Prayers from Good Friday and Easter services

Prayer of Calling on Good Friday:
O God of grace, mercy, and love. You have shown us in the death of your son that at the heart of who you are and what you do is a love towards people that is a bright light that never dims, a strong arm with a far reach that never grows weary, a resolute mind set on redeeming humanity that never changes, and a patient disposition which never wears out, inviting us time and time again to be forgiven and renewed. Teach us this evening more than we knew before about the meaning of Jesus' atoning death which we commemorate together this Good Friday evening. For you are the one who revealed so much about yourself when you came among as Jesus, who regarded his equality with you not a matter to be taken advantage of but took upon himself the form of a slave, even to the point of death.

Benediction on Good Friday:
Tonight O God we stand with Peter, Judas and the rest of the disciples. Of our own wisdom and moral strength we surely would have left Jesus as did they. Yet, we leave in hope, knowing as we do on this side of the resurrection that death could not drown your love for humankind or your creation. Grant to us though that we do not take hold of the hope of the resurrection in giddy self-confidence but instead bring us to Easter joy through the suffering of the cross, so that our shouts of joy at the resurrection of Jesus may come not through our wisdom but in our repentance, called forth by your power and love which alone raised Jesus from the dead.

Prayer of Calling on Easter Sunday:
O God of grace, mercy, and love. You have shown us in the death of your son that at the heart of who you are and what you do is a love towards people that is a bright light that never dims, a strong arm with a far reach that never grows weary, a resolute mind set on redeeming humanity that never wavers, and a patient disposition that never tires, inviting us to be forgiven and renewed time and time again. On Good Friday you have taught us more than we knew before about the meaning of Jesus' atoning death - revealing in Jesus your heart, who regarded his equality with you not a matter to be taken advantage of but took upon himself the form of a slave, even to the point of death. We praise you for defeating death in the death of Christ; we praise you for atoning for our sins through Jesus' vicarious death; we praise you for the newness of life that you have granted in the resurrection of Jesus and may we live into that power as we follow Jesus in faith and repentance. Grant us God that we who have died with Christ may today celebrate his Resurrection with great joy and happiness for you have wept and suffered with us so that we might laugh with you in everlasting joy. Amen (the last sentence of this prayer is based on a quote from Jurgen Moltmann: "God weeps with us so that one day we might laugh with him"