First Lutheran Church Easter Sunday
PO Box 153 - 240 Elm Street West April 5, 2026
Amery, WI 715-268-7135 www.flcamery.org
Our mission is to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. Jn. 17
PO Box 153 - 240 Elm Street West April 5, 2026
Amery, WI 715-268-7135 www.flcamery.org
Our mission is to know Jesus and to make Jesus known. Jn. 17
Come and See, Go and Tell
Come and See Go and Tell Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Jesus is risen. Not only in story, but in the courage of people who choose hope. Not only in memory, but wherever love refuses to die. Today we gather to celebrate resurrection— in our lives, in our communities, and in God’s renewing world. All are welcome here: believers, doubters, seekers, and those returning after a long time away.
HYMN: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today............................................................Green 151
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! Love is stronger than fear. Hope is stronger than despair. Life is stronger than death. Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
God of resurrection, You meet us in gardens of grief and call us by name. When hope feels buried, you roll away stones. Open our hearts this morning to the surprising power of new life— in our communities, in our world, and within ourselves. Through the risen Christ, who lives and loves among us. Amen.
QUARTET: I Come to the Garden Alone
Sometimes we live as if death has the final word— when we choose despair instead of hope, silence instead of justice, fear instead of love. Let us confess together. God of life, We confess that we often cling to what is safe instead of what is alive. We resist change. We fear the unknown. We forget that resurrection is always unfolding. Forgive us. Awaken us. Teach us to trust the new life you are bringing. Amen.
This is the good news of Easter: God does not abandon us to our mistakes or our fears. Love keeps showing up. Grace keeps rolling away stones. In Christ, we are forgiven and invited again into life. Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
HYMN: Now all the Vault of Heaven .........................................................Green 143
EASTER RESPONSE (Based on Psalm 118) The Lord is risen! Come & see the place where he lay. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Go and tell quickly the news of his triumph. The Lord’s mighty power has done it! His power has brought us victory! Come and see the place where he lay. I will not die but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done. Go and tell quickly the news of triumph. The stone which the builders rejected has turned out to be the most important of all. Come and see the place where he lay. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. Go and tell quickly the news of his victory.
SHARING: The peace of the risen Christ be with you always. And also with you.
Romans 6:3 Do you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God…For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
HYMN: Praise to the Lord...............................................................................Green 543
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me
where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH: We believe in God, the source of life and creativity, who brings light from darkness and hope from despair. We believe in Jesus, who showed us love without limits, who stood with the marginalized, who faced the powers of violence and death— and whose life could not be contained by the grave. We believe in the Spirit, alive among us now, calling us toward compassion, justice, and courage. We believe resurrection is still happening: and that God brings new beginnings and new life. Amen.
CHILDREN COME FORWARD
SERMON
OFFERING: Choir (We thank God for Kathy Williamson, Julie Hanlon Johnson & our choir)
PRAYERS Risen Christ, you roll away the stones we think are permanent, you open tombs we thought were sealed forever, and you call us again into life. With hearts full of Easter hope, we bring our prayers before you. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For your church throughout the world: that we may proclaim resurrection not only with our words but with lives of compassion, justice, and courageous love. Make us people who practice resurrection in every place of despair. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For the earth you have made: for forests and rivers, oceans and prairies, for all creatures great and small. Renew our commitment to care for this beautiful, wounded world. For the nations of the world: where there is war, bring peace; where there is oppression, bring liberation; where fear divides people, awaken courage and understanding. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For those who carry heavy stones today— stones of grief, illness, loneliness, poverty, or uncertainty. Roll away what burdens them, and surround them with your healing presence. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For this gathered community: for newcomers and lifelong members, for children discovering faith and elders carrying its stories. Shape us into a community where everyone knows they belong. For those we name now in our hearts… (pause) God of resurrection, hear our prayer. We give thanks for the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us in faith. With them, we celebrate the promise that love is stronger than death. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. Risen Christ, you meet us in gardens and in grief, in bread broken and hope restored. Keep calling us by name until all creation rises into the life you promise. For the stone is rolled away, death has lost its power, and love has the final word. Through Jesus Christ, our risen Savior. Amen.
