Sunrise Service Liturgy
GREETING
Liturgist:
(Matt) Let’s begin by grounding ourselves in this moment—listening to the earth wake up, feeling the chill of the morning, noticing the hope that rises with the sun. In silence, let us prepare our hearts for resurrection.
Moment of Silence
(Andrea) This morning, this joyous morning, we journey to the tomb with the two Marys and discover that the stone has been rolled away. An empty grave remains, offering us hope and joy in knowing that, in spite of the unimaginable that occurred on Good Friday, Jesus lives today! With joy, we discover that Jesus Christ has risen. So we offer praise and thanks to God for fulfilling the resurrection promise.
CALL TO WORSHIP
Liturgist (Matt):
There’s a common call and response that is often chanted in services all over the world on Easter morning. It goes, “Christ is risen! He is risen indeed!” Let us declare this truth together...
Liturgist: Christ is risen!
All: He is risen, indeed!
Liturgist: Christ is risen!
All: He is risen, indeed!
All: Faith, hope, and love are alive. May we rejoice and be glad in this truth. A new age is dawning, - sin and death have lost their power over us. God of all creation, we praise You. God of resurrection and life everlasting, we have gathered here today to worship you and to celebrate your victory.
Liturgist (Andrea):
Let us pray.
GATHERING PRAYER Liturgist:
Loving God, we gather in the early morning of your resurrection as the sun just begins to crest over the horizon reminding us that light is breaking into the darkness. For the past two days we have mourned because of the violent way the empire tried to extinguish your light from this world on the cross. But today we rejoice because you now meet us in the garden of new creation. Here, in this sacred place, we discover that you are alive, and that sin and death cannot defeat you. Or us. Now our tears of sorrow turn to tears of joy as we experience your presence among us. Today, we begin to understand that your joy is capable of overcoming our grief. You have called us to go into the world to share this Good News as examples who live according to your teachings. May we be compelled by the power of your life, your death, and your resurrection to be and to live like you. To go and do likewise. Amen.
SONG SELECTION
As we listen to this song take a moment to just be…
A moment to hear the creator of the sand, the sun, the breeze, the rain…the creator of it all whisper your name
Lectio Divina John 21:1-18
First Reading (Matt): Clear your mind and simply let the story wash over you.
<Pause for quiet reflection>
Second Reading (Andrea): Listen intently to the story and identify something that stands out to you. Do not worry about why, do not seek understanding simply pay attention to the part of the story that is speaking to you.
<Pause for quiet reflection>
< With no explanation share with the group the word or phrase that stood out to you>
Final Reading (Matt): Listening to the text the final time ask the Holy Spirit to speak to you. Now is when you focus on understanding. Why is this particular part of the text speaking to you? What might the Spirit be inviting you to notice? What might God be saying to you in this story??
<Pause for quiet reflection>
<Share as you feel comfortable>
John 20:1–18 ~
Later, Jesus appeared again to the disciples beside the Sea of Galilee. This is how it happened. 2 Several of the disciples were there—Simon Peter, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two other disciples. 3 Simon Peter said, “I’m going fishing.” “We’ll come, too,” they all said. So they went out in the boat, but they caught nothing all night.
4 At dawn Jesus was standing on the beach, but the disciples couldn’t see who he was. 5 He called out, “Fellows, have you caught any fish?” “No,” they replied. 6 Then he said, “Throw out your net on the right-hand side of the boat, and you’ll get some!” So they did, and they couldn’t haul in the net because there were so many fish in it.
7 Then the disciple Jesus loved said to Peter, “It’s the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on his tunic (for he had stripped for work), jumped into the water, and headed to shore. 8 The others stayed with the boat and pulled the loaded net to the shore, for they were only about a hundred yards from shore. 9 When they got there, they found breakfast waiting for them—fish cooking over a charcoal fire, and some bread.
10 “Bring some of the fish you’ve just caught,” Jesus said. 11 So Simon Peter went aboard and dragged the net to the shore. There were 153 large fish, and yet the net hadn’t torn. 12 “Now come and have some breakfast!” Jesus said. None of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” They knew it was the Lord. 13 Then Jesus served them the bread and the fish. 14 This was the third time Jesus had appeared to his disciples since he had been raised from the dead.
