Lord, our God. We give you thanks and praise.
Lord Jesus, we rejoice in the good news of your resurrection life! Yet, as we pray for the world, the church, and ourselves, our minds hold thoughts and images of life and death, peace and conflict, joy and sorrow. The stone was rolled back and the tomb was empty, yet the place of the cross was not far away. You were alive by the power of the Holy Spirit, yet your body still bore the wounds of your passion.
We thank you that every day your creation speaks to us of new life. We thank you for the joy of new birth and the abundance of the earth. Yet we are troubled by the constant destruction of nature and habitat due to human foolishness—made ever stronger by the threat of climate change. Give wisdom, we pray, to all of us, that we may cherish the earth and live on this planet in ways that give life, new life, your resurrection life.
Lord, our God. We give you thanks and praise.
Lord Jesus, at Easter we rejoice with our sisters and brothers in your church throughout the world; we also pray for those who find it difficult to believe, including some among our own friends and families. We pray, too, for those who refuse to believe in you or any faith at all. Help us so to live that others may see your resurrection life in us—new life in the power of your Spirit.
Lord, our God. We give you thanks and praise.
Lord, your resurrection speaks hope to all; we pray for nations and peoples who struggle to find hope, for which conflict and chaos are close at hand. We pray for the peace of Jerusalem and all for whom Jerusalem has special significance—Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Lord, our God. We give you thanks and praise.
Lord Jesus, your death and your resurrection promise healing. You are like one who is risen with healing in his wings. We pray for those troubled by sickness, loneliness, poverty, unemployment and other distress—especially those who have sought our prayers. Grant healing, peace and new hope, we pray, through the power of your resurrection life.
Lord, our God. We give you thanks and praise.
Lord Jesus, we give thanks for the lives of those who have followed you in death and resurrection life, remembering especially . . . We rejoice that the whole of creation will share with you in a feast of total joy—the joy and laughter that are your delight; the universal Easter joy.
Lord, our God. We give you thanks and praise.