First Presbyterian Church of Weedsport
April 5, 2026
Resurrection of the Lord
Easter Sunday
Rev. Brian Copeland
CHIMES (Preparing yourself for worship.)
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Liturgist
PRELUDE
OPENING SENTENCES (Responsive) Liturgist
Through God’s miracle of grace, we have come through the night and arrived at this glorious dawn. Christ is risen! Alleluia!
All doors are open, all creation sings, all that was broken is made whole, and we have new life. He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Let all that has life and breath praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!
HYMN #123 Jesus Christ is Risen Today
CONFESSION AND PARDON (Responsive) Liturgist
As a new Easter dawns, may God’s light shine in our hearts and burn away all fault.
Trusting in God’s eternal grace, let us ask for God’s forgiveness together.
Risen Lord, while we proclaim your victory over sin and death, we confess the heavy sins we carry. We sing, “Alleluia,” but we have abandoned you and one another.
We shout, “He is risen,” but we fail to care for the life around us. Forgive us.
Loosen our reliance on violent patterns and free us for joyful belonging, that the story of your resurrection might bring us to life. Turn our hearts and hands to your work of justice, joy, and stubborn hope. Amen.
SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION MAY BE OFFERED
Friends, hear the good news. In Jesus Christ, we are already forgiven. He knows us and loves us beyond any power to condemn us. There is nothing to fear; a new day has dawned.
He is risen! Alleluia! Amen.
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION (Unison) Liturgist
Living God, with joy we celebrate the presence of your risen Word. Enliven our hearts by your Holy Spirit so that we may proclaim the good news of eternal and abundant life; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
FIRST SCRIPTURE READING: Psalm 114:1-8 Liturgist
1 When Israel went out from Egypt, the house of Jacob from a people of strange language,
2 Judah became God’s sanctuary, Israel his dominion.
3 The sea looked and fled; Jordan turned back.
4 The mountains skipped like rams, the hills like lambs.
5 Why is it, O sea, that you flee? O Jordan, that you turn back?
6 O mountains, that you skip like rams? O hills, like lambs?
7 Tremble, O earth, at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the God of Jacob,
8 who turns the rock into a pool of water, the flint into a spring of water.
SECOND SCRIPTURE READING: Matthew 28:1-10 Rev. Brian Copeland
1After the sabbath, as the first day of the week was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to see the tomb. 2And suddenly there was a great earthquake; for an angel of the Lord, descending from heaven, came and rolled back the stone and sat on it. 3His appearance was like lightning, and his clothing white as snow. 4For fear of him the guards shook and became like dead men. 5But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid; I know that you are looking for Jesus who was crucified. 6He is not here; for he has been raised, as he said. Come, see the place where he lay.7Then go quickly and tell his disciples, ‘He has been raised from the dead, and indeed he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him.’ This is my message for you.” 8So they left the tomb quickly with fear and great joy, and ran to tell his disciples. 9Suddenly Jesus met them and said, “Greetings!” And they came to him, took hold of his feet, and worshiped him. 10Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid; go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.”
The word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
SERMON Rev. Brian Copeland
HYMN #122 Thine is the Glory
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (Unison) Adapted from the Confession of 1967, 9.26
Life in Christ is life eternal. The resurrection of Jesus is the signthat God will consummate the work of creation and reconciliation beyond death and bring to fulfillment the new life begun in Christ.
JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
We offer our prayers through Christ, who lives and reigns forever, and prays for us in heaven. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
INVITATION TO THE OFFERING (Offering plates are not passed. Offering plates are on the front and back tables.)
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)
Great God, to you we give our thanks; your steadfast love endures forever.
With gratitude we bring our gifts to you. Bless us and our gifts, that our lives and our resources may be a source of healing and hope, of joy and justice in our world. Amen.
PRAYER OF GREAT THANKSGIVING (Responsive)
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Almighty Triune God, with wisdom you have made all things,
blessed all things, and loved all things. In this season when all things are made new
and our hope is resurrected once more, we praise you with our whole hearts.
With thanksgiving, we remember your great acts of faithfulness,
for you have never let us go. In the face of slavery, oppression, and war,
through fear and grief, you pulled your people close.
In the midst of our sin, you called us your own. On the darkest nights you promised a new dawn, and you gave us yourself. Our hearts overflow with joy
as we remember your promises in the rainbows and proclaim your eternal might
and tender faithfulness, together with all the saints of every time and place
who forever sing to the glory of your name:
The Sanctus may be sung ‘“Holy, Holy, Holy”
HYMN #371 Lift High the Cross
BLESSING AND CHARGE
POSTLUDE
*LARGE PRINT BULLETINS ARE AVAILABLE. PLEASE ASK THE GREETER.
Reminders:
April 11 – Sennett Federated Pulled Pork dinner and Rummage sale
April 12 – Session and committee meetings following worship
May 15 – Doug’s to Go to benefit WFPC
May 18 – Our turn to volunteer at the food pantry (off schedule because of Memorial Day.)
June 22 – Doug’s to Go to benefit Weedsport Fire Department Auxiliary
