Easter Vigil April 15, 2017 + 9:00 p.m. First Lutheran Church + St. Peter, Minnesota Pastor Alan Bray Intern Caitlin Jensen Cantor Emily Bruflat Renewed by Christ in Word, water, bread & wine we serve the community and the world. This is the night! This is our Passover with Christ from darkness to light, from bondage to freedom, from death to life. Tonight is the heart of our celebration of the Three Days and the pinnacle of the church's year. The resurrection of Christ is proclaimed in word and sign, and we gather around a pillar of fire, hear ancient stories of our faith, welcome new sisters and brothers at the font, and share the food and drink of the promised land. Raised with Christ, we go forth into the world, aflame with the good news of the resurrection. Gathering (All gather in silence at the fire.) +Welcome,, Lighting of the Paschal Candle The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy spirit be with you all. C: And also with you. No other worship service in the entire church year can compare with the great Vigil of Easter, with its powerful contrasts between darkness and light, death and life, bondage and liberation. We move from the penitence of Lent to the joy of Easter. Remembering God s might acts of creation and the Exodus, we celebrate the central mystery of our salvation: the victorious Resurrection of Our Lord. The Eater Vigil begins in darkness the darkness of the sepulcher in which the crucified Christ was buried, the darkness of sin and death. In the midst of this darkness a new fire is kindled, a dramatic symbol of the Risen Christ. From the new fire, the Paschal candle is lighted, representing the Resurrected Christ who is the Light of the world. Easter Eve with its Vigil is a night truly blessed, a night when the past and present and future of salvation become merged into the here and now. This is the most holy night of the Christian year. Let us pray: Eternal God, in Jesus Christ you have given the light of life to all the world. Bless this new fire, and increase in us a desire to shine forth with the brightness of Christ s rising, until we feast at the banquet of eternal light; through the Sun of righteousness, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen (The Paschal Candle is lit.) + Indicates when to stand. The light of Christ, rising in glory, dispel the darkness of our hearts and minds.
+Procession with Candles (sung 3 times) +Easter Proclamation (Sung by the cantors) Rejoice, now, all heavenly powers! Sing, choirs of angels echoing the mighty song of all God s people. It is indeed right, our duty and our joy. (every time the Leader sings This is the night, the Assembly repeats it:) (The Easter proclamation concludes:) + of the Day (Following the prayer, please extinguish your candle and be seated.) Let us pray: Eternal giver of life and light, this holy night shines with the radiance of the risen Christ. Renew your church with the Spirit given us in baptism, that we may worship you in sincerity and truth and may shine as a light in the world, through your son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen + Indicates when to stand. 2
Reading: Creation Word Response God the Sculptor of the Mountains Silence for reflection Genesis 1:1-2:4a ELW 736 Reading: Deliverance at the Red Sea Exodus 14:10-31, 15:20-21 Response Wade in the Water (see ELW 459) African American Spiritual Silence for reflection Reading: "Remembrance and Thanksgiving" 1 Samuel 1:1-20, 2:1-8 Response: My Soul Proclaims Your Greatness ELW 251 Silence for Reflection Reading: Salvation Freely Offered to All Isaiah 55:1-11 Response As the Deer Runs to the River ELW 331 Silence for reflection. Reading: Deliverance from the Fiery Furnace Daniel 3:1-29 Response All Creatures, Worship God Most High! ELW 835 Stanza 1: ALL, Stanza 2: High Voices Stanza 3: Low Voices, Stanza 6: ALL Silence for reflection New Testament Reading Romans 6:3-11 A: The Word of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. (As the lights of the nave are turned up, the altar candles are lighted, bells are rung and canticle of praise is sung.) +Canticle of Praise: This is the feast of victory for our God Pages 140-141 +Gospel John 20:1-18 P: The holy gospel according to John, the twentieth chapter. C: Glory to you, O Lord. + Indicates when to stand. 3
Following the reading: P: The gospel of the Lord. C: Praise to you, O Christ. +Hymn of the Day Christ the Lord Is Risen Today! ELW 373 +Thanksgiving at the Font Affirmation of Baptism (Gather at the font.) Tonight, we give thanks for the gift of baptism as we come before God to make public affirmation of baptism into Christ. Let us pray: Merciful God, we thank you for all of your children whom you have made your own by water and the Word in baptism. You have called us to yourself, enlightened us with the gifts of your Spirit, and nourished us in the community of faith. Uphold your servants in the gifts and promises of baptism, and unite the hearts of all whom you have brought to new birth. We ask this in the name of Christ. Amen +Profession of Faith I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the church. Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God? I renounce them. Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God? I renounce them. Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God? I renounce them. Do you believe in God the Father? I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God? I believe in Jesus Christ, God's 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, he is seated at the right hand of the Father, and he will come to judge the living and the dead. + Indicates when to stand. 4
Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? 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. +Affirmation by the Assembly You have made public profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in holy baptism: to live among God's faithful people, to hear the word of God and share in the Lord's supper, to proclaim the good news of God in Christ through word and deed, to serve all people, following the example of Jesus, and to strive for justice and peace in all the earth? I do, and I ask God to help and guide me. People of God, do you promise to support and pray for one another in your life in Christ? We do, and we ask God to help and guide us. Let us pray: Holy God, holy and merciful, holy and mighty, you are the river of life, you are the everlasting wellspring, you are the fire of rebirth. Glory to you for oceans and lakes, for rivers and streams. Honor to you for cloud and rain, for dew and snow. Your waters are below us, around us, above us: our life is born in you. You are the fountain of resurrection. Praise to you for your saving waters: Noah and the animals survive the flood, Hagar discovers your well. The Israelites escape through the sea, and they drink from your gushing rock. Naaman washes his leprosy away, and the Samaritan woman will never be thirsty again. At this font, holy God, we pray: Praise to you for the water of baptism and for your Word that saves us in this water. Breathe your Spirit into all who are gathered here and into all creation. Illumine our days. Enliven our bones. Dry our tears. Wash away the sin within us, and drown the evil around us. Satisfy all our thirst with your living water, Jesus Christ, our Savior, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one god, now and forever. Amen +Sharing the Peace The peace of Christ be with you always. And also with you. (Share the peace.) + Indicates when to stand. 5
Meal +Offering "An Easter Prelude" -based on Now All the Vault (ELW 367) +Offertory C. Callahan +Great Thanksgiving, Preface, and Sanctus Page 144 +Eucharistic and Lord s Page 145 Communion Distribution Baptized in Water ELW 456 As the Dark Awaits the Dawn ELW 261 + Post-Communion Blessing Sending +Sending Hymn Signs and Wonders ELW 672 +, Blessing & Dismissal A: We join in proclaiming: C: Renewed by Christ in Word, water, bread and wine, we go in peace to serve our community and the world. Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Sending Music Now the Green Blade Rises (see ELW 379) Wayne Wold From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2017 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #40319. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Creating God and All You Works reprinted under OneLicense.net #A-724285 First Lutheran Church 1114 Traverse Road Saint Peter, MN 56082 507-934-3060 www.flcstp.org + Indicates when to stand. 6