Easter 2C
Easter 3C
Easter 4C
Easter 5C
Easter 6C
Easter 7C
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Easter 3C LECTIONARY GENERATED LITURGY Easter 3 C Acts 9:1-6 (7-20): 27-32 ; Psalm 30; Rev 5:11-14; John 21:1-19. Rec text - NRSV. Hymns are from the Australian Hymn Book (AHB) or Together in Song (TIS) unless otherwise indicated. Worship Leader - normal type. Congregational responses - bold type Permission is granted to churches to use this material in services of worship. This liturgy remains the property of Moira B Laidlaw As this is close to Anzac Day, some resources for worship can be found at: www.anzacday.org.au/anzacservices/ANZACServices.html Additional resources for Easter 3C : Messiah: choral rendition of “Amen” from the Messiah; Version such as: “Highlights from the Oratorio” featuring Joan Sutherland with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge; Props as described below for Children’s talk; Scripture in Song .CMC Australasia, Unit 9/147 Marshalltown Road Grovedale, Victoria 3216; Australian Prayers. Bruce D Prewer, Lutheran Publishing House, Adelaide,1983 . CALL TO WORSHIP: read Psalm 30 responsively or use the following. I will praise you, O God, for you have lifted me up and have given my enemies no cause to rejoice. Hearing my cries for help, you healed me; bringing me from the very depths of hell, you restored my life. Let all faithful people give thanks and praise God’s holy name. O God, your anger lasts but a moment, while your graciousness lasts a lifetime. Weeping lingers for a night, but joy comes with the morning. You have turned my mourning into dancing removing my sackcloth, you clothe me with joy. May our praise never be silenced as we give thanks and praise God for ever and ever. TIS 111/AHB 28: “Praise to the Lord, the almighty...” TIS 602/AHB 525: “O Love that wilt not let me go” TIS 647: “Comfort, comfort, all my people” TIS 109: “What God ordains is always good” PRAYER OF ADORATION We praise you, O God, for restoring to life your Son, our Lord Jesus Christ. Through his great love, woundedness is healed and mercy experienced as lives are transformed with his resurrected life and power. His victory over sin and death gives us the confidence to move from sorrow to joy, from mourning to dancing. We praise you and adore you , O God, for your graciousness towards us. To you, and to Jesus our Lord, be all blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever! Amen EPISTLE: Revelation 5:11-14 If possible, follow this reading with a choral presentation of “Amen” from the Messiah - or play the track from the excellent recording of “Messiah: Highlights from the Oratorio” featuring Joan Sutherland with the English Chamber Orchestra conducted by Richard Bonynge. A WORD WITH THE CHILDREN/YOUNG PEOPLE Organise adults/youth to present the following dramatic reading. The parts for Jesus, Peter and the Serving Maid could perhaps be learned rather than read. Cast required: NARRATOR, JESUS, PETER, SERVING MAID. Make A4 size cardboard ‘labels’ to hang around their necks with names in large, bold type. For the first reading, the serving maid carries a covered basket; Jesus is dressed in a piece of torn and stained material with, if possible, a ‘crown of thorns’ on his head and standing in front of a cross. For the second reading, the ‘crown’ is removed and Jesus wraps a piece of clean sheeting around himself. Peter holds a fishing net. Peter is seated on a stool/chair at side of sanctuary. NARRATOR : After Jesus had shared his last supper with his disciples and washed their feet, he gave them a new commandment “Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” Then Peter said to Jesus “Lord, I will lay down my life for you.” Peter nods his head. Then Jesus said to Peter: “Will you lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the cock crows, you will have denied me three times.” Peter shakes his head vehemently saying loudly “Never!” JESUS enters slowly and stands to one side - in front of, or beside, a cross. PETER remains seated and a SERVING MAID enters with a covered basket She stops and looks at Peter and says: “Are you not also one of this man’s disciples?” PETER: “I am not.” The SERVING MAID goes to walk off , then returns and looks closely at Peter and says: “Are you sure you are not one of this man’s disciples?” PETER: “I am not.” SERVING MAID: “Didn’t I see you in the garden with him?” PETER: “You did not.” The Serving Maid moves out of the sanctuary and sits down. JESUS wraps clean material around himself and stands to one side. PETER stands with fishing net in hand at opposite side of sanctuary to JESUS . NARRATOR: After Jesus had been cruelly put to death on the cross on the Friday, and after he had risen from death on the Sunday, he appeared to the women and to his disciples on two occasions. Not long after, Peter and some of the other disciples decided to go fishing. They fished all night and caught nothing at all. Just as the sun was rising, Jesus, who was standing on the beach, knowing they had caught nothing, shouted to them to cast their net again and when they did so, they found that the net was absolutely full of fish. Suddenly realising that it was Jesus on the beach, Peter said: PETER: I know it is the Lord. What am I going to say to him. I’m so ashamed of what I said before he died. I abandoned him. It will serve me right if Jesus abandons me. NARRATOR: Peter then jumped overboard to reach the shore quickly. When he and the other disciples reached the beach and brought