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CENTRAL UNITED METHODIST SUNDAY TRANSCRIPTION

** CHIMING OF THE HOUR **

OPENING HYMN Dr. Don Grice - Hymn 302 - the Lord Is Risen Today - (EASTER HYMN)

EASTER GREETING REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Christ is risen! People: He is risen indeed! ALL: Alleluia!

PARISH CONCERNS REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Friends, in the name of Christ, welcome to this virtual service on this Easter Sunday. We gather to celebrate the glory of the risen Christ and while we can't be together in person this morning, we are never the less together in spirit and we are grateful that you have chosen to make Central your virtual worshipping home for this time. I do have some announcements. I would lift up to you this morning. One, to remind you that we do continue to worship virtually and you can find those ways and places where you can worship virtually with us by visiting our church website at www.centralmethodist.net. If you click on the virtual worship tab there on the homepage it will take you to that part of the website where you'll find all of our links to our YouTube page, to our Facebook page, and all of the ways that we continue to worship. I'd remind you that this coming Thursday, as all Thursdays throughout this time, we will be live on Facebook for our weekly prayer service and we would invite you to join us in that time of live worship and you can share prayer concerns for us to lift up in that time of worship if you like, again a link there on the virtual worship page of the church website at www.centralmethodist.net but also as we are streaming in your comments on Facebook you can put in prayer concerns for us to share in the worship service there and we hope you'll take advantage of that. I'd remind you that we're continuing to have virtual Children's and Youth Ministry during this time of quarantine and social distancing you'll details about how you can participate in those as well and that same part of the church website. I'd remind you on the church website, again that's www.centralmethodist.net that we also have a COVID-19 resource area where you can access and see different things that our church is doing and ways you can participate and help making things better for our neighbors. As we are entering into a new time together, a new phase in our community response, we are all responding, of course, to Governor McMasters order about staying home and commuting only when essential and so out of out of that concern and the way to make sure that we keep our people as healthy as possible the church offices are going to be closed to visitors, but that doesn't mean we don't want to hear from you and that we don't want to talk to you and we don't want to see you because we do, so, please continue to be in touch with us electronically or by telephone. If you would like to meet in person some of us may even be available to meet with you outside, ---- we have some lovely outdoor areas here at Central that we love to maybe meet with you in. So please, be in touch with us if we can be in any way helpful to you. I'd also remind you that while we're not gathering in person to pass an offering plate, we do still need resources -- financial resources to continue the mission and ministry that God has entrusted to Central and so I would remind you that you can give online through the church website. If you click on the top right-hand corner of your screen, you'll see a give tab you can click there and give electronically. You can also mail a check to the church office or drop a check physically by the church office; if you're out on essential business, we do even -- we -- you can leave it and we have a letter box that's locking insecure that you can leave a check in so we would encourage you to do that as well. Friends, it's Easter! We celebrate, that we gather now, in the presence of the risen Christ, so let us worship God together.

COLLECT ON EASTER REV. J DERRICK CATTENHEAD: My dear friends, let us now pray our Collect together. People: Almighty God, through your only son who overcame death and open to us the gate of everlasting life; grant that we who celebrate our Lord's resurrection by the renewing of your spirit arise from the death of sin to the life of righteousness through the name Jesus Christ our Lord..

ACT OF PRAISE REV. J. DERRICK CATTENHEAD: And as a respond to everything that God has done for us and what God continues to do for us. We will render our Act of Praise, which can be found on page 839 of the United Methodist Hymnal. It will be Psalm 118. Verses 14 through 29 and of course, we will not be singing the response. The Lord is my strength and my power the Lord has become my salvation. People: There are joyous songs of victory in the tents of the righteous: The right hand of the Lord does valiantly, the right hand of the Lord is exalted, People: the right hand of the Lord does valiantly! I shall not die, but I shall live, and recount the deeds of the Lord. People: The Lord has chastened me sorely, but has not given me over to death. Open to me the gates of righteousness that I may enter through them and give thanks to the Lord. People: This is the gate of the Lord; the righteous shall enter through it. I thank you that you have answered me and have become my salvation. People: The stone which the builders rejected has become the cornerstone. This is the Lord's doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. People: This is the day which the Lord has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it. Save us, we beseech you, O Lord! | People: O Lord, we beseech you, give us success! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! | People: We bless you from the house of the Lord. The Lord is God, who has given us light. People: Lead the festal procession with branches, up to the horns of the ! You are my God, and I will give you give thanks to you. You are my God. I will extol you. People: O give thanks to the Lord, who is good; for God's steadfast love endure for ever!

