OPENING
PRAYER (uses lines from VU446 O God of Life)
O
God of life, who wills new life to be through love created,
we
gather as a people of life, of resurrection, of life that conquers
death.
O
God of love, who gives baptism to be the outward symbol of your love,
we
gather as a baptized and baptizing community, welcoming all into the
family of faith.
O
God of power, whose Spirit you have sent to be received here,
in
our worship together move among, within, and through us: preparing us
to go out and proclaim the promise of resurrection life to the world
around us.
We
pray in the name of the Risen Christ, who has conquered death, who
brings us life, and who invites us to pray together saying...
PRAYER
FOR LIFE
Where death is your
victory? Where, O
death, is your sting?
God
we admit that death scares us.
The
last enemy to be destroyed is death
With
the voices of the ages we celebrate the promise and reality of
Resurrection.
In
life, in death, in life beyond death,
we
know that You are with us.
God
of life, when we meet the fear of death,
remind
us of the great mystery and victory of faith: LIFE WINS.
And
as people of life, of life beyond death, when the trumpet blast
sounds
lead
us in the dance of joy and hope and life.
We
pray in the name of the Risen Christ, who has conquered death
To
Life! Christ is Risen! Hallelujah!
COMMISSIONING:
As
people of hope,
we
return to the world to share our hope.
As
people of life,
we
go out into the world to spread the promise of life.
As
people of Easter,
we
share the Good News of resurrection, the victory of life over death.
As
you go to live and serve, go knowing that the Risen Christ is with
you always, to the end of the age.
And
in confidence we go out to share the promise of God: To LIFE!
