RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD / EASTER DAY 04-20-2025
St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church
RESURRECTION OF OUR LORD / EASTER DAY
04-20-2025 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship
+ WE ANNOUNCE THE VICTORY +
EASTER SUNDAY OPENING RITE:
L Christ is risen from the dead!
C He is risen indeed!
L Rejoice, for Christ is risen!
C He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
L God is alive…
C and Satan is defeated.
L Hope is alive…
C a new age is dawning.
L Joy is alive…
C redemption is here.
L Love is alive…
C hate will not win.
L We are alive…
C new life is within.
L The Church is alive…
C God’s Spirit is among us.
L Jesus is alive…
C and so is His promise.
L Are you alive?
C Only by grace!
L Are you alive?
C Lord, fill me up!
L Are you alive?
C Lord, help me testify!
L So testify with your voices –
C CHRIST IS ALIVE!
L And testify with your love –
C CHRIST IS ALIVE!
L And testify with your actions –
C CHRIST IS ALIVE!
L And let your light shine –
C CHRIST IS ALIVE!
L And let St. Peter’s Lutheran Church be a witness –
C CHRIST IS ALIVE!
L And let West Oak Lane and all of Philadelphia and the whole face of this earth hear the good news –
C CHRIST IS RISEN… CHRIST IS ALIVE… ALLELUIA!
OPENING SONG: “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds” Green #143
(1) Now all the vault of heaven resounds in praise of love that still abounds:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”
Sing, choirs of angels, loud and clear! Repeat their song of glory here:
“Christ has triumphed! Christ has triumphed!” AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
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(2) Eternal is the gift he brings, therefore our heart with rapture sings:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!”
Now still he comes to give us life and by his presence stills all strife.
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!” AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
(3) Oh, fill us, Lord, with dauntless love; set heart and will on things above
that we conquer through your triumph;
Grant grace sufficient for life’s day that by our lives we truly say:
“Christ has triumphed! He is living!” AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
(4) Adoring praises now we bring and with the heav’nly blessed sing:
“Christ has triumphed! Alleluia!”
Be to the Father, and our Lord, to Spirit blest, most holy God,
all the glory, never ending! AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU-IA, AL-LE-LU — IA !
SONG OF PRAISE:
L Vacant cross, empty tomb, risen Lord! My brothers, my sisters, the surprise of Easter has not ended.
Death, despair, and the devil don’t have the last word. God’s life-giving miracle continues in the hearts, minds, and lives of all who believe. Let us sing our praises.
C “Lord, I lift your name on high,
Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life,
I’m so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way;
from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky;
Lord, I lift your name on high!”
THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
O God who loves us so dearly, the cross is vacant, the tomb is empty, and Jesus is alive!
May we trust that he is our Lord in life, in death, and in life that is beyond our physical death.
May we find in him our peace, our purpose, our power, and our promise now and forever, Amen.
+ WE PROCLAIM GOD’S SAVING WORD +
FIRST READING: ACTS 10:34-43
[Peter narrates the story of Christ’s death and resurrection, the story that is the basis of the Christian faith. The additional surprise
even to Peter is this: God shows no partiality… Jesus Christ is for all people… and everybody who believes, receives!
Christianity that is centered in the love of Jesus Christ can still break barriers down.]
SONG SELECTION: “God’s NOT Dead… He’s Alive!” Sunday School Children
SECOND READING: 1 CORINTHIANS 15:19-26
[Paul describes the consequences of the resurrection, including the promise of new life in Christ to a world that has been in
bondage to death. He celebrates the destruction of evil and the establishment of God’s victorious rule over all.]
DANCE SELECTION: “Love Conquers All” St. Peter’s Praise Dancers
GOSPEL VERSE: “Oh, how He loves you and me. Oh, how He loves you and me.
He gave His life, what more can He give?
OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU; OH, HOW HE LOVES ME;
OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME!
Jesus to Calv’ry did go, His love for this world to show.
What He did there brought hope from despair…”
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HOLY GOSPEL: LUKE 24:1-12
[Expecting to find Jesus’ dead body, some of his women followers go to the tomb with embalming spices. But they come face to
face with an empty tomb, angelic visitors, and a stunning message. Confused and excited, the women become the first to proclaim
the amazing news of resurrection.]
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor Neil
VACANT CROSS, EMPTY TOMB, RISEN LORD.
THE SURPRISE OF EASTER HAS NOT ENDED…
RESPONSE SONG: “Revive Us Again” Tan #569
(1) We praise thee, O God, for the Son of thy love, for Jesus who died and is now gone above.
Hallelujah, thine the glory! Hallelujah, Amen!
Hallelujah, thine the glory! Revive us again!
(2) We praise thee, O God, for thy Spirit of light, who has shown us our Savior and scattered our night.
