Order of Worship
Easter Sunrise Service
27 March 2005
5:30 am
Greenwich Point

The Young People of
The First Congregational Church of Greenwich
Old Greenwich, Connecticut

Prelude

Introit Amazing Grace - Small Ensemble

Easter Proclamation - Tom Hoffman

Leader: Praise the Lord! Christ is risen!
People: He is risen indeed!
Leader: For us the stone has been rolled away.
People: Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Leader: Christ has been raised from death to new life.
All: Christ is risen indeed!

*Hymn Come Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain see insert

Call to Worship George Thalheim

Leader: No matter how often the dawn heralds day’s beginning with sounds and light, we always welcome the dense of newness that morning gives.

People: Thanks be to God! Christ is risen!

Leader: And no matter how many times we heat the Easter story proclaimed in song and gospel, we always welcome the assurance of newness that Christ’s resurrection gives.

People: Christ is risen! Thanks be to God!

Leader: By our Creator’s design, the predictable transition from night to dawn is a matter of course.

People: Hosanna in the highest! Hallelujah!

Leader: Through our Creator’s power, the wondrous transition from death to life is a matter of grace.

All: Thanks be to God! Christ is risen!

Unison Prayer of Invocation Philip Thalheim

Oh God, giver of new life, we gather this morning with our alleluias, our banners and flowers and trumpets and song. Today Lent is ended, and the time of our salvation has begun. The snow is melting, the flowers are blooming; we come to worship in beauty and in truth. We come because we have hope that the resurrection will enter into each of our lives and transform them. Through Christ's spirit we have come to love one another. This is what you showed us on the first Easter when you raised your son from the dead; Your son, Jesus Christ, who taught us to pray,

The Lord’s Prayer

Words of Fellowship Dr. David D. Young

Easter Story “Philip”

Sarah Vandermeer, Ashley Young, and Teddy Davis

Anthem “The Stone is rolled away” Don Besig

The Youth Choir, Carolyn Paulus, director

Scripture Lessons - Jay Anderson and Dan Shanks

Jeremiah 31:1-6
Matthew 28:1-10

Anthem “El Shaddi” The Senior Pilgrim Fellowship

Pastoral Prayer Juilana Pugliese

Response Alleluia see insert

Meditation Rev. Susan M. Craig

*Hymn Christ the Lord is Risen Today see insert

Benediction - Anna Paskausky

Postlude Prepare Ye the Way of the Lord

At the conclusion of the service this morning, you will receive a daffodil, a symbol of new life. The daffodils for the Easter Sunrise Service are given in loving memory of Kay Davidson.

A special thanks to the SPF Task Force for their preparation of this morning's service.

Instrumentalists: Dan Shanks, drums; Jay Anderson and Tim Garlid, guitar; Dave Provoost, bass; Luke Crihfield, trumpet; Doug Dalena, harmonica; Mark Swicegood, piano

Members of the Youth Program who have worked on this service include: Jay Anderson, Tim Garlid, Juilana Pugliese, Sarah Vandermeer, Alex Pugliese, Sam Crihfield, Philip Thalheim, George Thalheim, Ashley Young, Taylor Griffin, Lori Griffin, Donald Haviland, Tom Hoffman, Luke Crihfield, Ben Sterrett, Tom Fraiser, Griffin Sandberg, Devon Kennedy, Dan Shanks, Ted Davis, Katie Anderson, Michael Lepoutre, T.J. Lepoutre

And the advisors: Anna Paskausky, Libby Craig, Brad Craig, Susie Craig, Joe McBride, Phoebe McBride, Betsy Kreuter, Doug Dalena, Carolyn Paulus, Rick Woodman

This Sunrise Service is sponsored and supported by The First Congregational Church of Greenwich, United Church of Christ, and has been a project of the Senior Pilgrim Fellowship of this church for over 60 years.

