(All our songs this morning are from Singing the Faith (StF) or Hymns & Psalms (H&P) numbers will be given where available)
Welcome to our Easter Sunday Service, today shared on paper across our circuit prepared by Phil Drake, Nick Blundell, Lisa Quarmby and Joy Sykes. This service has been prepared by members of the Bradford North Circuit Ministry Team for use on Easter Day, 20th April 2025.
Click on the blue links to follow them for bible readings and associated links
Call to worship
Come and join the celebration –
Jesus Christ is risen today!
Come and hear the amazing news –
Jesus’ death is not the end!
Come and share the joy and freedom –
our sins are forgiven in Jesus’ name! Alleluia!
Song – StF 298 or H&P 193 – Christ the Lord is risen today
A prayer of adoration
We exalt you, risen Lord.
We worship and adore you.
From cross to cave, beaten but not broken;
from thorns to throne; from grave to glory,
we exalt you, risen Lord.
We worship and adore you. Amen.
A prayer of confession and an Assurance of forgiveness
Father God, forgive our lapses of faith,
when we fail to read, meditate on and understand the Scriptures.
We’re sorry for the days when we neglect to look beyond the cross and wallow in the darkness of despair.
Lord of life, we’re sorry for not always living in the light and hope of your resurrection,
for not noticing you in all aspects of life.
Lord, many people turned against you,
hence your path to the cross.
Forgive us when we turn our backs on people in need.
Your Holy Spirit helps us live the resurrection life.
Forgive us when we fail to live in the power
of your cross and empty tomb.
Father, Son and Holy Spirit living in unity,
may we live in unity with you.
May we live the resurrection life and help others shine on the path of faith. Amen.
Holy Lord and Saviour, your blood shed on the cross cleanses us from all sin.
We live in the light of your forgiveness now and forever. Amen.
Bible reading:
Song StF 305 or H&P 202 – Low in the grave he lay
Reflection: Roll away the stone!
Hopes ruined. Who went to visit the tomb of Jesus?
Let’s think about the women who went to the tomb of Jesus on that first Easter day – We might ask ourselves, what hope did they have? Their hopes lay in ruins, as dead and buried as their Master and Friend. Hopes which had accompanied them during their time with Jesus – as they followed him from Galilee; seeing Jesus bring help and healing to the people, meeting their needs – all that was hopeful about the ministry of Jesus had gone with the death of Jesus.
God’s plans are sometimes hidden, in darkness, as if trapped by a big stone rolled over the entrance. We live as a people so easily trapped by whatever hard circumstances we find ourselves in. In times of distress, it is difficult to see what God is doing, but even in death God is still at work.
What are we asking God to do? Roll away the stone!
Hopes remembered – Who did the women meet at the tomb?
Something happened at the tomb. The women were met by the angels, who reminded them of Jesus’ words. The women remembered what Jesus had said to them: about how he would suffer, be put to death and would rise again three days later – words that had puzzled them back then now came back to them.
Words which would not have made any sense at all when they first heard them, suddenly became really important. If Jesus is indeed risen from the dead, then his words and his promises are true and can be relied upon.
So we too are called to be a people who remember the life of Jesus, his death and resurrection. It is what we do each time we share bread and wine around the table of the Lord. Jesus said, ‘Do this to remember me.’ It is because of that remembering that we are offered hope for the future, of a future with Jesus and the new life he brings. Remembering Jesus is like having the stone rolled away from our darkness. It lets new light into our lives.
What are we asking God to do? Roll away the stone!
Hopes reported. Who did the women go off to see?
The women still did not fully understand what had happened, but they too did something really important – they shared their good news. They weren’t told or instructed by the angels to tell others about what they had seen and heard, but that is exactly what they did. They returned to the disciples and the other followers of Jesus, reporting on what had happened.
Sometimes as Christians we are not always as forthcoming in telling good news. But each and every piece of good news, no matter how small, where it lifts the human Spirit, where there is cause for rejoicing gives witness to our resurrection hope. So the challenge for us is : where is the good news in our life which speaks of new life in Christ?
A word kept to ourselves is trapped inside. But a word shared is a living hope – who knows where it may lead us. Ultimately, it led the disciples from an empty tomb to an encounter with the risen Christ. So let’s share our good news with those we meet, that they too may come to know the living love of Jesus.
What are we asking God to do? Roll away the stone!
The stone has been rolled away, and we can see that the tomb is empty. Jesus is not there – he is risen and is in our hearts and lives. Amen.
Song – StF 292 or H&P 186 – After darkness, light
Prayers of Intercession:
Christ is risen, and the power of His resurrection fills the world today with new life, hope and expectation and so we bring Him all our prayers.
Faithful Father, we think of your church today celebrating the Resurrection all over the world. Each one of us is different, but our worship and our joy on the Day of Resurrection make us one together as we share the Good News. We pray that The Holy Spirit may guide and strengthen us in mission and service, praying that day by day we may grow in love for you and for our brothers and sisters in Christ.
Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Loving God, we pray for your Church here in Bradford North Methodist Circuit. We pray for fruitfulness, connection, understanding and above all, Love. Encourage us to seek each other out and worship you together, in all we do, every day.
Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Creator God, we pray for the leaders of the nations of the world that they may give priority to those with greatest need in the distribution of the world’s basic resources. We pray on this special day, that the focus of all our meetings, at the highest and lowest levels, can be on healing, generous sharing and the protection of people and all living things.
Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Father God, at this joyful Eastertide we pray for our families and friends. We thank you for the joy of sending each other messages and gifts of love; we thank you for silliness and fun, seeking hidden eggs with little ones, or eating chocolates while watching a good film. When we live and love, we celebrate your defeat of death. Thank you, Father, for turning the world upside down.
Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Creator God, we pray for those who are in need and ask you to look with compassion on those who suffer. We especially pray for the broken-hearted , for the sick, and for the lonely. We pray that your very presence will comfort them in their time of need, and we give thanks for all who work in the health and care services, or who give their time for free to others.
Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Merciful God, we pray that those who have recently died may share in the promise of new life won for us all by the resurrection of your Son Jesus Christ and His triumph over death and the grave. Give our love, humbly we pray, to those we loved and still love.
Christ is risen: He is risen indeed, Alleluia.
Faithful God, as we go out into the world we pray that we may reflect your love in our families, our friendships, our church and our community; so that the world can witness that we are followers of Christ and draw others into His loving care. Merciful Father, accept our prayers for the sake of your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ. Amen.
Song – StF 313 or H&P 212 – Thine be the glory
A prayer for sending out
We’re seekers and lookers,
searching for you, Lord.
Help us to see you, Lord,
in the old and the new,
in the noise and the quiet,
among the suffering and the outcast,
in the light and the darkness
and to spread the good news
of new life for all. Amen.
Acknowledgments: Scripture quotations are from the New Revised Standard Version Bible: Anglicised Edition, copyright © 1989, 1995 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Prayers taken from Roots resources, copyright Roots For Churches Ltd.
