Worship Leader: Barb DeJeet, LLWL Music Director: Tim Hallman, B.Mus., B.Ed.
EASTER SUNDAY, APRIL 5, 2026
“CHRIST IS RISEN! ALLELUIA!”
WELCOME/ANNOUNCEMENTS
PROCLAMATION
The light which the world tried to extinguish cannot be put out. Today we light the candles again, proclaiming the transforming power of God.
As the light returns, we give thanks that God’s transforming love has been, is and will ever be at work within us.
Today we celebrate new life, new joy and new possibilities. Christ is alive and living among us.
As we light the candles, we acknowledge that there is still pain and suffering in the world, but we place our trust in God and in the way shown by Jesus Christ.
In the midst of darkness, there is light.
In the pain of death, there is life.
In the face of what appear to us to be overwhelming odds, God is at work in us in the world, working justice and peace, compassion and love, and life abundant.
Christ is risen, Christ is risen in us, for wherever we gather in his name, he is there.
(lighting of candles)
ALL: Alleluia. Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed!
LIGHTING OF CHRIST CANDLE
This morning, we light this Christ candle as we welcome Jesus. We call to Jesus as the light in our lives, a light defined by his life, death and resurrection.
LIGHTING OF RAINBOW CANDLE
LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
For the keepers of this land who came before us, we give thanks. May we learn from them and be reconciled with them. We are all children of God.
CHOIR: “Sweet Music”
CALL TO WORSHIP
We come today as we are.
God welcomes all into the realm of love and acceptance.
We come with questions, doubts and fears.
Jesus, resurrected, meets us where we are and offers us peace and the assurance of his continued presence in our lives.
Let us worship God, together sharing in the spirit of love and peace, gifted to us through Jesus, the resurrected Christ.
Stephanie Richmond Kedron U.C., Oshawa, Ontario
OPENING HYMN: VU 164 “The Day of Resurrection”
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Let us greet one another as we would greet Christ, for all come in the name of the Lord.
OPENING PRAYER
Alleluia! We praise you, O God, for the power of your saving love revealed in the resurrection of our Lord. We await with gladness your new heaven and new earth.
As you have raised Jesus from the dead give to us the gift of everlasting life, that we may worship you forever, through Christ, our risen Savior. AMEN
INVITATION FOR OFFERING
God has given us life in the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. In gratitude, let us offer our hearts and the fruit of our labor in God’s service.
OFFERING HYMN: VU544 “In Gratitude and humble Trust” (music VU # 530)
OFFERING PRAYER
Almighty God, by your grace, accept the fruit of our labor and the offering of your lives in union with our risen Lord who lives and reigns with you forever. AMEN
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
Almighty God, by the power of your Spirit roll away the stone and reveal to us the Word of Life. AMEN
SCRIPTURE
John 20: 1-18 “Mary and the empty tomb”
ANTHEM: “Up from the Grave He Arose!”
REFLECTION: “Folded Napkin!”
I am thankful this morning that it is Easter. This is the day in which we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord. Remember when we used to get new clothes or shoes, hats and maybe a new purse for the girls; we dressed for the occasion. There is One whom is adorned more so than anyone else. His name is Jesus Christ—the Risen King!
PRAYER: Bless these words and those who listen. AMEN
We all know what happened on Friday – crucified – like a common criminal- you could almost not recognize him on the cross. Rejected, spit on, despised by men. “A man of Sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid our faces from Him. He was despised and we did not esteem Him. He was wounded for our transgressions. Bruised for our iniquities, by his stripes we are healed.”
In spite of his pain and suffering, Jesus knew that SIN WOULD BE CONQUERED – DEATH WOULD BE DEFEATED – SATAN WOULD BE SILENCED- MANKIND WOULD BE FORGIVEN AND REDEEMED BY HIS SHED BLOOD.
Have you ever wondered what happened after Jesus last statement, “It is finished!”
Afterwards, when His death was complete, someone would have to prepare His broken body for the grave, and this became the duty of 2 men: Joseph of Arimathea, and Nicodemus. Together, they went to Pontius Pilate and begged for the body of our Lord.
After taking the broken body of Jesus from the cross, they washed His body, and made an attempt to preserve the Body of Christ with an expensive mixture of myrrh and aloe. They wrapped his body in white linen, folding his arms over his chest; closed his eyes, kissed His cheek and placed a napkin over his face.
Nothing of the Jewish customs was forgotten to be done. There was a great deal of respect shown. The time and money expended was insignificant by comparison with what Christ had done for them.
Those responsible for taking the Gospel of Christ into all the world were nowhere to be found at the end of the day. They were not ready to deal with what needed to be done. They were scared, confused, bewildered, distraught. Whatever they thought their reasons were, there was not excuses.
Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus had purposed themselves to make the extra effort to care for the Body of Christ. There would be no promise of anything in return for all they did.
It was Mary, on the first Easter morning, who would be first to the tomb, given by Joseph, to find it empty. She runs to get Peter and John, and they ran together to the tomb. John outran Peter, and when he got there, he looked inside and saw those grave clothes lying there in disarray.
