Sunrise Liturgy of the Risen Light

Welcome to this celebration of the Risen Light! Plain font indicates portions of the liturgy shared by worship leaders. Bold font indicates liturgy read aloud by a leader & shared quietly by the congregation.

Easter Sunrise April 4, 2021, 6:47am

Prayer of Preparation

God of grace, you have given us minds to know you, hearts to love you, and voices to sing your praise. Fill us with your Spirit, that we may celebrate your glory, and worship you in spirit and truth, through , our Savior and Lord. Amen.

Gathering Gospel

On the first day of the week, at early dawn, the women went to the tomb, taking spices which they had prepared, and they found the stone rolled away from the tomb, but – when they looked inside – they did not find the body.

While they were perplexed about this – behold! – two men stood before them in dazzling apparel, and – as they were frightened, and bowed their faces to the ground – the men said to them,

“Why do you seek the living among the dead? Behold how he told you, while he was still in , that the Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful humanity, and be crucified, and on the third day rise!”

Apostolic Greetings

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God Our Father, and the friendship of the Holy Spirit be with us now and forevermore. Amen.

You are the light of the world. A city built on a hill cannot be hidden. No one lights a lamp and puts it under the bushel basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all in the house. In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven. Holy Christ, Light of the World, Risen Sun of Righteousness, shine before others, our Light and our Life, true and good.

Christ, yesterday and today, the beginning and the ending: to Christ belongs all time and all the ages; to Christ belongs glory and dominion now and forever. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Apostolic Blessings

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.

Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls. Amen.

Prayer for the Resurrection Dawn

Blessed are you, Holy Love, whose merciful voice establishes all things; who, on the first day of the week, spoke the Word and there was light. In the beginning, you separated light from darkness and saw that it was good. You became flesh and dwelled among us as the true light of the world. When the time was right, you banished forever the shadow of sin and death by the Resurrection of our Lord. Shine on us with your mercy and love, that we may reflect the light of your new creation and the dawn of our joy; through Jesus Christ, the incarnate Holy Word, who lives and reigns with the speaking Holy Voice and the breathing Holy Spirit, one almighty and loving and living God, now and forever. Amen.

Revelation 1:10, 12-16

A reading from Revelation:

I was in the spirit on the Lord’s day, and I heard behind me a loud voice like a trumpet. Then I turned to see whose voice it was that spoke to me, and on turning I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the lampstands I saw one like the Son of Man, clothed with a long robe and with a golden sash across his chest. His head and his hair were white as white wool, white as snow; his eyes were like a flame of fire, his feet were like burnished bronze, refined as in a furnace, and his voice was like the sound of many waters. In his right hand he held seven stars, and from his mouth came a sharp, two-edged sword, and his face was like the sun shining with full force.

The Light of the World, the Word of God. I have seen the Lord! Alleluia!

Psalm 118:14, 17, 21, 24, 27a, 29

The LORD is my strength and my song, and has become my salvation.

I shall not die, but live, and declare the works of the LORD.

I give thanks to you, for you have answered me and you have become my salvation.

This is the day that the LORD has made; let us rejoice and be glad in it.

The LORD is God and has given us light.

Give thanks to the LORD, for the LORD is good. God’s mercy endures forever.

Job 19:23-27a

O that my words were written down! O that they were inscribed in a book! O that with an iron pen and with lead they were engraved on a rock forever! For I know that my Redeemer lives, and that at the last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then in my flesh I shall see God, whom I shall see on my side, and my eyes shall behold the Lord, and not another.

The Light of the World, the Word of God. I have seen the Lord! Alleluia!

Resurrection Acclamation

Why are you weeping? For whom are you looking? They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay.

Resurrection Gospel

The Resurrection Gospel, according to :1-18. Glory to you, O Lord

Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, came to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the tomb. So she ran and went to Simon Peter and the other , the one whom Jesus loved, and said to them, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we do not know where they have laid him.” Then Peter and the other disciple set out and went toward the tomb. The two were running together, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent down to look in and saw the linen wrappings lying there, but he did not go in. Then Simon Peter came, following him, and went into the tomb. He saw the linen wrappings lying there, and the cloth that had been on Jesus’ head, not lying with the linen wrappings but rolled up in a place by itself. Then the other disciple, who reached the tomb first, also went in, and he saw and believed; for as yet they did not understand the scripture, that he must rise from the dead. Then the disciples returned to their homes.

. . .

Resurrection Gospel, continued

But Mary stood weeping outside the tomb. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb; and she saw two in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been lying, one at the head and the other at the feet. They said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping?” She said to them, “They have taken away my Lord, and I do not know where they have laid him.” When she had said this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to her, “Woman, why are you weeping? Whom are you looking for?” Supposing him to be the gardener, she said to him, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have laid him, and I will take him away.” Jesus said to her, “Mary!” She turned and said to him in Hebrew, “Rabbouni!” (which means Teacher). Jesus said to her, “Do not hold on to me, because I have not yet ascended to the Father. But go to my brothers and say to them, ‘ ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” Mary Magdalene went and announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord”; and she told them that he had said these things to her.