Hymn Texts

Come, Ye Faithful Raise the Strain

Come, ye faithful raise the strain
Of triumphant gladness;
God hath brought His Israel
Into joy from sadness;
'Tis the Spring of Souls today,
Christ hath burst His prison,
And from three days sleep in death
As a Sun hath risen.

Now the Queen of seasons,
Bright with the day of splendor,
With the royal feasts of feasts,
Comes its joy to render;
Comes to glad Jerusalem,
Who with true affection
Welcomes in unwearied strains
Jesus' Resurrection.

Neither might the gates of death,
Nor the tomb's dark portal,
Nor the watchers, nor the seal,
Hold Thee as a mortal;
But today amidst the twelve
Thou didst stand, bestowing
That Thy peace which evermore
Passeth human knowing.

Response

Alleluia
Christ is risen
Jesus is Lord

Christ the Lord is Risen Today

Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Mortal tongues and angels say: Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, glad heavens, and earth reply: Alleluia!

Let the Victor's people sing, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is not your sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, Christ lives to save, Alleluia!
Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!

Love's redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Christ rise, Alleluia!
God has opened paradise, Alleluia!

Soar we now here Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted Head, Alleluia!
Made like Christ, like Christ we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!

Athem Texts

Amazing Grace

Amazing Grace! How sweet the sound
That saved a wretch like me!
I once was lost, but now am found,
Was blind but now I see.

'Twas grace that taught my heart to fear,
And grace my fears relieved;
How precious did that grace appear
The hour I first believed

Through many dangers, toils and snares,
I have already come;
It's grace that brought me safe thus far,
And grace will lead me home.

When we've been there ten thousand years
Bright shinning as the sun,
We've no less days to sing God's praise
Than when we first begun.

El Shaddai

El Shaddai, El Shaddai
El Elyon na Adonai.
Age to age You're still the same
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai
Erkahm ka na Adonai.
We will praise and lift You high
El Shaddai.

Through Your love and through the ram
You saved the son of Abraham,
Through the power of Your hand
You turned the sea into dry land,
To the outcast on her knees
You were the God who really sees,
And by Your might You set
Your children free.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai…

Through the years You made it clear
That the time of Christ was near,
Though the people couldn't see
What Messiah ought to be.
Though Your word contained the plan.
They just could not understand
Your most awesome work was done
In the frailty of Your son.

El Shaddai, El Shaddai
El Elyon na Adonai.
Age to age You're still the same
By the power of the name.
El Shaddai, El Shaddai
Erkahm ka na Adonai.
I will praise You till I die
El Shaddai.

*El Shaddai- God Almighty; El Elyon-
the Most High God; na Adonai- O
Lord; Erkahm ka- we will love You.

The Stone is Rolled Away

The sone is rolled away! Yes, the stone
is rolled away! Hallelujah, let the
whole world know that the stone is
rolled away!

Go tell Peter and go tell Paul that the
stone is rolled away, He has risen to
save us all, so rejoice this Easter day!

Go tell Mary and Martha, too, that
the stone is rolled away. He has risen
for me and you, so rejoice this Easter
day!

Praise the Lord the vict'ry's his! Christ
is risen, indeed he is, so rejoice this
Easter day!

First Congregational Church of Greenwich www.fccog.org
108 Sound Beach Avenue, Old Greenwich, Connecticut 203.637.1791
Ministers: The Members of The First Congregational Church of Greenwich
Senior Pastor: David D. Young
Senior Associate Pastor: Susan M. Craig
Associate Pastor and Director of Middle School Ministries: M. Ashley Grant
Parish Associate and SPF Coordinator: Anna Paskausky
Church School Coordinators: Rosemary Lamie and Jennifer Lepoutre
Director of Music/ Senior Organist: John Stansell
Associate Organist/Director: Mark Swicegood
Associate Musician: Carolyn Diamond
Parish Nurse: Susan Asselin
Pastors Emeriti: Thomas L. Stiers and Sally Colegrove