Reading Notes

NRSV texts, artwork and Revised Common Lectionary Prayers for this service are available at the Vanderbilt Divinity Library.
Leccionario en Español, Leccionario Común Revisado: Consulta Sobre Textos Comunes.
Lectionnaire en français, Le Lectionnaire Œcuménique Révisé

Calendar Notes

Awakening...to Ministry
Colors are white or gold, and flowers may continue to abound today and throughout the Great 50 Days of Easter Season until its final celebration on Pentecost, when the colors are red.

For Your Planning Team: Awakening...to Ministry

Today marks the kickoff of the first of two three-week miniseries. “Awakening...” focuses on the meaning and grounding of ministry, Holy Communion, and baptism. The second miniseries, “Becoming…”, starts in three weeks and focuses on claiming our spiritual gifts and callings and becoming one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world in the name of Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit. Easter season culminates with Pentecost and a service of commissioning persons into the ministries to which they have discerned they are called.

Be sure to use today to draw attention to the weeks coming ahead, particularly in this miniseries. In effect, you’ll have three “launch Sundays” during the Easter Season. The first was last Sunday, launching the entire season. The second is today, launching this miniseries in particular. The next will be in three weeks, launching the second miniseries.

So remember these three keys to an effective series launch.

1. Start strong. Strong doesn’t necessarily mean loud or even upbeat. It means compelling. Our order of worship today begins with lights dimmed and images of doors shut and locked. Whether you choose the modern worship song or the Africana hymns, the opening songs reinforce the awareness of doubt, fear, trouble, and wonder. The intention in visual effects and in music is to help the congregation connect in a sensory way with the fear the disciples felt as they locked themselves into an upstairs room just before Jesus appeared to send them into ministry.

2. Offer an overture in some way, something that lays out the theme and previews the journey ahead. You might do that today in onscreen announcement sets shown before and after worship, or in your bulletin, calling attention to it in pre-worship announcements. Your prelude might also include musical cues from the services coming up.

3. Articulate the series promise. The series promise for this miniseries fulfills one of the two ancient purposes for Easter Season: doctrinal formation of the newly baptized. This series in particular will help the newly baptized and the whole congregation become more deeply grounded in what it means to be in ministry, to live out our baptismal calling, and to celebrate Holy Communion together.