SOLO Dr. Fran Coleman - Solo - I Know That My Redeemer Liveth (from Messiah) - G. F. Handel

GOSPEL LESSON REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Friends, our Lesson this morning is from according to Matthew, the 28th chapter, verses 1 through 10, these words contain the good news of Christ's resurrection and out of reverence to what they say, I would invite you to stand as you're able as we read these verses together. Hear now the Word of the God. After the Sabbath as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb and suddenly there was a great earthquake for an angel of the Lord descending from came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning and his clothing white as snow. For fear of him and the guards shook and became like dead men, but the angel said to the women, "Do not be afraid! I know that you were looking for Jesus who was crucified, but he is not here for he has been raised as he said. Come, see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples, He has been raised from the dead and indeed He is going ahead of you to Galilee, there you will see him. This is my message for you."So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly, Jesus met them and said, "Greetings!" and they came to him took hold of his feet and worship him. Then Jesus said to them, "Do not be afraid! Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee. there they will see me."

This is the Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. Please be seated.

EASTER SERMON REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Friends, we do gather this morning to celebrate the good news that Christ is risen. And even though we're gathering today virtually, I don't want you just to let those words fall as other words fall onto your ears. I want them to fall onto your heart. I know that whenever you hear me preach you all listened intently and hang on every word, but I need you to listen especially closely today because we celebrate the good news that Christ is risen. Friends, those words that Christ is risen that the women that the tomb heard from the angel that they celebrated when they encountered the risen Christ are not just something for us to say we believe to be true, but something for us to ground our whole beings on we know that is early as the fourth century were greeting each other during this Easter season, not just this day, but the season of Easter that we celebrate after this day with those words "Christ is Risen" to which the response was "Christ is Risen, indeed." So if you sitting there home hear me say "Christ is Risen" I want you right there in your living room, or your back porch, or wherever you are to say, "Christ is Risen, indeed." So I want you to pay attention. I want you to listen closely because I want you to celebrate with me that central mystery of Christian faith and life. I want you to celebrate with me that Jesus is risen from the grave. So when I say, "Christ is Risen," you respond, People: "Christ is Risen, indeed." You got it! You've got it now. I don't want to be like Dora the Explorer. Did you ever watch that show with your children or maybe when you were children? Dora would say she wanted you to say something and in my house the children would be watching Dora. She say to say something and they just stood there and looked at the screen and didn't say a word and Dora would respond to the thing they didn't say and it didn't make any sense and I don't want things not to make sense in your house this morning. So, "Christ is Risen!" People: "Christ is Risen, indeed!" Now you've got it. I'm excited about Easter. I'm excited about Easter. I'm excited because Jesus who was dead is now alive, and I'm excited because he is alive it means that death has no power over us anymore. If that's not something to get excited about, friends, I don't know what it is. I know you don't get as many presents as you at Easter as you do at Christmas. I know you probably don't travel to as many relatives houses. You probably don't eat as many big meals. You might not go to as many parties, but Easter is the most important holiday in the church's year because it's the biggest thing that happened all the year because it's the biggest thing that happened since creation that Jesus who was dead was in the glory of God brought back to life and resurrected. This may be the last year he gives me permission to tell this story. I don't know, but I'm going to tell it anyway, my son Harper when he was two and a half months old. We were having a conversation somewhere between Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, and we were he was about two and a half as I say and we were playing a little playroom we had in the house we lived in at the time. And do y'all know those Fisher-Price Little People, that they made and I don't know if you know that make playsets for them and one of the place that they made for them, isn't it -- that still make I hope, is a and it's got little Fisher-Price people that are Mary, and Joseph, and the baby Jesus, and the wise man, and the shepherds, and the animals, that comes with a little stable. There's the whole thing you can buy there and as children are want to do when Christmas came and went our son did not want to put that playset together and he continue to play with it. But like a lot of children sometimes the world's crossed. He also had a little four-wheeler that went