Invocation
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Good morning, heavenly Father.
We worship you, the creator and sustainer of the universe.
Good morning, Lord Jesus.
We worship you, Saviour and Lord of the world.
Good morning, Holy Spirit.
We worship you, sanctifier of the people of God.
Opening sentences
One thing I have asked of the Lord,
this is what I seek:
that I may dwell in the house of the Lord
all the days of my life;
to behold the beauty of the Lord
and to seek him in his temple.
Who is it that you seek?
We seek the Lord our God.
Do you seek him with all your heart?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your soul?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your mind?
Amen. Lord, have mercy.
Do you seek him with all your strength?
Amen. Christ, have mercy.
Declaration of faith
To whom shall we go?
You have the words of eternal life,
and we have believed and have come to know
that you are the Holy One of God.
Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ,
King of endless glory.
Hebrew Bible reading
Joshua 3:1-17
Crossing the Jordan
3 Joshua started early the next morning and left the Acacia Grove with all the Israelites. They went as far as the Jordan and stayed there before crossing. 2 After three days the officers went through the camp 3 and commanded the people, ‘When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God carried by the Levitical priests, you are to break camp and follow it. 4 But keep a distance of about a kilometre between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t travelled this way before.’
5 Joshua told the people, ‘Consecrate yourselves, because the Lord will do wonders among you tomorrow.’ 6 Then he said to the priests, ‘Carry the ark of the covenant and go on ahead of the people.’ So they carried the ark of the covenant and went ahead of them.
7 The Lord spoke to Joshua: ‘Today I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so they will know that I will be with you just as I was with Moses.8 Command the priests carrying the ark of the covenant: When you reach the edge of the water, stand in the Jordan.’
9 Then Joshua told the Israelites, ‘Come closer and listen to the words of the Lord your God.’ 10 He said, ‘You will know that the living God is among you and that he will certainly dispossess before you the Canaanites, Hethites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites 11 when the ark of the covenant of the Lord of the whole earth goes ahead of you into the Jordan. 12 Now choose twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one man for each tribe.13 When the feet of the priests who carry the ark of the Lord, the Lord of the whole earth, come to rest in the Jordan’s water, its water will be cut off. The water flowing downstream will stand up in a heap.’
14 When the people broke camp to cross the Jordan, the priests carried the ark of the covenant ahead of the people. 15 Now the Jordan overflows its banks throughout the harvest season. But as soon as the priests carrying the ark reached the Jordan, their feet touched the water at its edge 16 and the water flowing downstream stood still, rising up in a heap that extended as far as Adam, a city next to Zarethan. The water flowing downstream into the Sea of the Arabah – the Dead Sea – was completely cut off, and the people crossed opposite Jericho. 17 The priests carrying the ark of the Lord’s covenant stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan, while all Israel crossed on dry ground until the entire nation had finished crossing the Jordan.
New Testament Reading
Matthew 28:1-10
Resurrection Morning
28 After the Sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to view the tomb. 2 There was a violent earthquake, because an angel of the Lord descended from heaven and approached the tomb. He rolled back the stone and was sitting on it. 3 His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. 4 The guards were so shaken by fear of him that they became like dead men.
5 The angel told the women, ‘Don’t be afraid, because I know you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6 He is not here. For he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. 7 Then go quickly and tell his disciples, “He has risen from the dead and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; you will see him there.” Listen, I have told you.’
8 So, departing quickly from the tomb with fear and great joy, they ran to tell his disciples the news. 9 Just then Jesus met them and said, ‘Greetings! ’They came up, took hold of his feet, and worshipped him. 10 Then Jesus told them, ‘Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.’
Pause for reflection
Prayer of Confession
Lord, there are times when I’m sluggish in faith, thick of head,
and I need your Holy Spirit’s power to help me see Jesus in all the Scriptures and in the breaking of bread. Kindle in me a burning heart of rich faith that opens my eyes and recognises you as Lord.
Amen.
Prayers of Intercession
Today, we are praying for The Balkans – Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Croatia, Kosovo, Montenegro, North Macedonia, Serbia, and Slovenia.
We give thanks for:
- the rich legacies that this area has long embodied
- those who kept both the people and their faith alive during years of repression
- those pursuing peace and reconciliation between the different ethnic and religious groups
- the resurgence of the ecumenical witness of churches in recent years.
We pray for:
- a continual healing of historic memories and pains that have been mutually inflicted
- those who continue to experience marginalization and injustice, especially the Roma
- religion to be a means of healing rather than of further separation and exploitation
- the nurturing and sustaining of pluralistic societies in the Balkans.
In our own place in the world, we pray for:
- all whose decisions involve questions of justice, mercy and peace
- federal, state and local politicians
- church leaders, ministers, pastors, teachers, and missionaries
- all the churches of our city or region
- our local community, businesses, and schools
- our local congregation and its ministries
- opportunities to experience meaningful worship and fellowship
- opportunities for discipleship and learning to be more like Jesus
- opportunities for service to others and sharing the good news
- the needs of our families and friends
- our personal needs
Pause for reflection
Classic Prayer
Lord, You have passed over into new life, and You now invite us to pass over also.
In these past days we have grieved at Your suffering and mourned at Your death.
We have given ourselves over to repentance and prayer, to abstinence and gravity.
Now at Easter You tell us that we have died to sin.
Yet, if this is so, how can we remain on earth?
How can we pass over to Your risen life, while we are still in this world?
Will we not be just as meddlesome, just as lazy, just as selfish as before?
Will we not still be bad-tempered and stubborn, enmeshed in all the vices of the past?
I pray that as we pass over with You, our faces will never look back.
Instead, let us, like You, make Heaven on earth. Amen.
– Bernard of Clairvaux (1090-1153)
Contemporary Prayer
Let us ask God for the gift of unity:
God, our Father, who has created all things,
we are your children.
It is your will that we live together in peace
and stand by one another as sisters and brothers.
Your will be done.
Jesus Christ, Son of God,
you have prayed for the unity of all who are baptized in your name,
who believe in you and confess your name.
Is it your will, that the Church, your body, be one.
Your will be done.
Holy Spirit of God,
you have filled the Apostles with the fire of courage
to proclaim the Good News.
It is your will that we proclaim with one voice the great deeds of God
and the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Your will be done.
(Week of Prayer for Christian Unity 1986, Slovenia)
The Lord’s Prayer
Matthew 6:9-13, NIV
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
And forgive us our debts,
as we also have forgiven our debtors.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from the evil one.
For yours is the kingdom and the power
and the glory forever. Amen.
Pause for reflection
Sending Prayer
Heavenly Father, we pray
that we may live this day in your presence
and please you more and more.
Lord Jesus, we pray that this day
we may take up our cross and follow you.
Holy Spirit, we pray that this day
you will fill us with yourself
and cause your fruit to ripen in our lives:
love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness,
faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Holy, blessed and glorious Trinity,
three persons in one God,
have mercy upon us. Amen.
Canticle
Christ, as a light,
illumine and guide me.
Christ, as a shield,
overshadow me.
Christ under me;
Christ over me;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Be in the heart of each to whom I speak;
in the mouth of each who speaks unto me.
This day be within and without me,
lowly and meek, yet all-powerful.
Christ as a light;
Christ as a shield;
Christ beside me
on my left and my right.
Blessing
May the peace of the Lord Christ go with you,
wherever he may send you.
May He guide you through the wilderness,
protect you through the storm.
May he bring you home rejoicing
at the wonders he has shown you.
May he bring you home rejoicing
once again into our doors.
+ In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
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