Sunrise Service 2026
1. Sunday is Coming
A great light dawns in Galilee
Some say mad man, some say King
Wonder working rebel priest
Jesus Christ the Nazarene
He knew well what it would take
To free us all from sin and grave
A perfect man would have to die
And only He could pay that price
Friday's good 'cause Sunday is coming
Don't lose hope 'cause Sunday is coming
Devil, you're done, you better start running
Friday's good 'cause Sunday is coming
So He let those soldiers take Him in
As His friend betrayed Him with a kiss
There before the mocking crowd
Like a lamb to the slaughter didn't make a sound
Then He carried that cross to Calvary
And He shed His blood to set us free
As the nails went in and the sky went dark
The redemption of the world was on His heart
Chorus
Then He breathed His last and bowed His head
The Son of God and man was dead
With bloody hands, tears on their face
They laid Him down inside that grave
But that wasn't the end, that wasn't the end
That wasn't the end, let me tell you what happened next
The women came before the dawn
To find that stone already gone
When they looked inside, the angel said
"Why you looking for the living among the dead?"
He's alive! He's alive!
Hallelujah He's alive!
Give Him praise, lift Him high
Hallelujah, He's alive
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Don't lose hope 'cause Sunday's coming
Hallelujah, hallelujah
Now Jesus reigns upon the throne
All Heaven sings to Him alone
We watch and wait like a bride for a groom
Oh, church arise, He's coming soon
2. Call to Worship
Leader: Christ is risen!
People: He is risen indeed!
Leader: This is the day the Lord has made!
All: We will rejoice and be glad in it!
Leader: Death has been defeated!
All: The tomb is empty!
Leader: Let us worship the risen Lord!
All: He is worthy of all our praise!
3. Welcome
4. Opening Reading
"For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures, and that he appeared to Cephas, and then to the Twelve. After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers and sisters at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep. Then he appeared to James, then to all the apostles, and last of all he appeared to me also.”
(1 Corinthians 15:3-8 NIV11)
5. Opening Prayer
6. Christ the Lord is Risen Today
1. Christ the Lord is risen today
Earth and heaven in chorus say
Raise your joys and triumphs high
Sing, ye heavens and earth reply
2. Love's redeeming work is done,
Fought the fight, the battle won,
Death in vain forbids him rise,
Christ has opened paradise
3. Lives again our glorious King,
Where, O death, is now thy sting?
Once he died our souls to save,
Where's thy victory, boasting grave?
4. Soar we now where Christ has led
Following our exalted head,
Made like him, like him we rise,
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies
7. He Lives
1. I serve a risen Saviour
He's in the world today
I know that He is living
Whatever people may say
I see His hand of mercy
I hear His voice of cheer
And just the time I need Him
He's always near
He lives, He lives! Christ Jesus lives today
He walks with me and talks with me
Along life's narrow way
He lives, He lives! Salvation to impart
You ask me how I know He lives
He lives within my heart
2. In all the world around me
I see His loving care
And though my heart grows weary
I never will despair
I know that He is leading
Through all the stormy blast
The day of His appearing
Will come at last
CHORUS
3. Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian
Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ, the King
The hope of all who seek Him
The help of all who find
None other is so loving
So good and kind
CHORUS
8. Mighty To Save
Everyone needs compassion
Love that's never failing
Let mercy fall on me
Everyone needs forgiveness
The kindness of a Savior
The hope of nations
Saviour, He can move the mountains
My God is mighty to save
He is mighty to save
Forever, Author of salvation
He rose and conquered the grave
Jesus conquered the grave
So take me as You find me
All my fears and failures
Fill my life again
I give my life to follow
Everything I believe in
Now I surrender, I surrender
CHORUS
Shine your light and let the whole world see
We're singing for the glory of the risen King Jesus
(repeat)
CHORUS
9. Pastoral Prayer
10. Offering:
Christ is Risen, He is Risen Indeed
How can it be, the One who died
Has borne our sin through sacrifice
To conquer every sting of death
Sing, sing hallelujah
For joy awakes as dawning light
When Christ's disciples lift their eyes
Alive He stands, their friend and king
Christ, Christ, He is risen
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed!
Oh, sing hallelujah
Join the chorus, sing with the redeemed
Christ is risen, He is risen indeed
Where doubt and darkness once had been
They saw Him and their hearts believed
But blessed are those who have not seen
Yet sing hallelujah
Once bound by fear now bold in faith
They preached the truth and power of grace
And pouring out their lives they gained
Life, life everlasting
CHORUS
The power that raised Him from the grave
Now works in us to powerfully save
He frees our hearts to live His grace
Go tell of His goodness
CHORUS
He's alive, He's alive!