their large catch of fish in, they found that Jesus had prepared a breakfast of fish and bread for them. When they finished eating, Jesus turned to Peter. The narrator moves out of the sanctuary and sits down.. PETER cannot raise his eyes to look at Jesus. JESUS: taking both of Peter’s hands in one hand and gently raising Peter’s chin with the other says : “Simon Peter, do you love me more than these?” Drops one hand and gestures to the fishing net. PETER:”Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” JESUS: gesturing towards the children says “Feed my lambs.” JESUS : “Simon Peter, do you love me?” PETER:”Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” JESUS: gesturing towards the congregation says “Take care of my sheep.” JESUS : “Simon Peter, do you love me?” PETER:”Yes, Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” JESUS: Opening both arms wide to include everyone “Feed my sheep.” He then says to Peter: “Follow me.” JESUS AND PETER walk off together. Ask the children/young people how Peter may have felt after this conversation with Jesus. Restored and forgiven? Jesus knew how ashamed Peter felt and he offered him friendship and forgiveness - sometimes we use another word for that - mercy - which would have taken away the guilt - the hurt - that Peter would have felt. When we do or say something hurtful to another person, we hurt ourselves also, and that hurt can be like a wound within us. If we don’t do something to get rid of it, it can become bigger and bigger and affect our whole personality. We can’t be truly loving people if we carry such hurts inside us. Jesus offers the same mercy to us as he offered to Peter when we say and show that we are truly sorry. When he asks us if we love him, we can then answer, like Peter, “Yes, Lord, you know I do.” And we might just hear these other words he addressed to Peter addressed to us: “Follow me.” SCRIPTURE IN SONG 41 “God forgave my sin in Jesus’ name” TIS 229/AHB 166: “Jesus loves me” TIS 242/AHB 163: “I danced in the morning” INTRODUCTION TO PRAYER OF CONFESSION When Peter said that he would lay down his life for Jesus, he was probably sure that he could carry his promise out. When the time of his testing arrived, however, he failed to live up to his promise. There are times in our lives when we make promises also, believing that we can and will keep them. We acknowledge that we fail also. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Let us pray: Lord Jesus Christ, we want to serve you faithfully and to follow you wholeheartedly and sometimes we make promises and fail to keep them. We pray for your forgiveness... for the words left unspoken in your name...(silent confession) for people not visited... (silent confession) for prejudices still not broken down...(silent confession) for reconciliation not pursued ....(silent confession) for our neglect of those who suffer from hunger and poverty...(silent confession) for leaving sick and lonely people with needs unmet...((silent confession) for our lack of interest or involvement in passing faith on to young people... (silent confession) (replace any of the above or add phrases relevant for your local situation) As we acknowledge and wrestle with failure, we remember that Simon Peter failed also. And yet - he was lovingly commissioned by Jesus to go forward - failures and all - to feed and nourish people with the gospel. Lord Jesus Christ, our failures are laid out before you in the belief that you know and understand and forgive our weaknesses. Help us to remain faithful in the midst of the priorities thrust upon us by work and school, health and mobility, family and friends...( add or invite others to add relevant ‘priorities’) This we pray in your name. Amen ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS : God turns our mourning into dancing and clothes us with joy through Jesus Christ, the Lamb who was slaughtered and by whose blood we were ransomed. (based on Psalm 30:11 and Revelation 5:9) So - hear and believe the good news: In Jesus Christ we are understood, we are loved, we are forgiven. To him - the Lamb who was slain - be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever! Amen! (Revelation 5: 13b) DOXOLOGY: TIS 772/AHB 577 “Worship, honour, glory, blessing” ACTS 9:1-6 (7-20) GOSPEL: John 21:1-19 SERMON TIS 562/AHB 470: “ I’m not ashamed to own my Lord” TIS 602/AHB 525: “O Love that wilt not let me go” (If not sung earlier) TIS 201/AHB 129: King of glory, King of peace” TIS 683: “God! Where human bonds are broken” SUGGESTIONS FOR PRAYERS OF THANKSGIVING AND INTERCESSION The prayer Page 126- Australian Prayers- “For those who hunger” could be linked to today’s gospel by the inclusion following the final petition, of words such as: ‘Open our ears, Lord, to hear anew your words addressed to us - “Feed my sheep”’; “Anzac Day” page 10 in Australian Prayers THE LORD’S PRAYER OFFERING OFFERTORY PRAYER Jesus, Saviour and Lord, we thank you for strengthening us in faith by feeding and nourishing us with your risen life. Bless these gifts which we offer in response to your sacrificial giving of yourself to us. Bless each of our lives as we respond to your challenge to follow you, sharing your love and life with others. Amen TIS 658: “I the Lord of sea and sky” TIS 589/AHB 505: “Jesus calls us...” TIS 210/AHB 141: “O for a thousand tongues to sing” BENEDICTION Go with the joy of God within you, the love of Jesus Christ upholding you, and the strength of the Holy Spirit sustaining you. THREEFOLD AMEN |