O r d e r of W o r s h i p Easter Sunday March 27 th, 2016 All Souls Protestant Church St. Gallen
Christ is Risen! He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!
*announcements can be found on page 18 Welcome Thank you for joining us for worship today. We would love for you to be a regular part of what God is doing in and through this church. To indicate your presence with us, please fill out the form on the back page of this bulletin and place it in the offering basket, or give it to a greeter. Common Questions As you prepare for worship you might be asking some of these questions, which we are more than happy to answer: What is liturgy? Liturgy means the work or service of the people, where Christians gather to adore, confess, and thank Christ through Word, Sacrament (Baptism and Holy Communion), Fellowship, Song, Prayer, Creeds, and keeping His way of service and love. Since Christians are diverse, liturgy gives us a common way of worship that points us to Christ and unites us amidst our differences. How should I worship? Worship is about Jesus meeting us where we are and embracing us with grace. So if you sing without lifting your hands, dance with a joyful noise, pray in silence, bow in reverence, or cry to God for comfort and peace, Jesus Christ is with you and accepts your worship as rightful praise. What about children? Children are always welcome in the sanctuary, and we have a kid s liturgy to help them participate. Those with infants need not be embarrassed if their child gets fussy during the service, and there are cry rooms available if needed. Also children are welcome at the Communion Table for a blessing. What if I m not Christian? If you are not a Christian or even religious, we are still glad that you joined us for today s service. Know that you will not be expected or forced to affirm or sing about things you don t believe. Nevertheless, you are welcome to participate to whatever degree you feel comfortable. Welcome and thanks for coming! What about cellphones? In consideration of other worshippers, please program cellphones and all other communication devices to silent mode. Community Life @ All Souls Church involves everyone who follows Jesus (not just pastors, elders, and deacons). If you would like to get more involved and participate beyond attending services, please contact our chaplain or an Elder. 1
Liturgy March 27, 2016 Easter Sunday Silent Preparation In preparation for our time of worship, please reflect on the words and prayer below If the Gospel is not Good News for everybody, then it s not Good News for anybody. -Rob Bell The practice of resurrection is an intentional, deliberate decision to believe in and participate in resurrection life, life out of death, life that trumps death, life that is the last word, Jesus life. -Eugene Peterson Gracious God, Who for our redemption gave your only-begotten Son, Jesus Christ, to the death of the cross, and by His glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of sin and death: Help us to die daily to sin, that we may 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 forever. Amen. -Book of Common Prayer (1979) Bells To signal that worship is about to begin, the bells of the Church will ring. Call to Worship Leader: The tomb is empty! People: Christ is risen! Leader: The soldiers have returned home! People: Christ is risen! Leader: The anger of the crowd is gone! People: Christ is risen! Leader: The time of pain and grief are passed! People: Christ is risen! Leader: Sin and death shall reign no more! People: Christ is risen! Leader: Come, let us worship God with joyful song! ALL: He is risen indeed! Alleluia! Alleluia! Thanks be to God! 2
Song of Approach Jesus Christ is Risen Today words by Charles Wesley, 1707-1788; music by J. Walsh, 1708 3
Welcome/Blessing Prayer of Adoration/The Lord s Prayer The people join hands ALL: 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, forever and ever. Amen. 4
Song of Adoration In Christ Alone words by Stuart Townend, 2001; music by Keith Getty, 2001 In Christ alone my hope is found; He is my light, my strength, my song; This cornerstone, this solid ground, Firm through the fiercest drought and storm. What heights of love, what depths of peace, When fears are stilled, when strivings cease! My comforter, my all in all Here in the love of Christ I stand. In Christ alone, Who took on flesh, Fullness of God in helpless babe! This gift of love and righteousness, Scorned by the ones He came to save. Till on that cross as Jesus died, The wrath of God was satisfied; For every sin on Him was laid Here in the death of Christ I live. There in the ground His body lay, Light of the world by darkness slain; Then bursting forth in glorious day, Up from the grave He rose again! And as He stands in victory, Sin's curse has lost its grip on me; For I am His and He is mine Bought with the precious blood of Christ. No guilt in life, no fear in death This is the power of Christ in me; From life's first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny. No power of hell, no scheme of man, Can ever pluck me from His hand; Till He returns or calls me home Here in the power of Christ I'll stand. 5
