a community creating for the relentless return of Sunday
Forgiving God, everything we receive is a gift of your love.
Following your call, we return to you a portion of what we have received.
Let it become food for those who are hungry,
blessings for those who need care,
and good news for all people.
We give of ourselves for your glory. Amen.
Submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA
God, save us!
In your mighty power, give us resurrection hope!
Hear our prayers for the world you rose again to save.
Risen Christ, show us your face.
You rose from the grave
and dethroned the powers of death.
You absorbed the force of violence
and showed it to be nothing before you.
We pray today for those who live in fear of death
and suffer under the threat of violence.
Risen Christ, show us your face.
Just as you called Mary by her name,
you call us to give thanks and worship.
We pray for those whose faith is faltering,
for those who suffer,
for those who weep outside the tombs of life.
Risen Christ, show us your face.
With Mary, we hear your call
to go and proclaim the good news of your risen life.
We give thanks to your name,
because you have delivered us from death.
Give us eyes to see the victory of life,
and let our words and actions bear witness
to your unending grace.
Risen Christ, show us your face.
Show us your face, Risen Christ,
and pray with us as we join in the prayer you taught…
The Lord’s Prayer
submitted by Rev. Nathan Williams (he/him), Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA
God of Life,
On that first Easter our Risen Lord appeared to Magdalene, who stood alone — weeping — beside a garden tomb; and to a pair of downcast disciples walking the Emmaus road; and to a band of fearful followers, huddled at home behind locked doors.
On that first Easter Christ came to those who loved him — not in some sacred shrine, filled with trumpet blasts and shouts of ‘Alleluia!’ — but in quiet, tucked-away places, where the faithful sought refuge from a death-dealing world.
Having cast aside his own grave clothes, Christ came to unburden his disciples: to wipe away their tears, to set their hearts ablaze, to offer the gift of peace.
And so you come to us this day, while the shroud of death hangs heavy, while your people scatter for safety’s sake. You come to us, meeting us in ordinary places — the backdrops of our ordinary lives — to whisper the most extraordinary news: Christ is risen!
You come to us, Living Lord, to wipe away our tears, to set our hearts ablaze, to offer us the gift of peace.
And so we lift joy-filled voices to proclaim again and for all time: He is risen, indeed! Even in this season of fear, when anxiety is a constant companion; even in this season of uncertainty, when chaos seems to reign; even in this season of grief, when the forces of death seem determined to triumph, we rejoice. Especially now, we rejoice. For you have shattered the power of the grave and opened the way to eternal life!
As you come among us this day, open our hearts to your presence among us and grant us faith to believe the good news. Faithful God, we lift before you all who feel trapped in a ‘Good Friday’ world, all who cannot glimpse the brightness of Easter morn. Bring comfort to those who feel death’s sharp sting, and hope to those entombed by despair. Breathe reassurance into the hearts of those who cannot yet imagine a day when mourning turns to dancing, and send whispers of resurrection through rooms where fear still holds sway. Wrap these sisters and brothers in the steadfastness of your love, and fill them with peace.
Resurrected One, we know that Easter is not the end of the story. Christ goes before us still, leading us into a world that is desperate for good news. Though today we cannot go to the ends of the earth, or even to the streets of our neighborhoods, you still commission us to bear witness to this good news of overwhelming joy. Breathe your Spirit upon us so that we might live as a resurrection people. As disciples of the crucified and risen Lord, give us compassion in the face of suffering, courage in the face of injustice, and hope in the face of despair. Empower us, we pray, so that we might live as those who have seen the Living Lord.
We lift this prayer in the name of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord, who gave us words to pray: Our Father …
My thanks to the Rev. Casey Wait, whose observations in a recent Facebook post regarding Jesus’ post-resurrection appearances were a source of inspiration for this prayer.
Peace be with you all.
As Christ was sent into the world,
so we are now sent
to proclaim forgiveness
and bear witness to God’s love
in Jesus’ name
by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Rev. Nathan Williams, Covenant Presbyterian Church, West Des Moines, IA
In the broken and messy world in which we live in there are many things to worry about: debilitating illness, hate inspired violence, or the uncertainty of our future well being. It is easy to close ourselves off emotionally, physically, and spiritually to seal ourselves and our hearts away behind doors forged from fear. Yet despite our efforts, Jesus enters in unhindered and says, “Peace be with you.” He encourages us to engage the worries, doubts, and fears we face filled by the Holy Spirit, our advocate…we are not alone.
At this table, we remember the life, death, and resurrection of our savior who bids us to go out sharing Good News and practice acts of forgiveness with ourselves, our neighbors, and our enemies. This table is for those who feel certain and those who feel frightened. This table is for those who feel filled by the Spirit and those who are seeking to be filled. This table does not belong to the Presbyterian Church, it belongs to Jesus Christ—and it is he who invites all to share in the bread and cup of peace, love, and life everlasting.
Submitted by Rev. Andrew Black, Unity Presbyterian Church, Terre Haute, IN
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