Leader: Beloved, Christ is risen!
People: Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Leader: Our Savior is risen!
People: Our Savior is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Leader: Steadfast Love is risen!
People: Steadfast Love is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Leader: This is the day that God has made;
People: Let us rejoice and be glad! Alleluia!
Leader: Christ, we come to the empty tomb, we see our own death, we see our own tomb, we see our own emptiness. And we remember how we have treated other people-members of our family, friends, and neighbours.
People: Lord, we come to your tomb, we see a hungry world before us, the pain of starving children, the guilt of war on our hands, and we know that collectively we share in those injustices.
Leader: Lord, we come to the empty tomb, we search within ourselves, and we cannot escape what we are, people caught up in the pain of our own wrongdoing, for some, a deep sense of loneliness and a frustration of what we would be but are not.
People: Lord, when we come to the empty tomb, we lay before you our pain, our emptiness and look to you for hope.
Leader: People of God, why do you seek the living among the dead in an empty tomb? Are you afraid, are you uncertain, and are you uncomfortable here?
People: Our wounds are deep, we have turned away from that man, we have broken with him and seek his fellowship.
Radiant God, whose love endures forever, we gather today in the light of resurrection hope, offering these gifts as a response to the abundant grace we have received. In this period of spiritual renewal, may our giving reflect the joy of the empty tomb and the promise of life everlasting. Transform our offerings into acts of love that bring light to the world, just as Christ’s light dawned in our hearts. We dedicate these gifts to your service, trusting that, in your hands, they will bring forth new life. Amen.
Said Each Week as A Communal Prayer:
Send to us all the people who feel unwanted and unloved in other places, and if they can't come to us, send us to them.