Corporate and Silent Confession Pastor: When we keep our faults and failures locked safely away, we have no need to confess. But God comes into our hearts when we least expect, so we can be filled with forgiveness, hope, and peace. Therefore, let us pray together: ALL: God of empty tombs and empty people: when we hesitate to speak of your hope, forgive us, and give us Your voice of truth. When we find it difficult to show Your love, forgive us, and give us Your heart of hope. When we want to stand with the high and mighty, forgive us, and give us Your presence through the least of these. When we are locked behind our fears and doubts, forgive us, and send us out to share Your grace. And when we cannot believe Your Word, forgive us, and fill us with Your joy and life. Amen. (Take this time to pray from your heart and seek Christ Who is gracious and forgiving.) Sung Confession Trisagion words by the Eastern Church, 433; music by Fernando Ortega, 2011 Holy God Holy and Mighty Holy Immortal One Have mercy, Have mercy on us. Declaration of Pardon Pastor: Christ comes into every shadowed corner of our lives with the light of Easter. Christ comes into the locked rooms of our faults, and gifts us with His grace and hope. Christ comes, to fill us with peace, that we may proclaim His Gospel of mercy and forgiveness. Friends hear and believe the Good News of Jesus! ALL: Christ has come to us, and through Him we are forgiven and made righteous. Thanks be to God! Passing of Peace Pastor: Friends, the peace of Christ be with you! People: And also with you! Pastor: Please take this time to offer the peace of Christ to one another. (Greet those around you by saying, The peace of Christ be with you ) 6
Song of Renewal Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing words by Robert Robinson, 1758; music by John Wyeth, 1813 7
Confession of Faith Apostles Creed Leader: Let us confess our faith together saying: ALL: I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord; Who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; He descended to the dead; on the third day He rose again; He ascended into heaven, and He is seated at the right hand of the Father; He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit; the holy *catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen. (*catholic means universal ) First Reading-Gospel Mark 16:1-8 (ESV) The Resurrection of Jesus Leader: Children of God and friends of Christ, hear these words from the Gospel of Mark: 1 When the Sabbath was past, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 And they were saying to one another, Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance of the tomb? 4 And looking up, they saw that the stone had been rolled back it was very large. 5 And entering the tomb, they saw a young man sitting on the right side, dressed in a white robe, and they were alarmed. 6 And he said to them, Do not be alarmed. You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; he is not here. See the place where they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going before you to Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you. 8 And they went out and fled from the tomb, for trembling and astonishment had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid. Leader: People: This is the Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God! 8
Second Reading-Epistle Acts 9:1-15 (ESV) Saul Meets Jesus Pastor: A reading from the book of Acts. Listen and hear the Word of God: 1 But Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any belonging to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. 4 And falling to the ground he heard a voice saying to him, Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me? 5 And he said, Who are you, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do. 7 The men who were traveling with him stood speechless, hearing the voice but seeing no one. 8 Saul rose from the ground, and although his eyes were opened, he saw nothing. So they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. 9 And for three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. 10 Now there was a disciple at Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, Ananias. And he said, Here I am, Lord. 11 And the Lord said to him, Rise and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul, for behold, he is praying, 12 and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight. 13 But Ananias answered, Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints at Jerusalem. 14 And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on your name. 15 But the Lord said to him, Go, for he is a chosen instrument of mine to carry my name before the Gentiles and kings and the children of Israel. 16 For I will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name. Leader: People: This too is the Word of the Lord! Thanks be to God! Sermon Good News for EVERYBODY! Rev. Dr. Scotty J. Williams Worship in Giving The offering is a way for members and friends of All Souls to support the church s mission and ministry. If you are our guest today, please feel under no compulsion to give. 9
Doxology words by Thomas Ken, 1674; music by Louis Bourgeois, 1551 Invitation to the Feast (Holy Communion) - Prayer of Thanksgiving and Consecration Leader: In the ancient Church a greeting was given at the breaking of bread, and like those before us I greet you with the joy of God. The Lord be with you. People: And also with you. Leader: Lift up your hearts. People: We lift them up to the Lord. Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give Him thanks and praise. Leader: Let us pray It is our duty and delight that we should everywhere and always offer thanks and praise to you, O God, through Jesus Christ, Who calls us to follow His way of humble service and love. And so with the Church on earth, all creation and the hosts of heaven, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. 10
Sanctus Holy Holy Holy! Lord God Almighty! words by Reginald Heber, 1826; music by John B. Dykes, 1327 11