Heaven's gates are opened wide
He's alive, He's alive!
Now in heaven glorified
(repeat)
10. Readings
“After the Sabbath, at dawn on the first day of the week, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went to look at the tomb.
There was a violent earthquake, for an angel of the Lord came down from heaven and, going to the tomb, rolled back the stone and sat on it. His appearance was like lightning, and his clothes were white as snow. The guards were so afraid of him that they shook and became like dead men.
The angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; he has risen, just as he said. Come and see the place where he lay. Then go quickly and tell his disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him.’ Now I have told you.”
So the women hurried away from the tomb, afraid yet filled with joy, and ran to tell his disciples. Suddenly Jesus met them. “Greetings,” he said. They came to him, clasped his feet and worshiped him. Then Jesus said to them, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see me.””
While the women were on their way, some of the guards went into the city and reported to the chief priests everything that had happened. When the chief priests had met with the elders and devised a plan, they gave the soldiers a large sum of money, telling them, “You are to say, ‘His disciples came during the night and stole him away while we were asleep.’ If this report gets to the governor, we will satisfy him and keep you out of trouble.” So the soldiers took the money and did as they were instructed. And this story has been widely circulated among the Jews to this very day."
(Matthew 28:1-15 NIV11)
"“How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”"
(Luke 24:25-26 NIV11)
"He said to them, “This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms.” Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, “This is what is written: The Messiah will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day." (Luke 24:44-46 NIV11)
“Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’‘" (John 20:17 NIV11)
10. Holy Communion
Friends, we come now to the Lord's Table.
We come not because we are worthy,
but because He has made us welcome.
This meal was given to us by the risen Christ himself -
the same Jesus who walked out of the tomb,
who called his disciples "brothers",
who reaches out to us personally, even now.
As we receive the bread and the cup today,
we do not remember a dead hero.
We commune with a living Saviour.
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give Him thanks and praise.
It is right and good, at all times and in all places,
to give you thanks and praise, O Lord our God.
From ancient days, you spoke through your prophets
of One who would suffer, and rise, and reign.
Every word was kept.
Every promise fulfilled.
And so, on this day of resurrection,
with the women at the empty tomb,
with the disciples on the road,
with the five hundred who saw Him face to face,
with all your people in every age -
we lift our voices to join the song that never ends:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might.
Heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
On the night He was betrayed, Jesus took bread, and when He had given thanks, He broke it and said: "This is my body, broken for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
In the same way, after supper, He took the cup and said: "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for many, for the forgiveness of sins. Do this, whenever you drink it, in remembrance of me."
And so we proclaim the mystery of faith:
Christ has died.
Christ is risen.
Christ will come again.
Lord of the empty tomb -
send your Holy Spirit upon us,
and upon these gifts of bread and wine.
May this bread be for us the body of Christ,
broken so that we might be whole.
May this cup be for us the blood of Christ,
poured out so that we might live.
As we receive them,
meet us here - not as a memory from long ago,
but as the living Lord you are.
Roll away whatever stone has sealed our hearts.
Come alive within us now.
The bread and cup are distributed.
Once all have received and are holding the elements together:
As we take the bread -
Jesus said, "I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to me will never go hungry."
He who rose from the dead is present with us now. Let us eat together.
(All eat.)
As we take the cup -
This is the blood of the new covenant, poured out in love, sealed in resurrection.
Let us drink together, in joyful remembrance of Him.
(All drink.)
Lord Jesus - alive and present with us now,
we thank you for this table.
Here you have reminded us once again
that your death was not the end,
that your love for us did not die in the tomb,
and that because you live, we shall live also.
Take us from this meal renewed -
not as those who mourn at a grave,
but as those who have met you on the road,
and cannot help but tell the world:
He is risen indeed!
Amen.
11. Because He Lives
God sent His Son, they called Him Jesus
He came to love, heal and forgive
He lived and died to buy my pardon
An empty grave is there to prove
My Saviour lives
Because He lives I can face tomorrow
Because He lives all fear is gone
Because I know, I know He holds the future
And life is worth the living
Just because He lives
How sweet to hold a newborn baby
And feel the pride and joy He gives
But greater still the calm assurance
This child can face uncertain days
Because He lives
CHORUS
And then one day, I'll cross that river
I'll fight life's final war with pain
And then as death gives way to vict'ry
I'll see the lights of glory and
I'll know He reigns
CHORUS
12. Final Blessing
Leader: What God promised,
He has fulfilled.
What the grave could not hold,
death could not keep.
The Lord who rose for you
is the Lord who lives for you -
and His grace goes with you
from this place.
May the God of resurrection
guard your going out
and your coming in,
now and always.
All: Amen.
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