Pandemic Prayers for the Resurrection

Hope comes again despite all that has happened.

The worst thing is not the last thing. There is still more that God will do.

There is still more that God is doing and I pray that is especially true for you, dear pastor, after a whole year of curating worship, fellowship and care remotely. I pray you are finding that there is newness. There is a sense of the possible and even an opening to wonder. I pray you already found inspiration in my thoughts in Holy Week in Coronatide but I wanted to offer something more pepper your worship on this most holy of days and the days that follow.

Likewise, Maren Tirabassi again offers a liturgy for Holy Communion for those gathering around the table on the Resurrection Day that could easily work for the following week with little or no adaptation. Those that subscribe to my newsletter know that I shared this liturgy that includes communion from another talented United Church of Christ clergy.

I’m grateful for Elizabeth Palmer who helped me find words for these prayers.

Call to Worship
Inspired by Mark 11:1-11 and John 20:19-31

When we thought it was over,
there was another wave.

When we believed 
change had finally come,
there was another shooting.
Another black body
was dead in the street.

When we told ourselves
that the worst was behind us,
it happened again.
We shut the doors
on possibility in our terror.
That feeling has seized us 
again and again.

Again and again, we have 
come to believe that 
resurrection 
still happens.
This is what 
we come to see.
It is what we 
need to see today. 

This is our joy today.
Resurrection
still happens.
This is what 
we celebrate.

This is one of the songs from a very short playlist of Easter music on YouTube I created for Easter. It is not something you should stream in worship as far as I can tell but it’s just so good. We all need this kind of joy. Learn more about these talented artists singing for the resistance here.

Pastoral Prayer for the Resurrection
Inspired by Mark 11:1-11

O God, however tempted
we might be to stop in the fear, 
we know that this terror 
is not all there is. It is 
not all there will ever be
for even in the terror
there is amazement. 

There is good news
that cannot not be shared
because joy
teaches us what
is possible. O God, we
have seen your wonder
this year in the fellowship
we've found through our modems
and the community we've continued
to build. We have found joy
in [name particular joys in your life together].

Joy won't stick around
forever. It comes in a moment. 
It is unexpected and maybe 
that's why it alarms us.
It rolls back our expectations 
and urges us to stay. To stay
and see this thing
that is happening just
as we are trying to witness
to [name particular injustices in our world and in your community].

O God, our eyes are open
to what could be for 
we know that this is
not the end. This is not 
where your good news ends
with the disciples fleeing
from the tomb in fear
but there is more to this
good news that begins
with you and me. Joy is like that.
It pushes us onward. It reminds
us again that there is goodness in this world.
There is goodness and joy and love
even with all that terrorizes
and overwhelms.
We will not let
the worst stop 
us from finding 
the promise of resurrection
because resurrection
still happens. It is happening right now.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Amen.

There are a thousand things on your plate and the last thing that you might have been worried about was the Egg Hunt that a faithful volunteer plans every year. I hope that that kind soul followed through this year but if you find that you are frantically trying to make this happen, this Pandemic Easter Egg Hunt might help. You might also opt to extend the storytelling of this good news with a pageant in the season of Easter because why not. You can find the one that I co-wrote especially for this pandemic year here. If you are eager to encourage your people to find words to this hope, you might encourage them to write Pandemic Easter Affirmations.

Over on Instagram, I’m offering daily prayer practices especially for you, dear pastor, in the chaos that is this week. Sometimes I even post them on other socials. Sometimes. You can follow along with @pandemic.prayers if you’re on Instagram.

That’s all I have for you, dear pastors. I am praying for you. I am praying for you, as always.