(3) All glory and praise to the Lamb that was slain, who has borne all our sins and has cleansed every stain.
(4) Revive us again, fill each heart with thy love, may each soul be rekindled with fire from above.
THE PRAYERS… We pray that all people might be transformed by the GOOD NEWS of Easter!
+ WE CELEBRATE THE WATERS OF NEW BIRTH +
HOLY BAPTISM [This morning Sharniece Elizabeth Bazley and Syaire Curtis Akano each receive the new beginning
and new life that God has given in Jesus Christ. HOLY BAPTISM IS MORE THAN A SOLITARY MOMENT… THIS IS
A LIFE’S JOURNEY IN RESPONSE TO THE FREE GIFT OF GOD’S GRACE IN JESUS CHRIST!]
(1) Introduction:
L Hear the testimony of the Holy Scriptures concerning baptism. In Matthew 28:19 we listen as the resurrected Jesus,
about to ascend into heaven, commands his followers:
C Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the
Holy Spirit.
L In Acts 2:38-39, immediately after the Pentecost event that gave birth to the Church, Peter proclaimed to the crowd:
C Repent, and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ so that your sins may be forgiven; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is for you, for your children, and for all who are far away.
L And in Acts 8:36, 38-39 we read the account of an unexpected baptism by Philip, a Christian disciple:
C The Ethiopian said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?”… Philip and the
Ethiopian went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit
of the Lord snatched Philip away; the Ethiopian saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
L Finally, Jesus tells us in John 3:5-6:
C Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. What is
born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit.
L My brothers and sisters, the testimony of the New Testament is that it is through HOLY BAPTISM – ordinary waters and
the presence and promises of God – that persons have joined the Church. In this sacrament God washes away our sin
and delivers us from the forces of evil and the power of death by joining us to the death and resurrection of our Lord
Jesus Christ. In this sacrament God gives us new birth, adopts us as children, as brothers and sisters to Christ and
united in one body of Christ with all the faithful throughout the ages. In this sacrament God gives us the gift of the Holy
Spirit and calls us to a life of obedient faith and love. In this sacrament God promises us eternal life.
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(1) Presentation of Candidates:
L Today God calls Sharniece and Syaire by name to receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism and to enter God’s
family.
(2) Commitment and Promise:
L Sharniece, do you desire to be baptized? I do.
L Parents, family, godparents and sponsors, as you bring Syaire to receive the gift of baptism, you are entrusted with
responsibilities: to live with him among God’s faithful people… to bring him to the Word of God and to the Lord’s Supper… to teach him the Lord’s Prayer, the Creed, and the Ten Commandments…to place in his hands the Holy Scriptures… to nurture him with faith and prayer… and to do your faithful best to show and teach and guide him how to trust in God, how to proclaim Christ through word and deed, how to care for others and the world God created, and
how to work for justice and peace. Will you make this commitment to act in this way, will you promise to do your best for the sake of Syaire and for the sake of Jesus Christ? We do.
L Congregation / Assembly / People of God, we as witnesses to this baptism, as members of Christ’s Church, and as
brothers and sisters to this child and our sister in faith also have concern and responsibility for them. Do we promise
to support names in their new life in Christ, to love them and to pray for them? We do.
(3) Profession of Faith:
L I ask you to profess your faith in Jesus Christ, reject sin, and confess the faith of the Church, the faith in which we
baptize. Do you renounce the devil and all the forces that defy God? I renounce them.
Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God? I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God? I renounce them.
Remembering the words of the Apostles’ Creed that our church uses for Holy Baptism, I ask you – and all Christians in
our worship — to confess your faith in the Triune God – the eternal Creator, the risen Savior, and the dynamic Spirit.
Do you believe in God, the Father?
C I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
L Do you believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God?
C I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He
descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right
hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
L Do you believe in God the Holy Spirit?
C I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
(4) Thanksgiving for God’s Life-giving Waters:
L Let us pray.
We give you thanks, O God, for in the beginning your voice thundered and your Spirit moved over the waters and – by
your Word – you created the world. You water the mountains and send springs into the valleys to refresh us and satisfy
us and all living things. Through the waters of the flood you delivered Noah and his family, preserving humanity. Through
the sea you led your people Israel from slavery to freedom; and in the wilderness you nourished them with water from
the rock; and you brought them across the River Jordan to the land you had promised. At the river your Son Jesus was
baptized by John and anointed with the Holy Spirit. By the baptism of his death and resurrection, your Son Jesus has
carried us to safety and to freedom. The floods will not overwhelm us, the deep shall not swallow us up, for Christ has
brought us over to the land of promise. Gracious, merciful, loving God, pour out your Holy Spirit, the power of your living
Word, that those who are washed in the waters of baptism may receive new life. Wash away their sin, take away the
sting of death, and claim them as your own redeemed children. We praise you and pray to you through Jesus Christ our
Lord. Amen.