with some of his Bob the Builder toys. And I walked in one morning. And Mary is sitting on top of that four- wheeler. And it seemed to me Mary was celebrating. I don't know why that was a clue to me that we needed to have a conversation, that we're playing with Mary, that we're playing with the four wheeler, and it was just sort of a teaching moment, and I said Harper, do you know, what happened on Easter? You know, it's going to be Easter in a few days. Do you know what happened? And that the little the joy and excitement that this a two-and-a-half-year-old would have just sort of drain from his body and it and he looked very sad and he said it's about Jesus. I said, but do you know what about Jesus? He said they killed him. I said son, but you know, that's not the end of the story, don't you? Do you what happened three days after they killed Jesus? -- **whispers** "What? "God brought him back to life. God raised him from the dead.” Harper said, REALLY? I said really and he jumped up and down and he started pumping his fist in the air and he went, "YAAAAY!" I saw sadness turn to joy in a moment when the good news of resurrection was shared, his sadness turn to joy. Friends, we are coming out of a season of Lent. We're continuing to worship the risen Christ in a season of quarantine. Yet, the good news remains that Christ is risen and our sorrow can be turned to joy. We can have that excitement that a toddler would have in his playroom. We can have the excitement of the women who found the tomb empty and then encounter the risen Christ. We can even here and now feel that joy. We can experience sorrow, turned to happiness. Sadness turned to excitement. I want you to work with me just a minute and place yourselves into the lives, into the scene, into the situation, in which the first disciples found themselves. -- These women that we read about in Matthew's gospel. What they would have been feeling and experiencing when they walked to Jesus grave. If you rewind just a little bit to Good Friday, that day that we remember Jesus death for us on the cross. Remember Jesus died that day, but the hopes of the disciples also died. Some of these men and women had left everything, literally left everything, left jobs, left homes, and followed Jesus. Staked their everything their very lives that he was who he claimed to be, that he was the Messiah. The one who would save his people, who would save them, this Messiah who was speaking and preaching and teaching about a kingdom of God in which they would have a part. And on Good Friday, that died in their hearts. They didn't understand what Jesus was talking about with his death and his resurrection. I imagine on Maundy Thursday when Jesus instituted the last -- the Lord's supper and had his last supper with his disciples. He said things they didn't understand, but they still knew this was the Messiah. We don't understand it right now. The kingdom of God is still coming. It's going to be okay. But then he was arrested. He was tortured. And he was killed. Imagine the abject spiritual sorrow they would have been in. It would have felt like the world would have stopped spinning that everything they believed to be true, everything they were certain, of everything they were sure of had been destroyed. Because Jesus was dead. Hope died. Love died. They had to ask themselves, are they going to come for me next? So they spent Friday, the rest of Friday, they spent Saturday in hiding, grieving, mourning. They quickly laid his body in a tomb, some of them, they didn't even have the opportunity to give him a proper burial because the sun was was setting and it would be the Sabbath soon and they could not prepare him for burial. So without any preparation, they quickly wrapped him in cloth. They quickly put him into a tomb to plan being to come back the first as soon as they could on Sunday morning when the Sabbath ended to prepare his body for burial. And then we have the story of these women coming to the tomb to it to do that to prepare Jesus body for burial imagine the sorrow with which they walk how their feet dragged, how they got up and went to the tomb because they didn't know anything else to do. Their leaders that the closest of Jesus followers were nowhere to be seen not giving them guidance. They just went to do the only thing they could do. So then as the sun, creeped out over the horizon on Sunday. They arrived at the tomb. It was empty. An angel told them that Christ had risen and then they ran into him and they worshiped him and imagine that have abject sorrow and despair being turn to joy when they encounter the risen Christ. Imagine that feeling! Friends, that is what we are offered to have our abject sorrow and despair turned to joy and hope because we can encounter the risen Christ. In his resurrection, Jesus announced that all the powers of evil that were lined up against God had been conquered. Jesus wasn't merely brought back to life, cause that's resuscitation, Jesus wasn't resuscitated. Jesus was resurrected! He had risen in the body to a new life to a glorious life. Jesus was brought not merely brought back to life, but he was restored to life, but he was given new life. He was resurrected. He was infused with the power of God in such a way that death could not contain him not only could death not contain him, but in his death and resurrection Jesus conquered death. Jesus in his resurrection shows us.

