Lectionary Readings
Acts 2:14a, 36–41
Peter continues: Repent and be baptized; receive the Holy Spirit.
Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19
Death encompassed me, but God delivered me; praise the Lord!
1 Peter 1:17–23
You were saved by the blood of Christ; you have been born anew.
Luke 24:13–35
On the road to Emmaus, two disciples meet the risen Lord.
— Gathering —
Opening Sentences
Jesus the Christ has freed us from death
and brought us into new life.
Through Christ, we have faith and hope in God.
In genuine, mutual love,
let us worship with one heart and one voice.
In reverence and joy, we praise God’s holy name!
Prayer of the Day
Risen and Living God,
in your endless love and grace,
you have given us all we need.
Open our weary eyes
to moments when need meets resource
and longing is satisfied in giving.
Send us where you need us
and fill us with your purpose,
so that all people may know the wonder and joy
of your redeeming presence,
through Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Thanksgiving For Baptism
At the baptismal font:
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
O Lord our God, we give you thanks
for the new life you raise up in us
through the mystery of our baptism—
the sorrow of the heavy cross,
the surprise of the empty tomb,
the love that death could not destroy.
By the power of your Holy Spirit,
poured out upon us in baptism,
fill us with the joy of resurrection,
so that we may be a living sign
of your new heaven and new earth;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Confession and Pardon
At the baptismal font:
As we continue our celebration
of the resurrection of Jesus Christ,
we are called to repent,
remembering that the promise of Jesus Christ
is for us, for our children, for our siblings,
for all who are near and all who are far,
for everyone called to God.
In confidence, let us confess our sin.
Eternally patient God,
we ask again and again,
“What should we do?”
And again and again, you tell us,
“Repent and return to me.”
Yet we have not changed our ways.
We fall into old habits,
cling to our own ways,
and take for granted the grace you have given us.
Once again, we ask you for forgiveness.
Show us the way forward
and help us return, once again, to you.
Lifting water from the font:
Beloved, hear this good news:
through Christ you have come to trust in God,
who raised Christ from the dead and gave him glory,
so that your faith and hope are set on God.
We are born anew, through the living
and enduring word of God.
Alleluia! Praise to the risen Christ!
— Word —
Prayer for Illumination
At the lectern or pulpit:
Living God, with joy we celebrate
the presence of your risen Word.
Enliven our hearts by your Holy Spirit
so that we may proclaim the good news
of eternal and abundant life;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Scripture
Before the readings:
O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord.
Ezekiel 37:4
After the readings:
This is the good news which we have received,
in which we stand, and by which we are saved.
Thanks be to God.
1 Corinthians 15:1–2
Sermon
Ascription of Praise
After the sermon:
All authority and power and dominion
to the name that is above all names—
Jesus Christ our Lord—
now and in the age to come. Amen.
Ephesians 1:21
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Affirmation of Faith
Life in Christ is life eternal.
The resurrection of Jesus is the sign
that God will consummate the work
of creation and reconciliation beyond death
and bring to fulfillment
the new life begun in Christ.
Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.26
Prayers of Intercession
We offer our prayers through Christ,
who lives and reigns forever,
and prays for us in heaven.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Through Christ, we pray for the church . . .
Teach us again how to love one another.
Let us be born anew this day
through your living and enduring Word.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Through Christ, we pray for the earth . . .
Bring about your new creation—
eternal and imperishable—
destined from the foundations of the world.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Through Christ, we pray for all nations . . .
Save us from our own corruption;
speak your life-giving promise
to all your children, near and far.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Through Christ, we pray for this community . . .
Be present with us, in word and in action,
as we seek to follow Christ’s way,
sharing the amazing joy of resurrection.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
Through Christ, we pray for loved ones . . .
Hear the voices of those who cry
for salvation, life, healing, and peace.
Surround them with your goodness and grace.
Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
God of all power and glory, receive these prayers,
and continue your mighty work among us,
through Jesus Christ, our living Lord. Amen.
Ephesians 1:15–23
— Eucharist —
Invitation to Offering
At the communion table:
How does God’s love abide in anyone
who has the world’s goods
yet refuses to help a sister or brother in need?
Remembering God’s great love for the world,
let us offer our lives to the Lord.
1 John 3:16–17
Prayer of Dedication
At the communion table:
Great God, to you we give our thanks;
your steadfast love endures forever.
With gratitude we bring our gifts to you.
Bless us and our gifts,
that our lives and our resources
may be a source of healing and hope,
of joy and justice in our world. Amen.
Great Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Blessed are you, O Lord our God:
You call us to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ,
so that we may be saved, and our sins may be forgiven;
you pour out upon us the gift of your Holy Spirit.
Therefore we praise you, joining the song
of the universal church and the heavenly choir:
A Sanctus (“Holy, holy, holy”) is sung.
