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CHURCH SERVICES at the UNITED CHURCH of LUDLOW are shared ELECTRONICALLY Contact [email protected] or call 802-228-4211 for more information. _________________________________________________________________________ If you are comfortable attending in person, please join us. The doors open at 9:45 am, and worship begins at 10:00 am. We follow procedures to minimize the risk of exposure. Please read and follow those procedures for the safety of all. If you are not able to attend in person, a simultaneous Zoom stream is available. Send an email to [email protected] to get Zoom access. _________________________________________________________________________ ANNOUNCEMENTS We wish to thank Rev. Christine Boardman for leading our worship service throughout the Lenten Season and this Easter Sunday morning. A Warm Welcome to All Visitors If any member of the congregation may be of service to you, please contact the church office at 802-228-4211 or [email protected]. Regarding Individuals in the Hospital or Sick at Home It would be greatly appreciated if you know of individuals or family members in the hospital or sick at home, to kindly inform the church office at 802-228-4211 or [email protected]. Upcoming Meetings/Events Executive Board Meeting - Wednesday, April 28, 7:00 pm Weekly Offerings Offerings and other cash receipts for the week ending on March 28 were $515. The costs for each week are $1,320 (derived by dividing the annual budget by 52 weeks). Please continue to mail your offerings to our Receiver of Offerings, Anne Oakes, at 145 Merrill Road, Ludlow, Vermont 05149. Altar Guild Linda Alexander and Carol Wu provide our Altar Guild services. Prayer Concerns We continue to keep the following in our prayers: Lorraine Fitzgibbons, James Almond, Arthur Marin, Jean Eggleston, Kathy Doyle, Rick Doyle, Mindy Doyle, Judy Edwards, Anne Oakes, Carolyn Gauthier, Sheila Kafer, Susan Kneebone, Ginny Kottkamp, Evelyn Tucker, Herb Van Guilder, and Evelyn Verro. Celebrations Bernie and Loren Stolp celebrate an anniversary on April 4 Nancy Hagge celebrates a birthday on April 5 Bob and Sally Watts celebrate an anniversary on April 5 Sally Watts celebrates a birthday on April 9 Christine Boardman celebrates a birthday on April 9 Let’s Say Thank You in a Big Way Have you ever noticed when you arrive at the church in the winter, the driveway is always plowed? For as many years as we can remember Wayne Hammond has plowed the parking area at our church. He has never charged us for his services. It is his donation to the church. We think it is way past time to thank him for his generosity. Let’s put together a gift basket for him with gift certificates, gift cards, homemade goodies, jams, syrups or whatever else you think would be appropriate. You can leave it in the church in the designated box on the table in the social hall or call George or Linda and they will come to you to pick it up. If you would prefer to make a cash contribution, please send a check made out to the United Church, to Anne Oakes, 145 Merrill Rd., Ludlow, VT 05149. Write Wayne Hammond Gift in the memo line. _________________________________________________________________________ April 4, 2021 10:00 A.M. Service of Worship Easter Sunday Communion Sunday PRELUDE (All are encouraged to use the prelude as a quiet time of meditation in preparation for the worship service which follows.) ANNOUNCEMENTS JOYS AND CONCERNS GREETING The grace of our LORD Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. (2 Corinthians 13: 13) And also with you. CALL TO WORSHIP * Easter begins in despair. Our life, our love, our hope forever dead, crushed by boulder, bottled up in a cave. Who will roll away the stone? Easter takes us by surprise, early in the morning. The obstacles we expect to face are removed. Where once death and despair lay locked in time, now the bright light of hope like wings flies out of emptiness. It is at first, too good to be true, unbelievable. Where has he gone? Where have you taken him? The unexpected, the fear might make us run away from the tomb. Be not afraid is a welcome response. We discover Jesus, the crucified, was risen. We recognize the one who loves us having given up his life for us. And all who encounter the Risen One whether gently aroused or doubting find a joy and purpose. What we thought was lost has been found and we are free to believe and to love God, ourselves and others. Christ is risen, risen indeed. Alleluia! HYMN 307 * Christ Is Risen INVOCATION (in unison) Giver of life, we come this morning with our alleluias, lilies, and song. We come to worship with beauty and in truth because we have found the faith to believe in Jesus. He has transformed our lives that we might love without fear. Accept our worship, bless the sacrament we share and be present in the coming time of Spring and the season of Easter. Amen. