Liturgy and Prayers - Sunday, 4 May 2025 – Third Sunday of Easter, Year C

Liturgy in one document: Liturgy in One Document - Easter 3C

Opening sentence

Christ is risen! [Alleluia!]
He is risen indeed! [Alleluia!]

Christ has trampled down death by his death. [Alleluia!]
And to us he has given eternal life. [Alleluia!]

Worthy is the Lamb, who was slain (Alleluia),
to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength
and honour and glory and praise (Alleluia)! (Rev 5:12 NIV)

Prayer of the day - (Collect):

Traditional

O God,
since you have raised the fallen world
by the humiliation of your Son:
Grant continual gladness to your faithful people,
that those whom you have delivered
from the dangers of everlasting death
may receive from you eternal joy;
through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Modernised Traditional

Lord God, your own Son was humiliated
to lift up fallen humanity
and to rescue us
from the dangers of everlasting death.
Give eternal joy to your faithful people.
We ask this through your Son,
Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alternative

(Let us pray for the assurance of Christ’s presence. [silence])
Almighty and merciful God,
you made the disciples glad
by the sight of the risen Lord.
Remind us that he is always with us,
and that we now share in his resurrection.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

New

Alleluia Verse

Alleluia.
(Since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again;
death no longer has any power over him.
Alleluia.)
To the one seated on the throne and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might forever and ever. (Rev 5:13b)
Alleluia.

Prayer after the Gospel

This is the gospel of the Lord.
Praise to you, O Christ (raised to live forever).
Thank you, Lord Jesus,
for appearing to your disciples after you were raised from death.
Nourish the new life you have given us.
Amen.

Offering Prayer

Self-giving God,
your Son gave himself as a Lamb to be sacrificed
to bring us life.
Take our lives and our gifts
and use them for your purposes.
Amen.

Prayer of the Church

Additional Prayer Points

LCA International Mission

Services with Holy Communion:

Preface

It is indeed right and good,
Lord God, holy Father,
that we should at all times and in all places
give thanks to you,
through Jesus Christ our Lord.
But most of all we praise you
for the glorious resurrection of your Son,
the true Passover Lamb,
who has taken away the sin of the world.
By his death he has destroyed death,
and by his rising again he has restored life.
And so, with Mary Magdalene and Peter
and all the other witnesses of the resurrection,
with earth and sea and all their creatures,
and with angels and archangels,
cherubim and seraphim,
we adore and praise your glorious name:

Communion Invitation

Jesus says: ‘Those who eat my flesh and drink my blood have eternal life, and I will raise them up on the last day.’
(Thanks be to God.)
Come, everything is ready.

Prayer after Communion

You may use this Easter post-communion prayer:

Heavenly Father,
you gave your Son to die and raised him to give us eternal life.
Grant that we who have received his body and blood
may live in him and serve you as your children.
We ask this through Jesus Christ our Lord,
who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Alternatively, use the third prayer of the day (as listed above) at this point. It may be modified as follows:

Almighty and merciful God,
you made the disciples glad
by the sight of the risen Lord.
As he has come to us in this meal,
remind us that he is always with us,
and that we now share in his resurrection.
For he lives and reigns
with you and the Holy Spirit,
one God, now and forever.
Amen.

Dismissal

Seasonal Blessing

This seasonal blessing is used together with (i.e. before) the usual blessing in the order of service:
(May) the God of peace,
who raised from the dead our Lord Jesus,
provide you with every good thing you need
in order to do his will; . . .

OR this doxology may be used before the blessing:
To the one seated on the throne
and to the Lamb
be blessing and honour and glory and might
forever and ever. Amen.