The Light of the World, the Word of God. I have seen the Lord! Alleluia! Praise to you, O Christ!

Sermon Pastor Joel Neubauer

Litany of the Risen Light

Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

For once you were shadows, but now in the Lord you are shining.

Live as children of the light— for the fruit of the light is found in all that is good and right and true.

Try to find out what is pleasing to the Lord. Take no part in the unfruitful works of shade, but instead expose them.

For it is shameful even to mention what such people do secretly, but everything exposed by the light becomes visible, for everything that becomes visible is light.

Therefore it says, “Sleeper, awake! Rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.” Glory to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit, as it was in the beginning, is now, and will be forever. Amen.

Nicene Creed, Article I

We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.

Nicene Creed, Article II

We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only , eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under ; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.

Nicene Creed, Article III

We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the Giver of Life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshipped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.

Prayers of the People

In the brightening light of this peace-filled morning, let us pray to the risen Christ for his body the Church, for the world of his making, and for all people’s safe-keeping.

Light of the church, bless you people with unity in your risen body spread across all times and places.

Light of the world, bless the earth of your making, of your choosing, of your sustaining, where you have deigned to dwell with us that we might come to dwell with you.

Light of the gospel, bless all people with good news of great joy, as you are risen to life among as God with us in joy and sorrow, love and pain, wounds and healing, death and life.

Light of the resurrection, bless the graves of all your saints until, filled with your promise of grace, they are made open in witness for us of holy communion with your abounding life.

We entrust our prayers, even those which are hidden in the silence of our hearts, to the luminous glory of your inseparable love in Christ Jesus our Lord, our Resurrection and our Life.

Send forth your light; and let your mercy shine upon us. Amen.

Sign of Peace

The peace of Christ be with us all. Thanks be to God!

Hope for Holy Communion

The Lord be with you. And also with you.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Lord, we hope for holy closeness, for holy community, for Holy Communion. Give us faith – and increase our faith – to live in unity with you and with each other. Now faith the assurance of things we have hoped for, the conviction of things we have not seen until in communion with you we proclaim, “We have seen the Lord!” Alleluia!

Lord’s Prayer

Lord, remember us in your kingdom and teach us to pray:

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 and ever. Amen.

Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism

All who are baptized into Christ Jesus are baptized into his death. If we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. We know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be destroyed, and we might no longer be enslaved to sin. For whoever has died is freed from sin.

But if we have died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over him. The death he died, he died to sin, once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God.

So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus.

. . .

Thanksgiving for Holy Baptism, continued

Alleluia! Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life. Alleluia!

Star of the Morning, reflected upon our shared baptismal waters, you shine in us with the light of grace and mercy. Strengthen us to reflect the bright glory of your Resurrection in the midst of shadows. Turn us from brokenness, sin and death to bask in the radiance of your love and to live out the endless peace and justice of your rising, O Sun of Righteousness.

Shine in us through the life of your baptized body, your Church. Shine in us through your love and your faithfulness. Shine in us through the new life of your resurrection. Shine upon the whole world of your making, O Light of Life. Amen.

Prayers for Benediction

Divine Love, bless us and shine in our faith with the light of the Resurrection, that we may trust in God’s promise of new life and banish the fear of separation, that we may hold fast to joy, that we may walk in peace and carry the good news throughout the world.

Incarnate Love, bless us and shine in our hope with the light of the Resurrection, that we may persevere in the face of oppression, that we may lift our eyes to God’s glorious dawn, that we may proclaim good news to those who are weary and downtrodden.

Abiding Love, bless us and shine in our love with the light of the Resurrection, that we may know ourselves as God’s beloved children, that we may serve our neighbors as you serve you, that we may respond to you, our God, one Love – divine, incarnate and abiding – with the love of our whole heart, mind, soul and strength.

Amen.

Almighty God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit – enlighten us, fully and forever. Amen.

Dismissal

Go in peace, in the joy of the Risen Light! Join with all the saints who have announced to the disciples, “I have seen the Lord!”

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! + + +

As a note on our worship at the break of dawn on Easter morning—

This liturgy for the Divine Service of the Risen Light is taken in large part from scripture, incorporating the biblical witness to the Resurrection of Our Lord.

Biblical texts within this liturgy include:

Job 19:23-27a :14-16, 28:6 Mark 8:1-8 :1-8 :68, 20:2b, 15, 18a Romans 6:5-11 2 Corinthians 13:13 Ephesians 5:1-2, 8-14 1 Peter 1:3-9 Revelation 1:10, 12-16