Words of Institution and Instruction Pastor: On the night He was betrayed our Lord Jesus took bread, and when He Had given thanks, He broke it and said, Take this and eat of it; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me until I come again. In the same way, after supper, He also took the cup, and said, Take this and drink of it, all of you; this cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is shed for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. Gracious Father, we thank you for sending Your Son Jesus Christ, who gave His life for us on the cross and shows us the way to live. Send down Your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine that they might be for us His body and His blood. Amen. ALL: Pastor: Friends, in the breaking of His body, Christ received our brokenness and gave us the blessings of heaven. Therefore, let us proclaim the mystery of faith. Christ has died! Christ is risen! Christ will come again! Behold, the gifts of God for you the people of God. Let us keep the feast! Distribution All Souls Protestant Church welcomes all baptized Christians those who are trusting in Jesus Christ for salvation and who are members of any congregation that proclaims the Gospel to come for forward to the Table and receive Communion. We take the elements by intinction or dipping the bread into the cup, so once you receive the bread please hold on to it that you might dip it into the cup. All of our bread is gluten-free, for those with food allergies. Also note that we use wine, but we also have non-alcoholic grape juice for those who request it. If you are not of the Christian faith or cannot receive Communion in a Protestant Church, you are welcome to stay seated or come to the Table for bread and a blessing. As you come to the Table please fold your arms across your chest to signal that you would like a piece of bread and a blessing 12
Communion Song Be Thou My Vision words by St. Dallan, 530;David Evans, The Presbyterian Hymnal, 1927 13
Pastoral Prayer Almighty and ever-living God, we thank You for feeding us with the spiritual food of the most precious body and blood of Your Son our Savior Jesus Christ and for assuring us in these holy mysteries that we are living members of the Body of Your Son and heirs of your eternal kingdom. And now, Father, send us out to do the work You have given us to do, to love and serve You as faithful witnesses of Christ our Lord. To Him, to You, and to the Holy Spirit, be honor and glory, now and forever. Amen. 14
Sending Song Come Christians Join to Sing words by Christian Bateman, 1843; music by David Evans, 1927 15
Benediction Irish Blessing Pastor: May the road rise to meet you, May the wind be always at your back, May the sun shine warm upon your face, May the sweet and fragrant rain of God s blessing fall soft upon your lives, And until we meet again, brothers and sisters, family and friends in Christ May Almighty God, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, hold you in the hollow of His hand. Congregational Amen Threefold Amen 16
Go in Grace! Go in Peace! You belong to Jesus! 17
ASPC News & Announcements Launch Service Today is our first public service, and we thank you wholeheartedly for taking the time to worship with us. If you are interested in joining All Souls or taking part in its communal life beyond attending services, please contact our chaplain. Bible Study In the upcoming weeks we will begin a study on the book of Acts called Church 101. The aim of this study will be to help attendees understand what it means to do and be Church and address common misconceptions about the Church in general. Check out our website for more details, and hope to see you there! Informational Meeting If you wish to know more about our community, you are cordially invited to our upcoming All Souls DNA (Discussion and Answers) Talk. This meeting will be a time where you can learn the ins and outs of our community, and ask any unanswered questions you might have. Check out our website for more details, and hope to see you there! 18
All Souls Media *Front Cover Christ Pantocrator (Lord of Hosts) This ancient Christian mosaic depicts Christ holding the Bible in His left hand as He gives a sign of blessing with His right hand. It is meant to give the message that Jesus is omnipotent, and is the author and giver of all wisdom. Our logo depicts our desire to gather people around Jesus in Word and Sacrament. The dots of different shades and sizes symbolize this gathering, and in making a Celtic cross they show that Church is when people from all walks of life come together in Jesus name. Today our logo is gold because it is the season of Easter on the Church Calendar. Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are from The Holy Bible, English Standard Version, copyright 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a division of Good New Publishers. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Songs not in the public domain are licensed by CCLI. 19
He is not here for He is Risen! -Matthew 28:6 20
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Contact Information Please use this page to indicate your presence with us or to make us aware of any changes in your contact information. Visitor Second Time Visitor Regular Attendee Member Name: Spouse: Children (Ages): Address: Home Phone: Work Phone: Email: Please fold and tear along dotted line ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Contact Us office & mailing address: Oberer Graben 31 CH-9000, St. Gallen www.allsouls.ch chaplain: Rev. Dr. Scotty Williams (off Mondays and Saturdays) williams@ref-sg.ch liturgist: Rev. Stephanie Kremmel consistory: Rev. Heinz Fäh (chairman) Andreas Hausammann Remi Tobler Rev. Regula Hermann Rev. Mark Hampton Vicki Gabathuler Rev. Karl Hermann Mehlau Rev. Markus Anker musicians: Claire Pasquier (organ/piano) Andreas Bont (guitar/mandolin) Candy Grace Ho (voice) Markus Brechbühl (percussion) ministers: The Congregation 22