SUNDAY SERVICE
April 20, 2025
Easter Sunday
Worship
Opening Call & Response Prayer
And now we say together:
Hallelujah! Christ is Risen! Christ is Risen Indeed!
Jesus is alive!
The grave has been overtaken by life,
The new kingdom has begun,
The way of love is victorious.
And this Good News fills our hearts and all of the earth.
May the beauty of the Good News,
The way of God’s kingdom breaking in,
Stir us, astound us, and awaken us,
That we may live with renewed purpose, energy, and clarity as the people of God.
And the church said, Amen.
Welcome
If you’re new to WHCC, our nursery is available throughout service upstairs, and our children’s Ministry will be available after Invitation to Connection. If you want to keep your little ones downstairs, we have busy bags available on the back wall.
Scripture Reading
Luke 24:1-12, CEB
1 Very early in the morning on the first day of the week, the women went to the tomb, bringing the fragrant spices they had prepared. 2 They found the stone rolled away from the tomb, 3 but when they went in, they didn’t find the body of the Lord Jesus. 4 They didn’t know what to make of this. Suddenly, two men were standing beside them in gleaming bright clothing. 5 The women were frightened and bowed their faces toward the ground, but the men said to them, “Why do you look for the living among the dead? 6 He isn’t here, but has been raised. Remember what he told you while he was still in Galilee, 7 that the Human One must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and on the third day rise again.” 8 Then they remembered his words. 9 When they returned from the tomb, they reported all these things to the eleven and all the others. 10 It was Mary Magdalene, Joanna, Mary the mother of James, and the other women with them who told these things to the apostles. 11 Their words struck the apostles as nonsense, and they didn’t believe the women. 12 But Peter ran to the tomb. When he bent over to look inside, he saw only the linen cloth. Then he returned home, wondering what had happened.
Worship
Explaining Jesus - Jordy Searcy
Announcements
Johnson STEAM Academy, McKinley STEAM Academy, Wellington Heights Community Church & Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association are partnering for a Neighborhood Clean-Up day on Sunday, April 27th from 10-11 AM. We will gather at the Wellington Heights Community Church building (1600 4th Ave SE) for instructions. Trash bags and gloves will be provided!
You’re invited to participate in a meaningful discussion on Healing Racial Trauma: The Road to Resilience by Sheila Wise Rowe, a powerful book that explores the deep wounds of racial trauma and the path toward healing through faith, resilience, and justice.
RSVP to office@wellingtonheightscommunitychurch.org
Wellington Heights Community Church is seeking financial sponsors and volunteer support for the 5th Annual Celebration of Motherhood on May 10th. Interested in supporting the event? Please sign-up to volunteer at the back table email stephanie@wellingtonheightscommunitychurch.org for further information.
Baptism Sunday, June 1st at 10 AM
Baptism is a practice of recognizing and responding to God’s abundant love and grace. Regardless of the tradition of immersion, sprinkling, or pouring of the water, Baptism is a gift of living water and welcome!
Interested in receiving the gift of Baptism?
Email stephanie@wellingtonheightscommunitychurch.org
Sermon
Pastor Keeyon
Prayers of the People
Let us pray that the power of Christ's resurrection may be experienced throughout the world.
Liberating and Life-Giving God, who loves and welcomes all, today we gather to celebrate with great joy the resurrection of your son Jesus Christ.
Jesus embodied God’s Kingdom-vision: crossing ethnic and social boundaries, extending compassion and generosity to those suffering and remaining persistent in prayer.
Forgive us and all people as we often turn from God’s Kingdom-vision.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
Help us to grasp resurrection;
to understand its power,
to see its force at work in our world,
overturning evil empires,
changing the contempt and apathy within us,
calling us towards love and justice.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
On this day of joy and liberation
empower us to move beyond an
Individualistic and self-focused Gospel.
Forgive us for turning inward in self focus and self centeredness.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
On this day bring comfort to all who are grieving, lonely, suffering, experiencing illness and bring encouragement to those who are often overlooked in their caretaking and care of others.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
On this day bring justice and liberation to all those who are affected by war, poverty and all the isms and injustices that are rampant among us today. Bring renewed strength to those who are actively working for justice in their communities.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
On this day bring your peace and restoration to the world, to our community, to our streets, to our homes and to our lives. Bless all those who are everyday peacemakers.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
On this day we pray for the global church, may we be inspired to embody your resurrection power throughout all seasons and circumstances. Bring practical encouragement to clergy, pastors, church-staff and all those who share their time and resources to demonstrate the holistic Good News.
Lord, in your mercy.
Hear our prayer.
On this day, may we open our hearts to your liberating power moving around us, between us, and within us.
Let us pray together how Jesus taught us to pray: (from the First Nations Translation)
O Great Spirit, our Father from above,
Your name is sacred and holy.
Bring your good road to us, where the beauty of your ways in the spirit world above is reflected in the earth below.
Provide for us each day. All the good things we need for each day.
Release us from the things we have done wrong, and in the same way, we release others for the things done wrong to us.
And guide us away from the things that tempt us to stray away from your good road,
And set us free from the evil one and his worthless ways.
May it be so!
Worship