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Known in all of creation, God’s love is ancient and endures. Our faith may wax and wane while God is steadfast. Let us confess our sin and our need of God. God, we come before you as those who have been baptized into the death of Jesus, and who seek to be raised to new life in Christ. We live with fear, even of death itself. We cannot let go of what would separate us from others and our best selves. You value life and each person and all of creation. Lift us up that we might carry the light of Christ with courage and determination. Forgive us when we neglect our responsibility to serve others and to create a world of goodness, joy, justice, and gentleness. Through Jesus Christ who has promised to be with us always, Amen. SILENCE WORDS OF ASSURANCE PSALM 118:14-24 pp. 839-840 Response 2 GLORIA Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. GOSPEL LESSON Mark 16:1-8 SERMON “Now What?” HYMN 311 * Now the Green Blade Riseth OFFERTORY SENTENCE OFFERTORY DOXOLOGY* At the Presentation, Hymn 95* Old 100th Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below; Praise him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen. PRAYER OF DEDICATION * INVITATION COMMUNION PRAYER THE LORD’S PRAYER (trespasses…) BREAKING BREAD AND POURING WINE SHARING THE ELEMENTS PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING * For the healing you have given us in the brokenness of bread and the pouring out of cup, we thank you. For the community that you have restored in us through the sharing of life, we thank you. For the courage and strength that you have promised to us, even as we have honored the ones of courage in our past, we thank you. Send us forth from this place in love, freeing us to work out justice with gentleness and power known in the presence of the Risen Christ, Amen. CLOSING HYMN 310 * He Lives BENEDICTION AND BLESSING BENEDICTION RESPONSE DISMISSAL Go in peace to love and serve the Lord. Thanks be to God. POSTLUDE * All who are able may stand. _________________________________________________________________________ Lyrics to the Hymns and Responsive Reading for the April 4 Service HYMN 307 * Christ Is Risen Christ is risen! Shout Hosanna! Celebrate this day of days. Christ is risen! Hush in wonder; all creation is amazed. In the desert all-surrounding, see, a spreading tree has grown. Healing leaves of grace abounding bring a taste of love unknown. Christ is risen! Raise your spirits from the caverns of despair. Walk with gladness in the morning. See what love can do and dare. Drink the wine of resurrection, not a servant, but a friend; Jesus is our strong companion. Joy and peace shall never end. Christ is risen! Earth and heaven nevermore shall be the same. Break the bread of new creation where the world is still in pain. Tell its grim, demonic chorus: "Christ is risen! Get you gone!" God the First and Last is with us. Sing Hosanna everyone! HYMN * 311 Now the Green Blade Riseth Now the green blade riseth, from the buried grain, Wheat that in dark earth many days has lain; Love lives again, that with the dead has been: Love is come again like wheat that springeth green. In the grave they laid Him, Love who had been slain, Thinking that He never would awake again, Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen: Love is come again like wheat that springeth green. Forth He came at Easter, like the risen grain, Jesus who for three days in the grave had lain; Quick from the dead my risen Lord is seen: Love is come again like wheat that springeth green. When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain, Jesus' touch can call us back to life again, Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been: Love is come again like wheat that springeth green. HYMN * 310 He Lives I serve a risen Saviour, He's in the world today I know that He is living, whatever men may say I see His hand of mercy, I hear His voice of cheer And just the time I need Him He's always near (Refrain) He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Christ Jesus lives today He walks with me and talks with me Along life's narrow way He lives (He lives), He lives (He lives), Salvation to impart You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart In all the world around me I see His loving care And though my heart grows weary I never will despair I know that He is leading, through all the stormy blast The day of His appearing will come at last (Refrain) Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian Lift up your voice and sing Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find None other is so loving, so good and kind (Refrain) _________________________________________________________________________   Comments are closed.
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