When Peter arrived, it did not surprise us that he entered the tomb. He also saw the linen clothes lying there, but there was something unusual in the opened tomb. Something (in particular) caught his eye that was unusual.
DID YOU KNOW THAT CHRIST WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET YOUR ATTENTION?!
In John verse 7 tells us what amazed him and Peter. There had been a napkin, that had been placed over the face of Christ, neatly folded and placed at the head of the stony coffin.
Of what significance is this!! Is this something particular that Jesus wanted his disciples to know?
Yes, indeed, there is something that Jesus wants all of us to know. There is a message to all humanity and the few gathered today. A MESSAGE OF HOPE THAT HAD BEEN LEFT, BY JESUS, IN THE COLD DARK TOMB THAT WE MUST NEVER FORGET. (let me explain by telling you a story)
The folded napkin had to do with a Master and a servant. When the servant set the dinner table for the master, he made sure that it was exactly the way the master wanted it. The table was furnished perfectly and then the servant would wait, just out of sight, until the master had finished eating, and the servant would not dare touch that table until the master was finished. Now if the master were done eating, he would rise from the table, wipe his fingers, his mouth and clean his beard and would wad up the napkin and toss it onto the table. The servant then would know to clear the table. For in those days, a wadded napkin meant, “I’m done.” But if the master got up from the table, folded the napkin and laid it aside his plate, the servant would not dare touch the table, because the servant knew that folded napkin meant, “I’m not finished yet.”. The folded napkin meant, “I’ll be back!”
Peter and the disciples walked with Christ for 3 years. They had watched as He did miracles. Then they watched Him die, they probably thought, “It’s all over!” Maybe during those 3 days they said they were going to go back to what they used to do.
Did Peter see the folded napkin in that empty tomb? Perhaps God spoke to him and said, “He’s not finished yet, He’s coming back”.
The folded napkin, when it is understood, is a message of hope and joy from Jesus.
My friends, Jesus is coming back. Yes, he said “It is finished” and it was on the cross but Jesus is not through with what he has yet to do with you and I. That part is not finished.
Jesus had folded the napkin for anyone and everyone who would come to the tomb and want to find Him.
This morning you and I must go to the tomb and see what Christ has left for you.
Jesus wants us to get rid of our sinful nature and be filled with the fruits of the Spirit. He wants our hearts’ desire to put him first in our lives and share his redeeming love to all we meet. CHRIST IS RISEN HALLELUJAH!!!
COMMUNION HYMN: VU 457 “As We Gather at Your Table”
All are welcome to the table this morning. The table belongs to God!
Invitation to the Table
Leader:
Do not be afraid! Come and taste resurrection, come and share eternity, come and be touched by the hand of the risen Christ. Come, and be safe here, for all are welcome at Christ’s table
Call to Give Thanks
Leader: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
Leader: Lift up your hearts.
All: We lift them up to the Lord.
Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Thanksgiving
Leader: When we do not understand,
All: we gather at this table.
Leader: When mystery stretches ever wider,
All: we break bread.
Leader: When the wonder is more than our souls can hold.
All: we share the cup.
Leader: In resurrection, there is no other place to gather, other than where heaven and earth tangle, where Your hand holds our world, and love twists with laughter in the dawn. There is no other place to gather but here.
Song of Creation
All: Holy, holy, holy God
Breathing, living, resurrected Savior,
Peace-making, truth-giving, world changing Spirit,
Hear us as we break bread together,
With faith in the eternal echo of Your love.
Remembering Jesus at Table
Prayer of Self-Giving
Affirmation of Memory and Hope
All: Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Remembering the Community – prayer
Leader:
All: Through Christ, with Christ, and in Christ,
in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory is Yours, God most holy,
now and forever. Amen.
Invocation
Leader:
And now, with confidence as children of God, let us pray the prayer that Jesus lived, saying together:
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,
the power and the glory,
forever and ever. Amen.
Breaking the Bread and Filling the Cup
Sharing the Bread and Cup
Prayer After Communion
All: For the bread we have eaten, for the wine we have tasted, for the new life we have been given through Jesus Christ, we thank You most merciful and loving God. Grant that what we have been given here will put such a mark on us that it will remain always in our hearts. Grant that we may grow in Christian love and understanding, and that ours may be lives of faithful action, in Christ’s name. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: VU 155 “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today!”
BENEDICTION
Christ is risen!
Christ is risen, indeed, Hallelujah!
Let joy spread across your life and go with you into all the world.
We will go to live out our calling with peace and hope.
For Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Hallelujah!
Robin Wardlaw, Toronto, Ontario.
VU 958 “Halle, Halle, Halle”
"A Village Church With A Heart For The World"
Christ United Church
12 Perth St., Lyn, ON, K0E 1M0
(613)498-0281 (Phone) (613)498-2589 (Fax)
lynunitedchurch@cogeco.net www.lynunitedchurch.com Follow on Twitter: @Ch1United