Don't Forget to Remember

Easter Sunday

By Rev. David Bonnema, April 17, 2022

9:30 and 11:00am

Prelude - “Emperor’s Fanfare/In Christ Alone” - arr Perks Jeff Perks

Welcome - Rev. David Bonnema

Call to Worship - Rev. Dana Seiler

Leader: The earth is shaking. The angels are descending.
 The tomb is before us.

People: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Leader: Lightning flashes. The stone is rolled back. We are afraid.

People: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Leader: The tomb is empty and we search for the living among the dead.

People: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Leader: But hear the good news – Christ is not here.

People: Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!

Hymn - “Jesus Christ is Risen Today” - #123

Prayer of Confession

Thank you O God, for giving us birth into a new life and a new hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Forgive us for the times we doubt in our darkness; for the times we forget in our faithlessness, and for the times we hurt others in our helplessness. Help us live as Easter people, surrounded by the light and love of Jesus as we share the good news with those around us, through the precious name of the Lamb, Amen.

Declaration of Forgiveness

Anthem - “Easter Proclamation” by Larson - Unity Handbells

Children’s Message - Bailey Beam

Anthem - “Alleluia! He Lives!” by Rainey - Unity Choir and Handbells

Sermon - “Don’t Forget to Remember” - Rev. David Bonnema

What is one of your favorite Easter memories?

God is not the God of the dead, but of the , for to him all are alive. -Luke 20:38

Jesus teaches that all who are with God will be raised to life after death.

In their fright the women bowed down with their faces to the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? He is not here; he has ________!” -Luke 24:5-6a

What does it mean to remember?

μνήσθητε : To remind oneself ___________ and purposefully

How can you actively and purposefully remind yourself of what God has done for you?

What happened for Jesus in being raised to life after death will also happen for all those who follow Jesus.

This is the Good News of Easter morning.

This is the resurrection message!

Anthem “My Eternal King” by Marshall Unity Choir

Offering and Prayer of Thanksgiving

Doxology

Affirmation of Faith - written by Pastor Peter K. Perry

We believe in an astounding God, who surprises us on Easter morning, who reveals through an empty tomb how overflowingly full of God the creation is. We believe in God, who is light in the darkness, who never gives up on love, who is always working for our good, who weeps when we weep and laughs when we laugh, who calls us to be more than we are on our own.   We believe in the Christ, present at and in the creation, heard in the words of prophets, enfleshed in the birth of a long-sought Messiah, alive in the lessons taught to disciples, not stuck in a tomb of despair, nailed to cross, or buried in the past, but living forever, and walking with us on our journeys today.   We are people of faith in the risen Christ, and we see our Christ in everyone and in everything. We strive to live in such a way that the world will see Christ rising again, in us and through us, with the message of Easter. God cannot be contained; not by books, not by traditions, not by institutions, and not by tombs. God lives! Christ is risen! Alleluia! Amen!

Closing Hymn - “He Lives/Because He Lives” - see screen

Postlude - “Hallelujah Chorus” by Handel