Note:
Today the Bible readings are related to the celebration of Saturday in Easter Week
This is the message we have heard from Christ:
that God is light, in whom there is no darkness at all.
1 John 1.5
Glory to God; Father, Son and Holy Spirit:
as in the beginning, so now, and for ever. Amen.
A poem: A Song of God’s Herald
Go up to a high mountain
herald of good tidings to Zion:
lift up your voice with strength,
herald of good tidings to Jerusalem.
Lift up your voice, fear not:
say to the cities of Judah, ‘Behold your God!’
See the Lord God, coming with power:
coming to rule with his mighty arm.
He brings his reward for the people of God:
the recompense for those who are saved.
God will feed his flock like a shepherd:
and gather the lambs in his arms;
He will hold them to his breast:
and gently lead those that are with young.
Isaiah 40.9-11
The opening prayer
By night and by day we worship the Lord; let us pray with one heart and mind.
We remember God’s presence and pause in silence.
As we rejoice in the gift of this new day, so may the light of your presence, O God, set our hearts on fire with love for you; now and for ever. Amen.
The readings
Acts 4.13-20
Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John and realized that they were uneducated and ordinary men, they were amazed and recognized them as companions of Jesus. When they saw the man who had been cured standing beside them, they had nothing to say in opposition. So they ordered them to leave the council while they discussed the matter with one another. They said, ‘What will we do with them? For it is obvious to all who live in Jerusalem that a notable sign has been done through them; we cannot deny it. But to keep it from spreading further among the people, let us warn them to speak no more to anyone in this name.’ So they called them and ordered them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John answered them, ‘Whether it is right in God’s sight to listen to you rather than to God, you must judge; for we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard.’
Psalm 118.1-4, 14-19
O give thanks to the Lord, for he is good:
his mercy endures for ever.
Let Israel now proclaim:
that his mercy endures for ever.
Let the house of Aaron proclaim:
that his mercy endures for ever.
Let those who fear the Lord proclaim:
that his mercy endures for ever.
The Lord is my strength and my song:
and has become my salvation.
The sounds of joy and deliverance:
are in the tents of the righteous.
The right hand of the Lord does mighty things:
the right hand of the Lord raises up.
I shall not die but live:
and proclaim the works of the Lord.
The Lord has disciplined me hard:
but he has not given me over to death.
Open me the gates of righteousness:
and I will enter and give thanks to the Lord.
Mark 16.9-13
((The Longer Ending of Mark))
*Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
The Prayers
The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever.
Amen.
This week’s prayer:
Lord of all life and power,
who, through the mighty resurrection of your Son,
overcame the old order of sin and death
to make all things new in him:
grant that we, being dead to sin and alive to you in Jesus Christ,
may reign with him in glory;
to whom with you and the Holy Spirit
be praise, honour and thanksgiving, now and for all eternity. Amen.
or
Almighty God,
through your only-begotten Son Jesus Christ
you have overcome death
and opened to us the gate of everlasting life:
we humbly pray
that as, by your special grace going before us,
you put into our minds good desires,
so by your continual help we may bring these to good effect;
through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, in everlasting glory. Amen.
We thank God for what we have and pray for what we need.
Today we pray for ourselves, that God would teach us to belive that our sins are forgiven and we have a new life to live for Jesus Christ. In our local church, we ask God to bless people preparing to come to worship tomorrow, and support for those who who can’t be at church because of illness or age. In our world, we pray for people who work in our emergency services. We remember before God those who have asked for our prayers, or who are in need of them.
A prayer for the day
Lord Christ, eternal Word and Light of the Father”s glory: send your light and your truth that we may both know and proclaim your word of life, to the glory of God the Father; for you now live and reign, God for all eternity. Amen.
The Lord be with us
now and forever.
Let us praise the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
May Jesus, the Lord of peace, give us peace at all times and in all ways. Amen.
2 Thessalonians 3.16