Prelude Prelude by J.S. Bach

Welcome

Song    That Easter Day with Joy Was Bright   Worship 384
1   That Easter day with joy was bright;
the sun shone out with fairer light
when, to their longing eyes restored,
th’apostles saw their risen Lord!

2   O Jesus, king of gentleness,
with constant love our hearts possess;
to you our lips will ever raise
the tribute of our grateful praise.

3   O Christ, you are the Lord of all
in this our Easter festival,
for you will be our strength and shield
from ev’ry weapon death can wield.

4   All praise, O risen Lord, we give
to you, once dead, but now alive!
To God the Father equal praise,
and God the Spirit, now we raise!

Text: Latin hymn, 5th cent.; tr. John Mason Neale, 1818-1866, alt.

Song of Praise             When it seems the day will end  All Creation Sings 1034
1          When it seems the day will end,
and all light gives way to fear,
we will speak your name again
to remind us you are here.

Refrain
New life rising, (New life rising,)
ashes falling, (ashes falling,)
joy and weeping, (joy and weeping,)
in your calling. (in your calling.)

2          When it seems the day will end,
sinking low under our skin,
we are dead and born again,
and with you now enter in.  Refrain

3          When it seems the day will end,
and a coldness fills our bones,
we will walk the way you’ve been,
and our hearts will be your home.  Refrain

Text: Justin Rimbo, b. 1980
Text © 2020 Augsburg Fortress

Prayer of the Day
Almighty God, with joy we celebrate the day of our Lord’s resurrection. By the grace of Christ among us, enable us to show the power of the resurrection in all that we say and do, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

First Reading in Amharic – Kidus, Four12 Youth  

First Reading in English  Acts 4:32-35
A reading from Acts –
³²Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. ³³With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. ³⁴There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. ³⁵They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.
Word of God, word of life. Thanks be to God.

Gospel Acclamation  Celtic Alleluia   Worship 174 

Gospel             John 20: 19-31
The gospel is from John
¹⁹When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²²When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
  ²⁴But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
  ²⁶A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
  ³⁰Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
The gospel of the Lord. Praise to you, O Christ.

Message         The Rev. LeeAnn Pomrenke
ELCA pastor, member of Christ & author of Embodied: Clergy Women and The Solidarity of a Mothering God

Song    We Walk by Faith   Worship 635
1          We walk by faith and not by sight;
with gracious words draw near,
O Christ, who spoke as none e’er spoke:
“My peace be with you here.”

2   We may not touch your hands and side,
nor follow where you trod;
but in your promise we rejoice,
and cry, “My Lord and God!”

3   Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
and may our faith abound
to call on you when you are near
and seek where you are found:

4   For you, O resurrected Lord,
are found in means divine:
beneath the water and the word,
beneath the bread and wine.

5   And when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are, 
with full and endless sight.

Text: Henry Alford, 1810-1871, alt.

Affirmation of Faith from A Sanctified Art
We know the fear of the upper room.
We know the feeling of hard days and long nights.
We know the grief of the tomb,
And the particular ache of saying goodbye.
We know the pain of Good Friday,
And we know the darkness before dawn.
And still, and still, we believe.
We believe that again and again,
The sun will rise.
Again and again,
God will draw near.
Again and again,
We will march toward justice.
Again and again,
The tomb will be empty.
Again and again,
Love will win.
Again and again,
God will lead the church.
Again and again,
And again and again,
We will be loved.
The journey will not be perfect.
We will need to rise before dawn.
We will need angels along the way.
But again and again,
The sun will rise.
We believe. Amen.

Prayers of the People
Alive in the risen Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, we bring our prayers before God who promises to hear us and answer in steadfast love.
A brief silence.

You shower your church with grace, O God. Unite the whole church on earth, so that with one heart it testifies to the resurrection of Jesus Christ with power and love. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

You proclaim the blessing of life forevermore. Like dew upon the mountains, refresh your creation. Restore waters, cleanse the air, and provide revitalizing moisture to parched land. Give your whole creation the promise of new life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

You direct the nations, O God. Guide all in authority, that they shepherd their peoples in the ways of your love. Defeat in us our impulse to war. Bestow the peace of Christ upon those in authority and breathe upon them the Holy Spirit. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

You place within the heart of the church a spirit of sharing. Give us the power of your generous Spirit, that we provide for the needs of others. Announce your peace to those who are lonely, hurting, suffering, or afraid. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

You give us fellowship with one another in this faith community (name). Shine the light of the risen Christ in our life together, so that we live in love for one another and our joy may be complete. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

You share the gift of eternal life. In thanksgiving and remembrance, we recall the lives and gifts of those who now live in endless joy (especially). Unite us with them in resurrection hope. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.

