Centering Practice
As we enter the season of Easter (“a week of Sundays”), we’ll be exploring the Gospel for all of God’s creation
- Begin by closing our eyes and taking several slow, deep breaths
- Stretching: Upward toward Christ, embrace self in new life, outward to embrace God’s creation
Call to Worship
God’s story calls to people of all places.
It hums in the rivers and trees;
it whispers in the skies and seas.
When the Word of Life speaks,
all creation comes alive.
All that God has made, God has called good.
Let us worship our Creator together.
Amen.
Worship Songs
Oh Our Lord
All the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You Lord!
We behold the breaking dawn
The light that shines over everyone
We look to You, we long for You, oh Lord
We behold the rising sun
The earth awaits, Your hope has come
We look to You, we long for You, oh Lord
Oh, oh, oh, our Lord
Oh, oh, oh, our Lord
How majestic is Your name in all the earth
We behold the falling rain
Like waters rise, flood this place
We reach for You, we cling to You, oh Lord
Oh, Your name is a light in the darkness
Oh, Your name is the word of truth
Oh Your name, oh Your name
Act Justly, Walk Humbly, Love Mercy
It all comes down to this
What you require of me
Love my neighbor as myself
And You above all things
Act justly, love mercy
Walk humbly, with You, God
In all things, in all ways
Walk humbly with You, God
It all comes down to this
To be Your hands and feet
Good news to all the world
The truth will set us free
It’s beauty for ashes
It’s mourning to dancing
It’s closer and closer
The Kingdom of heaven
And years from now we’ll see
The fruit our hands have sown
Faith just like a seed
The only way it grows
Prayer of Confession
O Lord, our Lord,
You created us and You made this world,
and You called Your creation good.
We confess that our reverence for You
does not always lead to reverent care
for Your creation.
Free us from greed and self-centeredness, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
Risen Lord,
heal the world You love,
and make us a people of promise
for today and the future. Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
After each phrase, the congregation will reply with one voice:
Lord, have mercy.
For those longing for hope in our world…
For those suffering
from violence, hatred, and war…
For Your creation, groaning under the weight of waste & sin…
For our friends who need to know Your love
and the friendship of our Anchor & Hope community…
For our partners & collaborators,
and for the mission of our church…
Amen.
Communion
Wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Maker
What a wonderful Savior
How majestic Your whispers
And how humble Your love
With a strength like no other
And the heart of a Father
How majestic Your whispers
What a wonderful God
No eye has fully seen, how beautiful the cross
And we have only heard
The faintest whispers of how great You are
You made the world and saw that it was good
You sent Your only Son for You are good
Announcements
- Thanks for worshiping with us today! We hope you experience meaningful connection with God and others in our community. If you’re visiting for the first time today, we’d love to get to know you better. Please take home a visitor’s card with QR code so that we can stay in touch & build a relationship!
- Mira Mesa Prayer Walk: Thanks to all who were able to join us yesterday. Our next prayer walk is Saturday, May 4th at 9:00 am.
Passing of the Peace
Let’s greet each other at this time!
Family Praise
Every Move I Make
Blessing of the Children
Go in peace and go in joy;
Filled with wonder for this day.
Go in faith and go in love;
God will guide you on your way!
Worship Song
Great Are You Lord
You give life, You are love
You bring light to the darkness
You give hope, You restore every heart that is broken
And great are You, Lord
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise, we pour out our praise
It’s Your breath in our lungs
So we pour out our praise to You only
All the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord
All the earth will shout Your praise
Our hearts will cry, these bones will sing
Great are You, Lord
Scripture Reading
Mark 16:1-15
1 When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him. 2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. 3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?” 4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back. 5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. 6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him. 7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.” 8 So they went out and fled from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them, and they said nothing to anyone, for they were afraid.
9 Now after he rose early on the first day of the week, he appeared first to Mary Magdalene, from whom he had cast out seven demons. 10 She went out and told those who had been with him, while they were mourning and weeping. 11 But when they heard that he was alive and had been seen by her, they would not believe it.
12 After this he appeared in another form to two of them, as they were walking into the country. 13 And they went back and told the rest, but they did not believe them.
14 Later he appeared to the eleven themselves as they were sitting at the table, and he upbraided them for their lack of faith and stubbornness, because they had not believed those who saw him after he had risen. 15 And he said to them, “Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation.”
Reader: This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
The Gospel for All Creation
Pastor Jeya So
Reflection Questions
- What’s something in creation where you experience the Good News of God? Something, somewhere that gives you hope or joy?
- Where’s a place, a people, etc. that you feel could use the Good News of God through Jesus? Take some time to pray for that together
Worship Song
Let Us Be Known
Let us be known by our love
In every word, in every deed
Honor the Son
Let our light shine
in every eye
Let us be known by our love
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our love
Let us be known by our joy
In every home, in every heart
Sing to the Lord
Let our lives show
goodness and hope
Let us be known by our joy
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our joy
Let us be known by our peace
In every town, in every tribe
Jesus is King
Let us go forth
heal and restore
Let us be known by our peace
For the glory of our Savior
For the glory of our God
For the glory of the Spirit
Let us be known by our peace
Anchor & Hope Church 