Worship I 4/12/20
Even though we aren’t gathering in person today, we invite you to join your SSUMC community by reading through this worship guide. Together, we’ll say the same prayers, read the same scripture, and reflect on where God is calling us in this Easter season. We worship a God who always brings life out of death. May we pray and worship without ceasing. This is the day the Lord has made: Let us rejoice and be glad in it!
The Worship of God
Sandy Springs UMC
April 5, 2020 | Easter Sunday
Call to Worship
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Sing for joy, O heavens, and exult, O earth; break forth, O mountains, into singing!
For God has comforted us, and will have compassion on suffering ones.
Jesus said, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me, even though they die, will live, and everyone who lives and believes in me will never die.”
For Christ has been raised from the dead, the first fruits of those who have died.
And we shout with triumph: Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”
Christ is risen!
He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Opening Song - Christ the Lord is Risen
Children's Moment
Children’s Easter Activities
Pastoral Prayer & Lord’s Prayer
And now let us pray together the prayer that Jesus taught us, saying:
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. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever, Amen.
If you have a prayer request, submit it HERE. Prayers will be e-mailed on Fridays, except those marked confidential.
Scripture: John 20:1-18
Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.’ Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went towards the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.
But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two angels in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping?’ She said to them, ‘They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.’ When she had said this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, ‘Woman, why are you weeping? For whom are you looking?’ Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary!’ She turned and said to him in Hebrew, ‘Rabbouni!’ (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, ‘Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.” ’ Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, ‘I have seen the Lord’; and she told them that he had said these things to her.
This is the Word of God, for us, the people of God: Thanks be to God!
Reflection
Apostle’s Creed
Offering
As you listen to the offertory song, we invite you to give towards the ministries of the church and a special offering to feed our neighbors in need. You can give online HERE--select “General Fund” for your regular giving, where you can give one-time or set-up a recurring gift. Select “Easter Offering” for the special offering towards the food pantries. You can also text ssumcgive to 73256 or write a check and mail it to the church. Thank you for your generosity and all you do to make sure SSUMC continues to change lives.
Offertory Song
Benediction
Benediction Response -