15 After breakfast Jesus asked Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter replied, “you know I love you.”
“Then feed my lambs,” Jesus told him.
Jesus repeated the question: “Simon son of John, do you love me?” “Yes, Lord,” Peter said, “you know I love you.” “Then take care of my sheep,” Jesus said.
A third time he asked him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter was hurt that Jesus asked the question a third time. He said, “Lord, you know everything. You know that I love you.” Jesus said, “Then feed my sheep.
“I tell you the truth, when you were young, you were able to do as you liked; you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and others will dress you and take you where you don’t want to go.” Jesus said this to let him know by what kind of death he would glorify God. Then Jesus told him, “Follow me.”
Homily
(Matt) Early in the morning, just after daybreak…
That’s where this story begins—
Not in a sanctuary. Not in certainty.
But out on the water. In the middle of ordinary life.
The disciples have gone back to fishing.
Back to what they know.
Back to what feels familiar after everything has fallen apart.
They had seen Jesus.
They had heard the news.
But still… they’re not quite sure what to do next.
So they go back.
And all night—they catch nothing.
No movement. No progress. No sign that anything is changing.
And maybe that’s where resurrection needs to meet us too—
Not just in our grief…
But in our exhaustion.
In our confusion.
In those moments when we quietly drift back to what’s familiar
Because we don’t know what else to do.
And then—
Just as the sun begins to rise—
There’s a voice from the shore.
“Cast the net on the other side.”
It’s such a small thing.
So simple it almost feels unnecessary.
But something in them responds.
And suddenly—the nets are full.
And then it clicks.
“It is the Lord.”
That’s when resurrection gets real—
Not just in empty tombs,
But in full nets.
In ordinary mornings.
In the quiet recognition that Jesus has been there the whole time…
Standing on the shore.
And when they reach him—
He’s already made breakfast.
A fire.
Bread.
Fish.
No lecture.
No shame.
No “Where were you?”
Just an invitation:
“Come and eat.”
That’s the kind of Savior we follow.
One who meets us not just in our sorrow,
But in our wandering.
One who meets us in the middle of our ordinary lives,
And gently calls us back.
One who doesn’t demand that we have it all figured out,
But simply invites us to come close.
That’s resurrection.
Not just a moment in the past—
But a presence that finds us again and again.
On the shorelines of our lives.
In the places we return to.
In the work, the routines, the questions.
So if you feel like you’ve drifted—
If you’ve gone back to what’s familiar—
If you’ve been working through the night and catching nothing—
Hold on.
Because the risen Christ is closer than you think.
Standing on the shore.
Calling out to you.
And maybe this morning…
He’s simply inviting you to come and eat.
And when you do—
You might just realize…
He’s been with you the whole time.
Liturgist: Let us close in prayer.
CLOSING PRAYER
All: Lord, we have so much to be thankful for this Easter morning. In the chill of the morning air, we can feel the warmth and the blessing of your Spirit in us and all around us. We can rejoice this day because our tendency toward unbelief is overcome by our capacity for faith. Your invitation to relationship and restoration triumphs over our propensity to sin. We are truly amazed that a murderous cross of crucifixion has been transformed into a symbol of new life, abundant life, and eternal life. We are thankful that you come to greet us with hope, trust, and faith. We thank you that a dark and empty tomb has emerged into a garden of light and of living. In all our days, we shall live for Jesus Christ, the resurrected and risen Savior. Amen.
BENEDICTION
Liturgist (Andrea): And finally, our benediction. The tomb is empty. Christ has risen. As we live in faith, may our lives be full, our love be abundant, and our hope be eternal. Let us live this day and always for Jesus because he, the Risen Christ, lives in and through us. Go now as Easter people—walking gently, loving boldly, and listening for the voice that still calls you by name.
Liturgist: Christ is risen!
All: He is risen indeed!
Liturgist: Christ is risen!
All: He is risen indeed!
May we all go now in peace.