Giving Thanks for the Light of Christ
Moment of quiet, then light a candle.

Sisters and brothers in Christ, on this most holy night when Jesus Christ passed from death to life, we gather with the church throughout the world in vigil and prayer. Through light and the word, through water and meal, we proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection, share Christ’s triumph over sin and death, and await Christ’s coming again in glory.

Bless this new fire. You have given the light of life to all the world.
Christ shines. Help us to shine until we feast together with Jesus.

The light of Christ. Thanks be to God.
The light of Christ. Thanks be to God.
The light of Christ. Thanks be to God.

Song – We Are Marching in the Light of God
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching in the light of God,
we are marching in the light of God.

We are marching, (marching, we are marching, marching,)
we are marching in the light of God.
We are marching, (marching, we are marching, marching,)
we are marching in the light of God.

Additional stanzas ad lib:
We are dancing . . .
We are praying . . .
We are singing . . .

Thank you, God, for the gift of your light—shining on the first day of creation, guiding us through the wilderness, leading us to the land of promise.
You sent Jesus, light of the world, to be our way of truth and life.
Help us to follow Jesus each day and rest in Jesus each night until at last we come to live with you in eternal life. Amen.

Hearing the Story of God’s Saving Acts
Moment of quiet, then open the Bible

Gen 1:1–3
¹In the beginning when God created the heavens and the earth, ²the earth was a formless void and darkness covered the face of the deep, while a wind from God swept over the face of the waters. ³Then God said, “Let there be light”; and there was light.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Exodus 14:19–22
  ¹⁹The angel of God who was going before the Israelite army moved and went behind them; and the pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and took its place behind them. ²⁰It came between the army of Egypt and the army of Israel. And so the cloud was there with the darkness, and it lit up the night; one did not come near the other all night.
  ²¹Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea back by a strong east wind all night, and turned the sea into dry land; and the waters were divided. ²²The Israelites went into the sea on dry ground, the waters forming a wall for them on their right and on their left.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Is 55:10–11
 ¹⁰For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
  and do not return there until they have watered the earth,
 making it bring forth and sprout,
  giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater,
 ¹¹so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth;
  it shall not return to me empty,
 but it shall accomplish that which I purpose,
  and succeed in the thing for which I sent it.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Ezekiel 37: 1-14
¹The hand of the Lord came upon me, and he brought me out by the spirit of the Lord and set me down in the middle of a valley; it was full of bones. ²He led me all around them; there were very many lying in the valley, and they were very dry. ³He said to me, “Mortal, can these bones live?” I answered, “O Lord God, you know.” ⁴Then he said to me, “Prophesy to these bones, and say to them: O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. ⁵Thus says the Lord God to these bones: I will cause breath to enter you, and you shall live. ⁶I will lay sinews on you, and will cause flesh to come upon you, and cover you with skin, and put breath in you, and you shall live; and you shall know that I am the Lord.”
  ⁷So I prophesied as I had been commanded; and as I prophesied, suddenly there was a noise, a rattling, and the bones came together, bone to its bone. ⁸I looked, and there were sinews on them, and flesh had come upon them, and skin had covered them; but there was no breath in them. ⁹Then he said to me, “Prophesy to the breath, prophesy, mortal, and say to the breath: Thus says the Lord God: Come from the four winds, O breath, and breathe upon these slain, that they may live.” ¹⁰I prophesied as he commanded me, and the breath came into them, and they lived, and stood on their feet, a vast multitude.
  ¹¹Then he said to me, “Mortal, these bones are the whole house of Israel. They say, ‘Our bones are dried up, and our hope is lost; we are cut off completely.’ ¹²Therefore prophesy, and say to them, Thus says the Lord God: I am going to open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people; and I will bring you back to the land of Israel. ¹³And you shall know that I am the Lord, when I open your graves, and bring you up from your graves, O my people. ¹⁴I will put my spirit within you, and you shall live, and I will place you on your own soil; then you shall know that I, the Lord, have spoken and will act, says the Lord.”
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

For discussion . . .

As we wait for Easter, what do you wonder about Jesus waiting to be raised from the dead?

What would you like to ask or tell Jesus right now?

Optional – color the Rest coloring page as you talk together or meditate silently

Optional – watch the Godly Play video posted about Easter eggs

Bless the Lord, O My Soul
Bless the Lord, O my soul;
bless the Lord, O my soul;
and all that is within me
bless God’s holy name.

Remembering Our Baptism into the Body of Christ
Moment of quiet, then pour water into a bowl

Rom 6:3–4
³Do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? ⁴Therefore we have been buried with him by baptism into death, so that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life.

Touching the water:
We thank you, Holy God, for the water of baptism—giving us life, washing us clean, setting us free, making us your children.

Now pour out your Holy Spirit on us. Give us life, wash us clean, set us free, and help us to be the beloved children you have made us to be in Jesus Christ our Savior.

We praise you, Holy God, Three-in-One,
forever and ever. Amen.

Prayers
Turning our hearts to God who is gracious and merciful, we pray for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.

God of resurrection, this is the night when your holy church remembers fire and water, bread and wine, story and celebration. Make us eager to share the news that Christ is alive and death is conquered. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of resurrection, in the beginning you created all things and declared them good. Where pandemics and disasters threaten to overwhelm and destroy, speak peace against the chaos. Set rainbows in the skies as signs of your faithfulness. Shine your glory through each twinkling star. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of resurrection, you are deliverance for people enslaved by conflict, corruption, and inequality. Grant wisdom to governments and world leaders. Lead them in the way of righteousness and along paths of justice. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of resurrection, hold vigil with all who watch and wait this night: those sitting beside dying loved ones, those working the night shift at hospitals and care centers, emergency first responders, those awaiting test results or diagnoses, those who are in labor, and those who long for healing (especially………………………). Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of resurrection, stir up the waters of salvation and bring renewed life to all who remember the gift of baptism this night. Claim us as your beloved children, clothe us in the garments of salvation, and raise us from death to life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

God of resurrection, bless the memory of all the faithful witnesses who boldly proclaimed, “We have seen the Lord!” Give us confidence that because Christ has been raised, we too will be raised to new life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

According to your steadfast love, O God, hear these and all our prayers as we commend them to you; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

Sending Words
This is the night! This is the night!
God delivers. God delivers!
Christ is risen. Christ is risen!
The Holy Spirit gives you peace. Peace be with you.

(Adapted by Samuel Rahberg and Joy McDonald Coltvet from “Ideas for an Intergenerational Easter Vigil,” Office of Theology and Worship, Presbyterian Church (USA). Accessed 6 Mar 2015 https://www.pcusa.org/resource/ideas-intergenerational-easter-vigil and the Vigil of Easter, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.