Online Worship (April 12/Easter) Athens First UMC

Welcome to our April 12 (Easter Sunday) online worship @ Athens First UMC!

2 S. College St., Athens, OH 45701

Greeting From Pastor Robert

Choral Introit   Joy in the Morning, Natalie Sleeth

by First UMC Chancel Choir, Richardson, Texas

Call to Worship

L: Christ is risen!

P: Christ is risen, indeed!

L: Like the disciples, Matthew and John, we are called to proclaim the good news of Easter!

All: He is not here. He is risen! Thanks be to God!

Hymn                Christ the Lord Is Risen Today

1. Christ the Lord is ris’n today, Alleluia!
   Sons of men and angels say, Alleluia!
   Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
   Sing, ye heav’ns, and earth, reply, Alleluia!
2. Lives again our glorious King, Alleluia!
   Where, O death, is now thy sting? Alleluia!
   Once He died our souls to save, Alleluia!
   Where thy victory, O grave? Alleluia!
3. Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
   Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
   Death in vain forbids His rise, Alleluia!
   Christ hath opened paradise, Alleluia!
4. Soar we now where Christ hath led, Alleluia!
   Foll’wing our exalted Head, Alleluia!
   Made like Him, like Him we rise, Alleluia!
   Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Welcome & Passing the Peace

[David and Bonita Maze’s dog, Taffy celebrates with us on this Easter Sunday. Taffy invites you to greet one another, not by rubbing noses, but by simply barking out, “Alleluia! Christ is risen!”]

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank you for calling the twelve disciples to follow you. On this Easter Sunday, you also call each one of us to follow you and share the good news of your resurrection. Teach us what it means to be your Easter people. May all that we do and say point people to the hope and promise that we have in you. We offer this prayer to you, our risen Lord and Savior, to whom be glory, majesty, power and authority before all time and now and forevermore. Amen.

Children’s Moments        Martha Sloan

Scripture Lessons - I Corinthians 15:19-26 & John 20:1-10

                                                       Dave Bayless

[Our I Corinthians lesson is the Apostle Paul’s famous chapter on the meaning of Christ’s resurrection and the future hope of resurrection for all of God’s people. In this portion of the chapter, Paul shares the good news that Christ’s resurrection will lead to a final victory over death itself. For our next scripture lesson, John, who is one of the two disciples we are focusing on today in the sermon offers this account of that first Easter Sunday. Each gospel account tells the story a little differently. One of John’s distinctions is that there was a lot of running happening on that glorious morning. Mary runs to tell the disciples and the disciples then run to the tomb to see for themselves. Celebrating Easter can be very tiring!]

Special Music   “Hallelujah” (from Messiah) – G. F. Handel

Performed by the Chicago-based ensemble, Music of the Baroque

Sermon        The Twelve Disciples of Jesus: Matthew & John          
                                                           Rev. Robert McDowell

Sermon Discussion Questions

Why do you think that we have four gospels instead of just one account? What does this say about our unique faith perspectives?

If you could choose a symbol that would best represent your faith, what would it be and why?

Why do you think this message of loving one another was something that John encouraged people to remember again and again? What helps you to remember to love others?

What are some ways that we can share the good news of Easter with the people we encounter?

Hymn                       Christ Is Alive

Pastoral Prayer & The Lord’s Prayer

Church News

Offering Our Gifts

Thank you for your gifts!!!

“Riches and honor come from You, and You are the ruler of everything. Power and might are in Your hand, and it is in Your hand to make great and to give strength to all.” – 1 Chronicles 29:12

Closing Hymn                Up from the Grave He Arose

1. Low in the grave he lay, Jesus my Savior,

waiting the coming day, Jesus my Lord!

Refrain:

Up from the grave he arose;

with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;

he arose a victor from the dark domain,

and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.

He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!

2. Vainly they watch his bed, Jesus my Savior,

vainly they seal the dead, Jesus my Lord!

(Refrain)

3. Death cannot keep its prey, Jesus my Savior;

he tore the bars away, Jesus my Lord!

(Refrain)

Benediction

FUN OUT-TAKE EASTER SERVICE VIDEO 

[Sometimes, online worship service recordings don’t go as planned. Evidently, Storm Trooper either stayed up too late on Saturday night or ate too much Easter candy because he kept falling down during the children’s moments. LOL!]

Join us back here next Sunday (April 19) for our online worship featuring our Growing Tree Preschool!

[For previous online worship services, click here]