Prayers of Adoration & Confession

Watch or 18:10

So now with hearts full of joy and alleluias let us pray

Loving God you roll the stones away from our hearts
setting us free to love the world as you do.
In our terror and amazement
we turn to your embrace of steadfast love.
In our joy we sing allelulia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Risen Christ you see into the hearts of all people,
no longer entombed, you remind us who we are.
Risen to new life with you
we follow you, speaking words of compassion and peace.
In our joy we sing allelula!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Holy Spirit, dazzling presence, you stand as witness
sending us out into the darkness to also bear witness.
Filled with inspiration
We open our hearts to life’s boundless possibilities in you.
In our joy we sing alleluia!

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia,
alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

Amen.

Word of Grace

On this joyful Easter morning we turn to Christ.
We have journeyed the way of the cross with him along the road of Lent and Holy Week,
looking through his eyes at the brokenness, violence, and injustice of the world.
With him we have embraced the frailty of our humanity.
And now with eyes and hearts open like his tomb,
in humility we receive once more the gift of his healing grace.
Rise up with him and know, our sin is forgiven.
Thanks be to God.

Prayer – Saide Cameron, Word of Grace – Ian Ferguson,
offered for worship by Saide Cameron, 17/04/2022

 

Prayers of the people

Watch or 48:45

We will continue to look through Jesus’ eyes in our prayers of the people this morning.  Our prayers will conclude with a time for reflection when you can write or draw on the cards which you received earlier.   You may also wish to light a taper in the chapel space later in the service.

Now as we offer these prayers, let us try to see the world, the church and our community through the eyes of the risen Jesus, and look for the hope and new life that he brings.

Let us pray:

Living God, risen Christ, dazzling presence among us,

We look around, we pause to see the world through your eyes,
looking for justice, for change, for hope, for love, for peace.

In places of war we see acts of kindness and love in the midst of destruction and cruelty.
We see people opening their homes to strangers, welcoming those fleeing on trains,
driving supplies into besieged cities.

In flood ravaged towns we see kindness in the midst of devastation and despair.
We see people helping each other, strangers becoming friends as they work hard
and remove the precious pieces of people’s lives that are now only fit for waste.

We see the beauty of the world around us, the flowers, the trees, the sky and the oceans.
We see people working to stop global warming, making changes in their own lives
and urging governments to act.

We see churches working together here in Brunswick,
gathering to celebrate your entry into Jerusalem,
and offering hospitality and friendship to people every week.

We see asylum seekers imprisoned still.
And we see people witnessing to them, supporting them, remembering them.

We see people in our community who are frail, unhappy, ill, stressed, worried and anxious.
And we see each other caring, with a chat or a meal, a prayer and an email.

Jesus, what else do you see?
Let us write or draw on the cards we received earlier as we see through your eyes.

Musicians to play a reflective piece while people respond

Risen Christ,

We see signs of resurrection hope and the new life you bring all around us.

May we live as an Easter people, and be your eyes and hands as we follow you.

Amen

Kirsty Bennett, offered for worship 17/04/2022, Easter Day C