That we have the capability to be capability to be infused with that same resurrection power. That -- that power comes through faith in God through him. The power that comes from faith in Christ's resurrection. The power that death has no power to control us. That death's power over us is broken. Don't you see? Christ died a horrible death, but he had a wonderful resurrection. And we will all die, but we are promised a glorious resurrection like his. I'm reminded of the words Paul wrote to the Corinthian church, we find these words in 1st Corinthians 15:51 through 57. Listen, I will tell you a mystery. We will not all die, but we will be changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound and the dead will be raised imperishable and we will be changed for this perishable body must put on imperishability. And this mortal body must put on immortality. When this perishable body puts on imperishability and this mortal body puts on immortality then the saying that is written will be fulfilled death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, Oh, death is your victory where, oh, death is your sting? But thanks be to God who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Think about those words, "where, o, death is your victory? Where, o, death is your sting?" Don't you see? We'll all die as Jesus died. But we're also offered a resurrection like Jesus' resurrection. Yes, I'm excited. Yes, I'm worked up. Yes. I'm like a little boy standing there with toys in either hand pumping his fist in the air realizing in his young mind for the first time the wonderful mystery that is resurrection. I am excited because the savior of the world died your death and my death. I'm excited because the savior of the world promises you and me a resurrection like his. I am excited because God and Jesus Christ has extended that offer to the entire world. I'm excited because death has been put down, the power of death has been destroyed. I'm excited because when all the forces of evil were lined up against God thinking they won, thinking that the worst thing that could happen had happened it God's own son the Messiah was dead and gone out of their way, God raised Jesus from the dead to redeem his creation, to save his people to overthrow the power of evil and death. --- that is evil in the universe rejoiced in the death of God's own Son. Jesus said, "No!" God said, "No!" I'm excited because Jesus walked out of the tomb and said to all the powers opposed to God. "Look what God has done! You are beaten!" I'm excited. Because Jesus met those women and said, "It's me. I'm alive. Go tell everybody." And they responded with such joy that they ran and proclaimed to all that they seen the risen Lord. Friends, how can we be indifferent to that? IF we truly believe that Jesus rose victorious from the grave, how can we be indifferent? How can we not be like Mary who fell at his feet and worshipped and ran to tell all she encountered that she met the risen Lord? How come the same thing that sent Mary clinging to Jesus and then leaping for joy and then proclaiming that good news. How could we not do the same? How can we not want everyone to know that same good news? How could we not respond like the women at the tomb? They were there. They saw Jesus in a physical way that's impossible for us. But in a way that is no less real and no less powerful. The risen Christ is still with us and we can still encounter the risen Jesus in powerful and life-changing ways. What Jesus has done for us is no less real. How can we respond with excitement? There's a fourth-century hymn writer named Ephrem of Syria, for about 300 years after Jesus rose from the grave, wrote a tune -- wrote a hymn to celebrate Christ's resurrection. I want to share that with you now. Ephraim of Syria wrote these words, 1700 years ago, "I fall in adoration at your feet Lord. Thank you God of goodness, God of Holiness, I invoke you on my knees in your sight, for me an unworthy sinner you have will to undergo the death of the cross setting me free from the bonds of evil. What shall I offer in return for your generosity? Glory to you friend of people, glory to you most merciful, glory to you most patient, glory to you who forgives sin, glory to you who have come to save us, glory to you who have been made man in the womb of a virgin, glory to you who have been bound, glory to you who have been scourged, glory to you who have been derided, glory to you who have been nailed to the cross, glory to you who laid in a tomb but risen again, glory to you who have preached the gospel to people and have been believed, glory to you who have ascended to Heaven, glory to you sit at the right hand of the Father who will return with them in majesty among the angels to judge to those who have been disregarded, glory to him through his merciful goodness has designed to redeem this sinner." And these words from St.John Chrysostom, also an ancient writer, "Christ is risen and death is overthrown, Christ is risen in the demons are fallen, Christ is risen and the angels rejoice, Christ is risen and life reigns!" My friends, Christ is risen! | People: "Christ is risen, indeed!" Amen. Friends, take that good news with you the rest of this day and every day that comes after. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the . Amen.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE REV. MEG BRYCE JIUNNES: As children of -- as beloved children of God, let us come together to pray the Prayers of the People. In the peace of the risen Christ, let us pray to the Lord that our risen

