Monday, March 25, 2024

Easter Day B ( March 31): Jesus is the one!!/Winner!






































Bible Readings: Acts 10:34-43, Isaiah 25:6-9, Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24, 1 Corinthians 15:1-11, John 20:1-18, Mark 16:1-8

About the Images:
Upper Left: This is The Angel of the Lord painted in 1990 by Jacek Andrzej Rossakiewicz (b.1956). I love it! I obtained it from Wikimedia Commons, The permission for use of this work has been verified and archived in the Wikimedia OTRS system.
Upper Right: It never ceases to amaze me how new life arises from the devastation of an Australian bushfire. Because of the nature of our trees and the dense undergrowth, our fires can be amazingly hot and many cases even the dirt seems to be burnt - an absolute wasteland ensues. Yet before too long, the bush begins to regenerate. Life out of death! This photo shows first growth leaves in a burnt out area of the Australian High country.
Middle Left: This is a free image from Imagebank - please see my link column to the left.
Middle Right and Bottom Left: These are free images from Hermano Leon - please see my link column at left.  These are great images for Easter for those who use colouring as an aid to prayer. 
Lower Left and Right:  These are free Heartlight images- see my link column at left.

Decor and Preparation
As for Good Friday - black cloth over communion table and unlit Christ candle. Get enough musical instruments eg bells, shakers, clackers etc etc for everyone - or at least for all your kids. Cheap toys are fine.

Call to Worship: We Will Unfold
By Roddy Hamilton, April 2006, available via his site -see Mucky Paws link at left. Awesome stuff!!!!

Call to Worship
Project a series of pictures about Good Friday whilst playing Grac
e by Moby from his album Songs (pictured at left). Move straight into the following....

Opening Drama: The Three Woman
Found in Stages on the Way by Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1998 ISBN 1876357363 pages 192-4(pictured at right). As the three woman say their final lines together, "He is Risen" , project their words. Woman 1 then removes the black cloth, woman 2 lights the candle and woman 3 gives out the musical instruments and announces the first song. Then make enthusiastic music!! 

Opening Drama: The Message
In Let's Make Another Scene by Verena Johnson, Open Book, 1995, ISBN 0859107620, page 66 (pictured at left). This is based on the gospels.

Listening Song: Beautiful Day
By U2 on their album, All That You Can't Leave Behind (pictured at right).

Easter Celebration: Easter is......
Another ripper from Roddy Hamilton (as above).

Absolution for Prayer of confession and/or passing of the Peace: This is the Good News
Found in Stages on the Way (see above)

Kid's Talk: Cut the Tie
Found at http://talks2children.itsforministry.org/t2c/view.asp?ID=59
I used this one three years ago and people still talk about it. They were astounded and the elderly gentleman who had his tie cut was just wonderful!

Kid's Talk: Faith and Belief
Found at http://talks2children.itsforministry.org/t2c/view.asp?ID=29

Film Clip: Morning of the Rolling Stone




Drama: Easter Eggcitement
Found in Mega Drama 1 by Verena Johnson (ed), Open Book, 2001, ISBN 0859109151, page 94 (pictured at left). This drama is based on the John reading.

Pew and Plenary Discussion
Tell your neighbour what your best celebration ever was.
Share with the congregation the age you were for this event.
Just as birthdays can become a little more ordinary as we grow older, I wonder if we can sometimes lose the intense meaning and significance of Easter as each year adds another celebration.
Share as a congregation: What is the significance of Easter?
Tell your neighbour how you think Easter will make a difference to your week.

Story: On The River of Death
Found at http://www.sermoncentral.com/article.asp?article=a-TopFiveEaster
A story about the significance of Jesus' death.

Sermon Idea: The Visit 

Found in The Final Boundary by Adrain Plass, Mistral, 1987ISBN 1854240935. Too long to use completely but a lovely story that modernises the Easter story beautifully (pictured at right).

Response Activity: Christ Has Died, Christ Has Risen
Found in Stages on the Way (again!!!), page 196

Meditation: This is the day
Found at http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com

Music to go with the above Meditation:

"As it Was in Heaven" on The Mission soundtrack. 

Blessing: Here Are your Disciples
Found in Stages on the Way (you can tell I like this book!!), page 198.