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(5) Baptism:
L Name, I baptize you in the name of the Father <> and of the Son <> and of the Holy Spirit <>. Amen.
God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, we give you thanks for freeing your sons and daughters from the power of sin
and for raising them up to a new life though this holy sacrament. Pour your Holy Spirit upon name: the spirit of wisdom
and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in
your presence. Amen.
Name, child of God, receive the sign of the holy cross upon your [+] forehead and upon your [+] heart to mark you as
one who has been sealed with the Holy Spirit and redeemed by Christ forever. Amen.
Jesus said, I am the Light of the world. Whoever follows me will have the light of life. Let your light so shine before
others that they may see your good works and give glory to God.
(6) Welcome:
L On behalf of this St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church congregation and the one Church of Jesus Christ here on
earth, let those who are present say to the newly baptized:
C We welcome you into the Lord’s family. We receive you with great joy to belong with us in the body of
Christ, to share with us in God’s new creation, and to work with us by the power of the Holy Spirit as we
bear witness to Jesus Christ, seeking to live faithfully and to love fervently.
+
AFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM [Alma Hampton, previously baptized into the ONE Church of Jesus Christ on this earth,
now officially joins our St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church family through public affirmation of her baptism.]
L Let us pray. Merciful God, we thank you for our sister in Christ, whom you have made your own by water and the Word
in baptism. You have called her to yourself, enlightened her with the gifts of your Spirit, and nourished her in the
community of faith. Uphold your servant in the gifts and promises of baptism and unite the hearts of all that you have
brought to new birth. We ask this in the name of Christ.
C Amen.
L Alma, I ask you to profess your faith in Christ Jesus, reject sin, and confess the faith of the Church.
Do you renounce the devil and all the forces of evil that defy God? I renounce them.
Do you renounce the powers of this world that rebel against God? I renounce them.
Do you renounce the ways of sin that draw you from God? I renounce them.
L Earlier we all confessed our faith using the words of the Apostles’ Creed. Do you believe in God the Father, do you
believe in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, and do you believe in God the Holy Spirit? Yes, I believe.
L You have made public profession of your faith. Do you intend to continue in the covenant God made with you in Holy
Baptism: to live among God’s faithful people; to hear the Word of God and share in the Lord’s supper; to proclaim the
good news of God in Christ through word and deed; to serve all people, following the example of Jesus; and to strive for
justice and peace in all the earth? I do, and I ask God to help and guide me.
L People of God, do you promise to support our sister and pray for her in her life in Christ?
C We do, and we ask God to help and guide us.
L (laying hands on and praying) O God, stir up in Alma the gift of your Holy Spirit –
the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and the
fear of the Lord, the spirit of joy in your presence, both now and forever. Amen.
NEW LIFE IN CHRIST!
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+ WE SHARE GOD’S NOURISHING MEAL +
OFFERING [If we are willing, we are the hands and feet of Jesus… his voice and his heart… his disciples in this time and place… carrying God’s love and forgiveness to others. With courage and conviction, let us commit who we are, how we act, and what we have in order to go, to show, and to tell!
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money
order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA 19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a
recurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!
Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!
Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!
Jesus Christ is still the King of kings, the King of kings!”
OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:
O God, it is only by your amazing grace that we are Easter-alive today! Now give us the bold confidence
and the passionate love to dry tears, to lift up broken hearts, and to testify with our gifts and our lives that
there is NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. Amen.
THE PREFACE… We prepare to celebrate the LORD’S SUPPER with humble joy!
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L The Lord delivers us from sin and death… C … and grants us salvation and eternal life!
L [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
C [singing…] “Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,
holy, holy, holy, holy.
Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,
We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous
distribution” with wafers and the option of wine or grape juice. TO GIVE US LIFE, HE WAS WILLING TO DIE!
WHEN WE EAT THIS BREAD AND DRINK THIS CUP, WE REMEMBER HIS DEATH… PROCLAIM HIS RESURRECTION…
AND LOOK FORWARD TO HIS RETURN.
COMMUNION SONG: “Blessed Assurance” Brown #118
(1) Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
This is my story, this is my song, praising my Savior all the day long! [repeat]
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(2) Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love.
(3) Perfect submission, all is at rest, I in my Savior am happy and blest;
Watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
SONG RESPONSE: “He Rose” Brown #90
(1) They crucified my Savior and nailed him to the tree. They crucified my Savior and nailed him to the tree.
They crucified my Savior and nailed him to the tree. And the Lord will bear my spirit home.
He rose (he rose)… He rose (he rose)… He rose from the dead!
He rose (he rose)… He rose (he rose)… He rose