Savior may grant us victory over all our enemies, unseen and seen, Lord in your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. That he may crushed beneath our feet the Prince of Darkness and all evil powers. Lord in your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. | That he may raise us up and set us with him and Heaven. Lord in your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. | That he may fill us with the joy of his holy and life-giving resurrection. Lord in your mercy | People: Hear our prayers. | that he may provide through us for those who lack food, work, and shelter Lord and your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. | That he may God our president, governor, and all governmental officials. Lord and your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. | That by his love disease, wars, and famine may cease through all the Earth. Lord in your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. | That isolated and persecuted churches find fresh strength in the gospel. Lord in your mercy. | People: Hear our prayers. |That all those who have gone before us in the faith of Christ may find refreshment, light, and peace through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH REV. MEG BRYCE JIUNNIES: And now I invite you to join with me in saying what you believe. We will use the Apostles . Please stand where you are. I believe in Almighty maker of heaven and Earth and in Jesus Christ his only son our Lord who was conceived by the Holy Spirit born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried, the third day He rose from the dead, He ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the Holy Church, the Communion of , the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and life everlasting. Amen.

OFFERTORY REV. THOMAS W. SMITH Friends, now is the part in our service if we were together that we would pass the offering plate as we return to God a portion of what's already his with His and our offerings and now I would invite you at this point in our service to maybe think about going to our website www.centralmethodist.net And click through the online Giving tab on the homepage or to go ahead if you have a paper check, maybe now's the time to write it in in your own time of prayer dedicate that to God and get it to the church office later this week, but now let us return to God a portion of its already here with his tithes and our offerings.

OFFERTORY MUSIC DR. DON GRICE: Offertory -- Hymn Prelude on “The Strife is O’er” -- Healey Willan

PRAYER OF CONFESSION REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Friends, we move now to our time of where we celebrate the of Holy Communion. This is a tradition here at Central to celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion on Easter. And we either we are few and number those of us who are gathered here are still the gathered church. And so we do celebrate the sacrament of Holy Communion. And although you can't participate in the same way at home. One of the things I would encourage you to do is that nevertheless be aware of the presence of Christ with you. One of the main messages of the sacrament of Holy Communion is that the risen Christ is with us -- present with us -- and though in a different way -- in a way. that's not sacramental the risen Christ is present with you wherever you are right now. Following our time of communion, there will be a prayer -- in which I'll invite you to participate, the words you can read along and it's a prayer inviting the presence of Christ into your heart. You can't do that sacramentally, but you can still do it in a way that's no less real. We now move to our time of communion. Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him, who earnestly repent of their sin, and seek to live in peace with one another. Therefore, let us confess our sins before God and one another. People: Lord Jesus, we have been raised to share in your glorious resurrection. Yet, we have not lived as Easter people. We are unsure of your promise, confused about your will, and afraid in the face of danger. Whenever we are tempted to fear death, give us courage to confess your Easter victory. Whenever we are distracted by petty conflicts, keep our minds on your reconciling love. Whenever we are overwhelmed by the power of evil, reveal again to us your triumph over the destructive powers of oppression. Forgive our sin and let our lives be a testimony to your salvation. Through the love of God and by the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Hear the good news, Christ died for us while we were yet sinners that proves God's love toward us in the name of Jesus Christ. You are forgiven. People: In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Glory to God. Amen.

THE GREAT THANKSGIVING REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: The Lord be with you. | People: And also with you. Lift up your hearts. | People: We lift them up to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise. | it is a right and a good and a joyful thing always and everywhere to give thanks to you Father almighty, creator of Heaven and Earth, you formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life. When we turned away and our love failed Your love remains steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, brought us to a land flowing with milk and honey, and set before us the way of life. And so with your people on Earth and all the company of Heaven, we praise Your name and join their unending hymn. All: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, Heaven and Earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest! ||Holy are you and blessed is your son Jesus Christ, by the of his suffering death and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a by water and the spirit. By your great mercy, we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection of your son from the dead and to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading. Once we were no people, but now we are your people, declaring your wonderful deeds in Christ who called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always in the power of your word and Holy Spirit. On the night in which he gave himself up for us, our lord Jesus took bread, He broke the bread gave it to his disciples and said, "take, eat, this is my body, which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me. "When the supper was over, he took the cup, gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples and said, "Drink from this all of you, this is my blood of the New Covenant poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Do this as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. "On the day you raised him from the dead, our Lord was recognized by his disciples in the breaking of bread and in the power of your Holy Spirit, your church has continued in the breaking of bread and the sharing of the cup and so in remembrance of these you're mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we also offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice in union with Christ's offering for us as we proclaim the mystery of faith. All: Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again. Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here and on these gifts on bread and wine, make them be for us the body and blood of Christ that we may be for the world the redeemed by his blood. By your spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world until Christ comes in final victory and we feast at his heavenly banquet. Through your son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit and your holy church. All honor and glory is yours almighty Father now and forever. Amen.

THE LORD’S PRAYER REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray together the prayer our Lord taught us. 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, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

GIVING THE CUP AND BREAD REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: The bread that we break as the sharing in the body of Christ, the cup over which we give thanks as the sharing in the blood of Christ. Derrick, this is the body of Christ broken for you. Meg, this the body of Christ broken for you. Derrick, this is the blood of Christ shed for you. Meg, this is the blood of Christ shed for you. Thomas, this is the body of Christ given for you. Amen. and it was shed for you. || Thanks be to God.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Will you pray with me? My Jesus, I believe that you are present in the most holy sacrament. I love you above all things and I desire to receive you into my soul, since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace you as if you were already there and unite myself wholly to you, never permit me to be separated from you. Amen.

BENEDICTION

REV. THOMAS W. SMITH: Friends, Christ is risen go forth in the power and presence of the risen Christ to take that good news to all you meet. In the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.