and led them with dry feet through the sea.

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

This the night when the pillar of fire destroyed the darkness of sin!

This the night when Christians everywhere,

washed clean of sin and freed from all defilement,

restored to grace and grow together in holiness.

Rejoice, heavenly powers!

Sing, choirs of angels!

Jesus Christ, our King, is risen!

This the night when Jesus Christ broke the chains of death

and rose triumphant from the grave.