Also

Story plus Other stuff: Roxanne Makes Good
Found in Wally and the Dodgy Trolley and Other Stories of Faith and Humour by Ian Johnson, Scripture Union Australia, Lidcombe, 2000, ISBN 0949720984, page 37 (pictured at left).  This goes with the Psalm. 

Kids: Mary and the Gardener
This is another brilliant book  by Andrew McDonough, Lost Sheep Resources, 2018 (pictured at right). This goes with the John Gospel reading.  The great thing about these books is that they only around $A8 and for a further $A10 or so (or instead of) you can buy on line the story in any format you need to project the pictures in church.  There are also free activity sheets and for a cost activity books for both teachers and children.  Visit www.lostsheep.com.au to check out all the excellent resources.

A Chapter of Resources for Easter Sunday: 
By Ruth Burgess and Chris Polhill in Eggs and Ashes, Wild Goose Publications, 2004, page 223-244 (pictured at left). 

A Chapter of Resources for Easter Day 
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 19-46 (pictured at right).

Opening and Closing Responses:
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 20 (pictured at right).

Drama: Peter and Mary
By Ruth Burgess in Fire and Bread, Wild Goose Publications, 2006, ISBN 9781905010301, pages 87 (pictured at right).

Beautiful Illustrations of John's Gospel  connected to the Australian Outback
Found in The Gospel According to John Illuminated by Fiona Pfennigwerth, Tien Wah Press, Singapore, 2013, ISBN 9780646912462, page 60-61.

Drama: What is Easter All About
Found in Mega Drama 3 by Verona Johnson (ed) Openbook, 2002, ISBN 0859109178 (v.3), page 87 . This drama is based on the John reading. 

Drama: Won't You Roll Away the Stone
Found in All Age Sketches for The Christian Year by Peter Shaw, The Bible Reading Fellowship, 2006, ISBN 10 1 984101 458 3, page 94ff.  This is based on the Mark reading.

Poem and Painting: I Could Not Believe My Eyes
Found in A Bloke Called Jesus by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Rigby, 1982, ISBN 0 7270 1758 6, page 44. These are based on the John reading. 

Words for Easter: A New Day Has Begun
By many different authors and found in Before the Amen by Maren C Tirabassi and Maria I. Tirrabassi (Eds), Pilgrim Press, Cleveland, 2007, ISBN 978 0 8298 1750 8, page 78-81. 

Prayer/Action: St Apollinaria
Found  in Going Home Another Way by Neil Paynter, Wild Goose Publications, 2008,pages 131 and based on the John reading. 

Easter Dawn B (March 31):

 



































Bible Reading: John 21:1-23

About the Image:
Upper Left
: Dawn on the Gippsland Lakes - taken from my front yard actually. Feel free to use this image and if you want to see more of the area, visit www.gippslandlakes.com. Paynesville is my closest town.
Upper Right: our dawn service cooking. Please feel free to use either of these images for worship or related activities.
Middle Left: A free image from church galleries - see my link column at left.
Middle Right and Lower Left: A free image from Imagebank -see my link column at left.
Lower Right: Free clipart from the Hermano Leon site - see my link Column at left.
Bottom Left: A free image from Heartlight.com

Note:
Most of the resources here come from services from other years. This is such an intimate service linked so much to what we are seeing and experiencing around us that I feel it is unnecessary to change much from year to year. I usually only change the bible reading, the meditation and the reflection - the rest stays as is.

Location:
Have this service near a lake or beach if possible - if you live inland, then choose a high point - if you live inland on a plain then find a nice river - if you live inland on a plain in a desert (much of Australia) then you will have plenty of beautiful places to choose from.

Easter candle:
Have a camp fire or a fire pot - much more fun and meaningful.  

Prayer: Jesus We Greet You
Found in Stages on the Way by The Wild Goose Worship Group, Wild Goose Publications, 1998, ISBN 1876357363, page 188 (pictured at right).

Prayer: Lord God, Early in the Morning
Found in Stages on the Way, as above, page 184.

Poem/MeditationCome Share a Damper With Me
Found in A Bloke called Jesus by Pro Hart and Norman Habel, Rigby, 1982, ISBN 0727017586, page 46 (pictured at left)

Response Activity:
Cook enough fish and damper or middle eastern flat bread for everyone over your open fire .