The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
SING LORD’S PRAYER I Know that My Redeemer...Gn 352, Joyful, Joyful We Adore....Gn 551
C: God of abundance, In bread and cup you have met us again. Send us into the world to be signs of resurrection - feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and living your love. Amen.
May the God who rolled away the stone roll away your fears. May the risen Christ walk beside you in every new beginning. And may the Spirit of life fill you with courage and joy. Amen. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
HYMN: Thine Is the Glory............................................................................Green 145
Go in peace. Live the resurrection. Thanks be to God!
HYMN: Jesus Christ Is Risen Today............................................................Green 151
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! Love is stronger than fear. Hope is stronger than despair. Life is stronger than death. Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
God of resurrection, You meet us in gardens of grief and call us by name. When hope feels buried, you roll away stones. Open our hearts this morning to the surprising power of new life— in our communities, in our world, and within ourselves. Through the risen Christ, who lives and loves among us. Amen.
QUARTET: I Come to the Garden Alone
Sometimes we live as if death has the final word— when we choose despair instead of hope, silence instead of justice, fear instead of love. Let us confess together. God of life, We confess that we often cling to what is safe instead of what is alive. We resist change. We fear the unknown. We forget that resurrection is always unfolding. Forgive us. Awaken us. Teach us to trust the new life you are bringing. Amen.
This is the good news of Easter: God does not abandon us to our mistakes or our fears. Love keeps showing up. Grace keeps rolling away stones. In Christ, we are forgiven and invited again into life. Thanks be to God! Alleluia!
HYMN: Now all the Vault of Heaven .........................................................Green 143
EASTER RESPONSE (Based on Psalm 118) The Lord is risen! Come & see the place where he lay. This is the day that the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it. Go and tell quickly the news of his triumph. The Lord’s mighty power has done it! His power has brought us victory! Come and see the place where he lay. I will not die but live, and proclaim what the Lord has done. Go and tell quickly the news of triumph. The stone which the builders rejected has turned out to be the most important of all. Come and see the place where he lay. Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good. His steadfast love endures forever. Go and tell quickly the news of his victory.
SHARING: The peace of the risen Christ be with you always. And also with you.
Romans 6:3 Do you know that all of us who were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. For we know that since Christ was raised from the dead, he cannot die again; death no longer has mastery over him. The death he died, he died to sin once for all; but the life he lives, he lives to God…For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
HYMN: Praise to the Lord...............................................................................Green 543
John 20:1 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, "They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don't know where they have put him!" So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. Then Simon Peter, who was behind him, arrived and went into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, as well as the burial cloth that had been around Jesus' head. The cloth was folded up by itself, separate from the linen. Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) Then the disciples went back to their homes, but Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus' body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. They asked her, "Woman, why are you crying?" "They have taken my Lord away," she said, "and I don't know where they have put him." At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. "Woman," he said, "why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?" Thinking he was the gardener, she said, "Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me
where you have put him, and I will get him." Jesus said to her, "Mary." She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, "Rabboni!" (which means Teacher). Jesus said, "Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet returned to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.'" Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: "I have seen the Lord!" And she told them that he had said these things to her.
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH: We believe in God, the source of life and creativity, who brings light from darkness and hope from despair. We believe in Jesus, who showed us love without limits, who stood with the marginalized, who faced the powers of violence and death— and whose life could not be contained by the grave. We believe in the Spirit, alive among us now, calling us toward compassion, justice, and courage. We believe resurrection is still happening: and that God brings new beginnings and new life. Amen.
CHILDREN COME FORWARD
SERMON
OFFERING: Choir (We thank God for Kathy Williamson, Julie Hanlon Johnson & our choir)
PRAYERS Risen Christ, you roll away the stones we think are permanent, you open tombs we thought were sealed forever, and you call us again into life. With hearts full of Easter hope, we bring our prayers before you. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For your church throughout the world: that we may proclaim resurrection not only with our words but with lives of compassion, justice, and courageous love. Make us people who practice resurrection in every place of despair. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For the earth you have made: for forests and rivers, oceans and prairies, for all creatures great and small. Renew our commitment to care for this beautiful, wounded world. For the nations of the world: where there is war, bring peace; where there is oppression, bring liberation; where fear divides people, awaken courage and understanding. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For those who carry heavy stones today— stones of grief, illness, loneliness, poverty, or uncertainty. Roll away what burdens them, and surround them with your healing presence. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. For this gathered community: for newcomers and lifelong members, for children discovering faith and elders carrying its stories. Shape us into a community where everyone knows they belong. For those we name now in our hearts… (pause) God of resurrection, hear our prayer. We give thanks for the cloud of witnesses who have gone before us in faith. With them, we celebrate the promise that love is stronger than death. God of resurrection, hear our prayer. Risen Christ, you meet us in gardens and in grief, in bread broken and hope restored. Keep calling us by name until all creation rises into the life you promise. For the stone is rolled away, death has lost its power, and love has the final word. Through Jesus Christ, our risen Savior. Amen.
