Witnesses to the Resurrection

 

Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light.

Jesus appears to the Seven by the Lake 

The ones who had caught nothing 

Risen Lord, though we long to be labourers in your harvest and partners in your mission - reveal to us the strategies of your kingdom and the accents of your love.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

 

1 We fished all night, and nothing caught;

Relentless toil, with nothing brought

Into our boat upon the sea

Not one mere morsel, payment, fee.

2 Then on the distant shore we saw

A mystery, a shape, a lure

Of one who called for us to cast

Our nets and pull to shore and moor.

3 Our rope did strain, our nets did bulge

With gunnels topped we gapped amazed.

Then Peter, with a shout did yell,

It is the Lord, praise him he’s raised.

4 So shoreward bound we made our way

And found a charcoal fire ablaze.

There with the master we  partook

And ate a heart felt meal with praise.

5 Lord, at each meal each table spread

May I your living presence know; 

And in the joy of being fed

See love and mercy over flow.

 

Witnesses to the Resurrection

Glory to you, O Christ: 

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to Thomas the Twin a week later 

The one who needed proof 

Risen Lord, though you reveal yourself in the lives others, we long for you to reveal yourself just as truly to us, that we too may share the good news of your living presence.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 I am he, I’m the doubter, 

the one wanting proof

Of what they had told me

I need truth foolproof.

2 I can not believe it,

I cannot conceive,

How Jesus of Nazareth

Dead! Oh how I grieve.

3 Until I see clearly 

The marks in his side

Where cruel armed soldiers

Made sure he had died.

4 Unless I can touch him

The scared wounds to press

With my hands; what anger

I feel, nothing less. 

5 “Oh Thomas my peace know,

Come, here is my side

Reach out, come and touch me

Don’t doubt nor truth hide.

6 Believe now through seeing

Bless those who abide

Who haven’t yet seen me

Without sight to guide.”

7 “My Lord and my Master,

My God” I replied

His peace fills my being

All doubts thrown aside.”

Witnesses to the Resurrection

 Glory to you, O Christ:

by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Two on the Road to Emmaus 

 The ones whose eyes were opened 

 

Risen Lord, though we have listened to the stories of your resurrection many times - walk with us on our journey and reveal yourself afresh in the fellowship of word and table.

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 The Highway of heartbreak 

The dirt track of doubt

The weight of each foot step

What is this about?

2 We’d followed the master

Hung on each sweet word

And now its disaster,

“Yet haven’t you heard?”

3 We’re joined by a stranger

Who seemed not to know

Of all that had happened

How we’d been brought low.

4 With wisdom relating

The stranger foretold

Of scriptures revealing

Of truths deep rich gold.

5 Our journey now over

Had come to an end.

The stranger made ready

His own way to wend.

6 We pressed him to join us

Our table to share

A morsel of comfort

Some modest affair.

7 He took bread in blessing

Our hearts then did stir.

It’s him, our dear Master

Our eyes now unblurred.

8 With that he now left us

Our joy now complete

We couldn’t run faster

Disciples to greet.

Witnesses to the Resurrection

 

Liturgy by Rev’d Norman Wallwork

Verse and Artwork by 

Rev’d Paul Collings

Station 1

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light.

Jesus appears to Mary of Magdala in the garden 

The one who loved Jesus most  

Risen Lord, though we are separated from those we love and our hearts are weighed with grief, speak to us by name and let us feel the joy of your presence.

 

Alleluia. Christ is risen He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1 They’ve taken him, 

I know not where,

His battered body

Laid with care.

I came today

His form to ‘noint

To dress the scars-

Cruel nail points.

2 “O Gardner, friend

Where has he gone?

Please tell me now

What you have done

With my dear Lord, 

His sacred form,

That lived to bless

Our lives adorn.”

3 “Mary, my child.”

“Rabboni Lord

How can it be

I saw - you died”

I stretched my hand

To reach his own.

“Not yet my child”

His voice intoned.

4 “Go to my friends,

My bothers tell

What you have seen

And all is well.

I must Ascend,

My father see;

Go now sweet friend

Go now I plea.”

5 With heart ablaze,

And tears now dried 

I ran and ran

So overjoyed.

I told them all

Of the blessed scene.

The Lord is risen

My eyes have seen.

Witnesses to the Resurrection

Liturgy by Rev’d Norman Wallwork

Art and verse by Rev’d Paul Collings

Glory to you, O Christ:
by your death you have destroyed death

and by your resurrection you have brought life and immortality to light

Jesus appears to the Ten in the Upper Room – The ones locked away in fear  

Risen Lord, though we are afraid and our fears are real, speak peace to our hearts and breathe upon us the gift of the Holy Spirit. 

Alleluia. Christ is risen 

He is risen indeed. Alleluia

1  Upper room, the table bare

No bread, no wine now here to share.

We’ve heard the news, yet still we fear

No peace of mind, to dry our tears.

2 Then in an instance, light appeared.

Is it a trick that now has neared.

What ghost, what spectre see we now

Disturbing heart and mind, but how?

3 “What is your trouble, doubting minds

Look at my hands, my feet, here find

Reach out and touch, for it is I

No apparition here, no lie.”

4 His hands, his feet his broken side

We saw yet in our hearts denied,

How could the Lord from death be risen

“What food have you, no bread of heav’n?”

5 We gave, he ate and once again

He shared the word and made it plain.

All we had heard, seemed new to tell

How all things preached were planned as well.

6 “The suffering, the third day rise

Repentance sure, forgiveness wise

Were written for the world to know

And  you my witnesses will go.

7 Jerusalem’s where you will start

And then from there you will embark

As witnesses to human kind

Across the world to seek and find.

8 I now must to my Father go

That you a comforter may know,

One to strengthen to make things plain.

So wait just now and here remain.