Blessed is Jesus Christ, our Savior:
Jesus appeared to his disciples on the road to Emmaus,
and their hearts burned within them when he spoke of your word.
Even now he is known to us in the breaking of the bread.
The words of institution are included here.
Remembering your goodness and grace,
we offer ourselves to you with gratitude
as we share this joyful feast.
A Memorial Acclamation (e.g., “Christ has died”) is sung.
Pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon this bread and cup;
make us one in the body and blood of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Let us be born anew through your living and enduring word;
purify our souls in obedience to your truth;
and teach us to love one another deeply, and with genuine affection.
Through the Lord Jesus Christ,
in the unity of the Spirit,
we bless you, God of glory,
now and forever.
An Amen is sung.
Lord’s Prayer
Breaking the Bread
Communion of the People
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Prayer after Communion
Thank you, O God, for giving us communion
with our risen and glorious Lord.
Now send us out to be a sign
of the new life that has come into the world;
through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen.
— Sending —
Hymn, Psalm, or Spiritual Song
Blessing and Charge
At the doors of the church:
May the love of the holy triune God—
Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—
abide with you forever. Alleluia!
1 John 4:13–16
Now go forth in Jesus’ name,
remembering his new commandment
to love one another, just as he has loved us. Amen.
1 John 3:23
“Supper at Emmaus”
Diego Velázquez, 1618
Additional Materials
Congregational Song
GATHERING
-
Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (EG) EASTER HYMN GTG 232
-
What Is This Place (A) KOMT NU MET ZANG GTG 404
-
Baptized in Water (AE) BUNESSAN GTG 482
WORD
-
Day of Arising (G) RAABE GTG 252
-
Look Who Gathers at Christ’s Table! (A) COPELAND GTG 506
-
When the Poor Ones / Cuando el pobre (G) EL CAMINO GTG 762
-
Lord, I Want to Be a Christian (EG) I WANT TO BE A CHRISTIAN GTG 729
-
Jesus, Priceless Treasure (E) JESU, MEINE FREUDE GTG 830
EUCHARIST
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Christ Has Risen while Earth Slumbers (EG) SUO GAN GTG 231
-
Be Known to Us in Breaking Bread (G) ST. FLAVIAN GTG 500
-
Let Us Break Bread Together (A) LET US BREAK BREAD GTG 525
SENDING
-
The Risen Christ (G) WOODLANDS GTG 257
-
Lord Jesus, You Shall Be My Song (G) LES PETITES SOEURS GTG 737
-
By Gracious Powers (G) INTERCESSOR GTG 818
-
Blessed Assurance, Jesus Is Mine! (E) ASSURANCE GTG 839
Psalms and Canticles
Psalm 116:1–4, 12–19
Metrical
- I Will Call upon the Lord [I WILL CALL]; GTG 621
- I Will Walk in the Presence of God [SCOTLAND]; PAS 116E
Responsorial
- I Love the Lord, He Heard My Cry; PAS 116C
- Lord, in You I Trust; PP 218
Organ Music
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“Come, Let Us Join Our Cheerful Songs,” Music for the Paschal Season, Mark Sedio, AF (ME)
-
“I Come with Joy,” Evening and Morning: Hymn Settings for Organ, David Cherwien, AF (ME)
-
“Jubilate,” Augsburg Organ Library: Easter II, Emma Lou Diemer, AF (MA)
-
“Meditation on Fairest Lord Jesus,” Fairest Lord Jesus: Four Hymn Settings for Organ, Joyce Jones, MSM (E)
Piano Music
-
“At a Certain Church,” Piano Music of Africa and the African Diaspora, Vol. 2: Intermediate, John W. Work III, OUP (M)
-
“Adagio from Sonata in D Major, K. 576,” Sonatas and Three Fantasias, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, KAL (M)
Anthems for Adult Choirs
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“Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen!” Michael Burkhardt, MSM, SATB, org, opt brass, opt cong (E)
-
“Assurance,” John Ness Beck, BP, SATB, org (E)
-
“Blessed Assurance,” Keith Hampton, CGA, SATB, solo, pno (ME)
-
“Nothing but the Blood of Jesus,” David Rasbach, HOPE, SATB, pno (M)
-
“Nothing but the Blood of Jesus,” Craig Courtney, BP, SATB, pno, vln (M)
-
“Day of Arising,” David Cherwien, MSM, SATB, org, fl or vln or cl (M)
-
“Love One Another,” Andrew Carter, OUP, SATB, org (MA)
Art
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Martyrs of Uganda, Emmaus House, Uganda, 20th century (VDL)
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Road to Emmaus, Altobello Melone, 14th century (VDL)
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Between You and Me, Jen DePaolo, 2018 (SECC)
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Make a Salad, Alison Knowles, 1962 (WA)
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Road to Emmaus, Fritz von Uhde, 1891 (VDL)
