An Easter service on the promise of peace

This order of service was prepared by the WCC's general secretariat for the beginning of the WCC's staff planning days. The service was led by Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit who also preached.
Morning Prayer, Monday, 26 April 2010 – Chapel, Ecumenical Centre

(This week in the ecumenical prayer cycle we prayer for the people and churches in Eritrea and Ethiopia.)

Prelude

Welcome

(L) Christ is risen!
(All) Indeed, he is risen!

Hymn: Cantai ao Senhor (Thuma Mina 3; verses 1-3 in Portuguese) (stand)

Invocation
(L) Eternal God, as you created humankind in your image,
women and men, male and female, renew us in that image:

(All) God the Holy Spirit, by your strength and love
comfort us as those whom a mother comforts:

(L) Lord Jesus Christ, by your death and resurrection,
give us the joy of those for whom pain and suffering become,
in hope, the fruitful agony of travail:

(All) God the Holy Trinity, grant that we may together
enter into new life, your promised rest of achievement
and fulfilment -- world without end. Amen.

Hymn: Cantai ao Senhor (Thuma Mina 3; verses 4-5 in English)

(L) The risen Lord is our peace; those who are divided he has made one.
He has broken down the barriers of separation by his death and his resurrection
and he has built us up into one body, with God.

(All) To all of us who repent and believe God promises forgiveness and reconciliation.
(L) Bless the Lord, my soul; and all that is within me, bless his holy name!
Bless the Lord, my soul, and forget not all that the Lord has done for you.

(All) The Lord forgives all our iniquities, heals all our infirmities,
redeems our life from corruption, crowns us with mercy and compassion,
satisfies our desire with good things, so that our youth is renewed like the eagle’s.

(L) The Lord performs deeds of mercy, and justice for all who are wronged.
The Lord is merciful and compassionate, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy.

(All) The Lord will not always strive with us, nor will he keep his anger forever.
The Lord has not dealt with us according to our iniquities,
nor has he rewarded us according to our sins.
For as heavens are high above the earth,
so great is the Lord’s mercy toward those who fear him.

(L) Bless the Lord, all his works, in all places of his dominion.
In all places of his dominion, bless the Lord, O my soul.

Hymn: Let us praise the Lord our God (Thuma Mina 2) (stand)

Gospel Reading: John 20:19-23
When 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". After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you." When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained".

Hymn: Hallelujah (Thuma Mina 55)

Meditation (sit)

Intercessions
(L) We give praise to Christ, our risen Lord, the radiant light of the world. He guides our steps in a path of light and we no longer live in darkness. Let us pray to the Lord.
(All) Kiria alayson









(L) Christ, our Saviour, may your word take flesh in our lives and your truth shine forth in our actions. May your love burn brightly within us. Let us pray to the Lord.
(All) Kiria alayson

(L) Teach us to work for the good of all, whether the time is right or not; make your Church a welcome light for the human family. Let us pray to the Lord.
(All) Kiria alayson

(L) Bless the work of our effort, bring together those you have called into unity, and give us the grace to be faithful to your calling. Let us pray to the Lord.
(All) Kiria alayson

(L) We pray for unity among the Christian churches and genuine dialogue with people who confess other faiths. Let us pray to the Lord.
(All) Kiria alayson

(L) We pray for churches and people in Eritrea and Ethiopia. We pray for peace in the region, for harmony between its peoples, for genuine ecumenical relations among churches. Let us pray to the Lord.
(All) Kiria alayson

(L) O Christ, our God, author of life and giver of peace, guide us so that we may walk in your ways of righteousness. For you are our helper and our deliverer and to you is fitting glory, dominion and honour, now and for ever and unto the ages of ages.
(All) Amen.

Lord's Prayer (stand)
(L) Let us, in fellowship with Christian people of all nations join in united petition to the one God and Parent of all humankind, after the manner of the prayer which our Lord himself has taught us.
(All) Our Father in heaven.

(L) We are weak and blind and selfish; but you are wisdom and love and life, and give us wisdom, love and life in its fullness to those who trust in you:
(All) Our Father in heaven.

(L) Through the continued search for fullness of life for all people, regardless of race and ideology:
(All) Hallowed be your name.

(L) Through the persistent desire in all people to seek fellowship with one another in your one family:
(All) Hallowed be your name.

(L) By the faithfulness of your people in seeking first your kingdom and your righteousness:
(All) Your kingdom come.

(L) By the new dedication of churches in all lands to the establishment of justice in all the earth:
(All) Your kingdom come.

(L) In the struggle against all that diminishes life in our world:
(All) Your will be done.

(L) In the determination among all to work for secure peace in a world order that is fair to the generations yet to be:
(All) Your will be done.

(L) By the establishment of peace and the unremitting search for justice:
(All) Give us today our daily bread.

(L) By passionate caring and committed sharing:
(All) Give us today our daily bread.

(L) Because by our self-interest and self-concern we have increased the bitterness between peoples and nations:
(All) Forgive us our sins.

(L) Because we have been arrogant, seeking to exalt ourselves rather than to find your will for us and do it:
(All) Forgive us our sins.

(L) If other countries while pursuing their own interests have hindered ours and impoverished the life of our people:
(All) We forgive those who sin against us.

(L) If any have injured us by exploiting our ignorance and weakness:
(All) We forgive those who sin against us.

(L) When opportunity comes to secure better living standards for ourselves at the cost of increased poverty to others:
(All) Save us from the time of trial.

(L) When fear distracts the mind or security lulls the conscience, and we are in danger of forgetting you:
(All) Save us from the time of trial.

(L) At times of self-satisfaction, self-seeking and self-confidence:
(All) Deliver us from evil.

(L) When we fear the designs of others, and desire to gain security or advantage by unjust means:
(All) Deliver us from evil.

(L) For over all races and nations you rule as sovereign; your parental love embraces all; and in your will is our peace and in your life our life.
(All) For the kingdom, the power and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.

Hymn: La paz del Senor (Thuma Mina 187) (stand)

(L) O Lord Jesus Christ, who said to your apostles,
Peace I leave with you, my peace I give to you:
grant us that peace and unity which is agreeable to your will.
(All) Amen.

(L) Brothers and sisters, in the love of Christ, let us offer each other a sign of peace.

(L) May the Lord of peace give us peace in all ways at all times.
(All) Amen.

Postlude