The Lord be with you. And also with you. Lift up your hearts. We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. It is right to give our thanks and praise.
CELEBRATION OF HOLY COMMUNION
SING LORD’S PRAYER I Know that My Redeemer...Gn 352, Joyful, Joyful We Adore....Gn 551
C: God of abundance, In bread and cup you have met us again. Send us into the world to be signs of resurrection - feeding the hungry, healing the broken, and living your love. Amen.
May the God who rolled away the stone roll away your fears. May the risen Christ walk beside you in every new beginning. And may the Spirit of life fill you with courage and joy. Amen. Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
HYMN: Thine Is the Glory............................................................................Green 145
Go in peace. Live the resurrection. Thanks be to God!
WE HONOR AND REMEMBER WITH EASTER FLOWERS:
Neil & Sally Pickard in honor of their children & grandchildren & in memory of loved ones. JoAnn, Kari, Lisa and families in memory of Barry Clark
Glen & Bobbi Clausen in memory of loved ones.
Del & Collette Earley-Schalz in memory of Miles & Donna Earley & Virgil & Mary Schalz
Doug & Sally Emerson in memory of Auntie Shirley Uricho & Chuck Polfus, & in honor of parents Mary and Slim Chelberg
Mark & Marcia Johnson in memory of Elmer & Lavone Nielsen
The Bjorges in thankfulness for our Church Family & in memory of their parents
Larry & Julie Riemenschneider in honor of their large extended family
Ross & Gerri Bieniasz-Smith in memory of loved ones
Darnell Dunham & family in memory of Merlin Dunham
Gary & Debbie Bauermeister in memory of Joy & Fritz Bauermeister & Virgil Timm & in honor of Agnes Timm
Mary Chelberg-Polfus in memory of loved ones
Alan & Diane Amans & family with thanks for friends, family, & church
Elaine Meyer in memory of Bob Meyer
Kay Erickson in memory of Ray & Pauline Larsen & Lezlie Erickson
Gwen & Steve Wold in thanksgiving for their loved ones, past & present.
PLEASE TAKE EASTER/DIRECTORY PICTURES THIS MORNING.
Neil & Sally Pickard in honor of their children & grandchildren & in memory of loved ones. JoAnn, Kari, Lisa and families in memory of Barry Clark
Glen & Bobbi Clausen in memory of loved ones.
Del & Collette Earley-Schalz in memory of Miles & Donna Earley & Virgil & Mary Schalz
Doug & Sally Emerson in memory of Auntie Shirley Uricho & Chuck Polfus, & in honor of parents Mary and Slim Chelberg
Mark & Marcia Johnson in memory of Elmer & Lavone Nielsen
The Bjorges in thankfulness for our Church Family & in memory of their parents
Larry & Julie Riemenschneider in honor of their large extended family
Ross & Gerri Bieniasz-Smith in memory of loved ones
Darnell Dunham & family in memory of Merlin Dunham
Gary & Debbie Bauermeister in memory of Joy & Fritz Bauermeister & Virgil Timm & in honor of Agnes Timm
Mary Chelberg-Polfus in memory of loved ones
Alan & Diane Amans & family with thanks for friends, family, & church
Elaine Meyer in memory of Bob Meyer
Kay Erickson in memory of Ray & Pauline Larsen & Lezlie Erickson
Gwen & Steve Wold in thanksgiving for their loved ones, past & present.
PLEASE TAKE EASTER/DIRECTORY PICTURES THIS MORNING.
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