In the hope of new life in Christ, we raise our prayers to you, trusting in your never-ending goodness and mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Sharing of the Peace
Johm riab sua.
Selam.
The peace of Christ be with you all. 

Offering – Pas des Echarpes by C. Chaminade

Offering Prayer
God of goodness and growth, all creation is yours, and your faithfulness is sure. Word and water, wine and bread: these are signs of your abundant grace. Receive the gifts we bring, and nourish us to proclaim your abiding love in our communities and in the world, through Jesus Christ, our strength and our song. Amen.

Holy Communion
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise. 

O God triune, how majestic is your name in all the earth. Over the eons your merciful might evolved our home, a fragile tree of life. Here by your wisdom are both life and death, growth and decay, the nest and the hunt, sunshine and storm, darkness and light. Sustained by these wonders, we creatures of dust join in the ancient song: The earth is full of your glory.
The earth is full of your glory.

O God triune, you took on our flesh in Jesus our healer.
In Christ you bring life from death; we remember his cross, we celebrate his resurrection.
Broken like bread, he enlivens our body. Outpoured like wine, he fills the earth with goodness. Receiving this mystery, we sing our song: The earth is full of your glory. The earth is full of your glory.

We praise you for the heart of Jesus, so filled with your love for this earth.

In the night in which he was betrayed, our Lord Jesus took bread, and gave thanks; broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take and eat; this is my body, given for you.

Do this for the remembrance of me. Again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying: This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me.

Gathered around this table, we your children unite in this song: The earth is full of your glory. The earth is full of your glory.

O God triune, you create the worlds, you uphold the living, you embrace the dead. Send forth your Spirit and renew the face of the earth. Strengthen us for our journey with this meal, the body and blood of Christ. Give us a future that trusts in you and cares for your earth. Empowered by your promises, we rise from our deaths to praise you again: The earth is full of your glory. The earth is full of your glory.
Amen, and amen.
Amen, and amen.

Invitation
The risen Christ invites us to this table. Come, eat and be satisfied.

Now, if you are gathered with others, when the music begins, please share with one another first the bread and then the cup with the words, 

The body of Christ, given for you.
The blood of Christ, poured out for you.

If you are by yourself, I offer this invitation… 

Receive the body of Christ, given for you.
Receive the blood of Christ, poured out for you.

And if for any reason you will not receive Communion bread & cup today, a blessing for you…
May God fill you up with the Holy Spirit and give you all that you need.

Communion Song – Day of Arising Worship 374
1          Day of arising, Christ on the roadway,
unknown companion walks with his own.
When they invite him, as fades the first day,
and bread is broken, Christ is made known.

2   When we are walking, doubtful and dreading,
blinded by sadness, slowness of heart,
yet Christ walks with us, ever awaiting
our invitation: Stay, do not part.

3   Lo, I am with you, Jesus has spoken.
This is Christ’s promise, this is Christ’s sign:
when the church gathers, when bread is broken,
there Christ is with us in bread and wine.

4   Christ, our companion, hope for the journey,
bread of compassion, open our eyes.
Grant us your vision, set all hearts burning
that all creation with you may rise.

Text: Susan Palo Cherwien, b. 1953
Text © 1996 Susan Palo Cherwien, admin. Augsburg Fortress.

Prayer after Communion
Wellspring of joy, through this meal you have put gladness in our hearts. Satisfy the hunger still around us, and send us as joyful witnesses, that your love may bring joy to the hearts of all people, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Cambodian Lord’s Prayer

Sending Song  Thine is the Glory    Worship 376
1   Thine is the glory,
risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry
thou o’er death hast won!
Angels in bright raiment
rolled the stone away,
kept the folded grave-clothes
where thy body lay.

Refrain
Thine is the glory,
risen, conqu’ring Son;
endless is the vict’ry
thou o’er death hast won!

2   Lo, Jesus meets thee,
risen from the tomb!
Lovingly he greets thee,
scatters fear and gloom;
let his church with gladness
hymns of triumph sing,
for the Lord now liveth;
death hath lost its sting!  Refrain

3   No more we doubt thee,
glorious Prince of life;
life is naught without thee;
aid us in our strife;
make us more than conqu’rors,
through thy deathless love;
bring us safe through Jordan
to thy home above.  Refrain

Text: Edmond Budry, 1854-1932; tr. R. Birch Hoyle, 1875-1939

Blessing
May our glorious God grant you a spirit of wisdom to know and to love the risen Lord Jesus.
The God of life, Creator, ☩ Christ and Holy Spirit, bless you now and forever. Amen.

Dismissal
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!

Postlude Solfeghoetto by C.P.E. Bach