O Spirit of the living God, thou Light and Fire Divine
Descend upon Thy Church once more and make it truly Thine
Fill it with love and joy and power, with righteousness and peace
Till Christ shall dwell in human hearts, and sin and sorrow cease
Blow, wind of God, with wisdom blow until our minds are free
From mists of error, clouds of doubt, which blind our eyes to Thee
Burn, winged fire, inspire our lips with flaming love and zeal
To preach to all Thy great good news, God’s glorious commonwealth
So shall we know the power of Christ, who came this world to save
So shall we rise with Him to life which soars beyond the grave
And earth shall win true holiness which makes Thy children whole
Till, perfected by Thee, we reach creation’s glorious goal
Silent Prayer
Leader: Behold! I tell you a mystery. We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we shall be changed.
All: For this perishable body must put on the imperishable, and this mortal body must put on immortality.
Leader: When the perishable puts on the imperishable, and the mortal puts on immortality, then shall come to pass the saying that is written:
All: “Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting?” Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.
Leader: From the discords of yesterday,
All: Resurrect our peace.
Leader: From the discouragements of yesterday,
All: Resurrect our hope.
Leader: From the weariness of yesterday,
All: Resurrect our strength.
Leader: From the doubts of yesterday,
All: Resurrect our faith.
Leader: From the wounds of yesterday,
All: Resurrect our love.
Leader: My beloved brothers and sisters, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain.
There in the ground, His body lay; Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth, in glorious day, up from the grave He rose again!
And as He stands in victory, sins curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His, and He is mine: bought with the precious blood of Christ!
No guilt in life, no fear in death: this is the power of Christ in me
From life’s first cry to final breath, Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell, no scheme of man could ever pluck me from His hands
Til He returns, or calls me home, here in the power of Christ I’ll stand
Rock of ages, cleft for me, let me hide myself in Thee
Let the water and the blood, from Thy wounded side which flowed
Be of sin the double cure, save from wrath, and make me pure
No the labor of my hands can fulfill Thy law’s demands
Could my zeal no respite know, could my tears forever flow
All for sin could not atone; Thou must save, and Thou alone
While I draw this fleeting breath, when my eyes shall close in death,
When at last, I – fully known – see Thee on Thy judgement throne
Rock of ages, cleft for me; let me hide myself in Thee
