Worship at Home

Worship at 10:30 am this morning one of two ways:

(1) Watch our Easter service – Easter Sunday Service
April 12, 2020 @ 10:30am :

(2) Share worship together through Zoom:

As for the last few Sundays, gather ahead of 10:30am when we will share the service so we all view it together. This will be followed by a time for conversation and sharing wishes for a happy Easter. Gather 9:45-10am to take part in the half hour children’s program before the service (or use this all ages activity). Check your email for the Zoom links and phone in numbers.

Feel free to bring your own Easter flowers and plants so they are visible on our screens.

Potted flowers ready for Easter outside Leaside United Church April 9, 2020, by Margaret Casey.

Easter Sunday Communion

Bring your own bread and juice or wine for a United Church Livestream Communion Service at 3 pm EDT, led by our Moderator Richard Bott. Just go to the United Church YouTube channel shortly before 3 and look for the Easter Communion service “Live Now.” Together we celebrate the sacred promise that hope is stronger than fear, love stronger than hate, and life stronger than death. God is with us. Hallelujah! – Emily, Matt, and Natalie (Worship Planning Team)

To hear the music, prayers and readings included in this service order please watch our Easter service.

Photographer: Murray FennerDawn on Kenabi Lake, Haliburton Scout Reserve

Prelude – Trumpet Tune in D Henry Purcell

Call to Worship and Opening Prayer

Hallelujah! Christ is Risen!Christ is Risen Indeed! Hallelujah!Consider making a special Easter offering today, using either your credit card or paypal account by following the link at the bottom of this email, or the Donate button on our website.

Choral Introit – Rise Up My Love Healy Willan

Learning Together and Wish for Peace You are invited to take part in the all ages activity with Natalie and Mary if you wish.

Opening Hymn – This Easter Celebration

Scripture Reading John 20:1-16

Anthem – Who is There on this Easter Morn? Peter Bull

ReflectionPrayer
If you are using this service on your own, you are invited to add the prayers that arise in your heart on this day.

The Lord’s Prayer

Hymn – Jesus Christ Is Risen Today (VU 155)

Blessing

Postlude – Ave Verum Corpus Stephanie Martin

Music Notes for Easter

Prelude – Trumpet Tune in D by H. Purcell

This trumpet tune was written by Henry Purcell. This 17th century English composer incorporated both Italian and French stylistic elements in his Baroque works. He is generally considered to be one of the greatest English composers. This Easter service begins with this prelude to set the triumphant joy of Jesus’ Resurrection. This trumpet tune is generally used in festivities and celebrations. This recording was done on May 18, 2018 at St. Clements Anglican Church, Toronto.

Choral Introit – Rise Up My Love by Willan

This motet was composed by the dean of Canadian composers, Healey Willan. A Toronto church musician who has left a legacy at the Church of St. Mary Magdalene in Toronto. The text of this motet derives itself from the Book of Song of Songs in which the “rising up” has often been an allegory to the resurrection of Jesus Christ. This motet was recorded on February 9, 2020 (Choral Evensong) by the Leaside Chancel Choir.

Opening Hymn – This Easter Celebration Hymn

This familiar hymn tune, Aurelia was written by Samuel Sebastian Wesley. Wesley was an English organist and composer born in London, and sang in the choir of the Chapel Royal as a boy. The text is written by Carolyn Winfrey Gillette in 2020 to reflect the impact of COVID-19 and how we are celebrating our Easter services. This is a generous offering from Gillette for church communities to explore singing this hymn on Easter morning. This hymn was pre-recorded by soprano, Courtney Dakers specifically for this service.

Choir Anthem – Who is there on this Easter Morn? By Peter Bull

The text of this anthem is written by Timothy Dudley-Smith (b.1926). Dudley-Smith has served the Church of England since his ordination in 1950. The choral arrangement of this anthem was composed by our very own bass lead in the Leaside Chancel Choir, Peter Bull. This anthem was pre-recorded by the Leaside Chancel Choir for the Easter service in 2019.

Hymn – Jesus Christ is Risen Today VU 155

A five stanza Easter carol, which first appeared in German and Bohemian manuscripts of the 14th century was translated in Lyra Davidica, but in John Arnold’s 1749 The Complete Psalmodist only the first stanza was retained and others substituted for the original. In the same meter as Wesley’s “Christ the Lord is risen today,” it is made up of a series of short one-liners which are easy to remember, and with added Alleluias it is a favourite Easter hymn. This hymn was pre-recorded by the Leaside Chancel Choir specifically for this service. In doing so, the choir recorded their parts at home, which were then compiled and mixed together by our bass lead, Peter Bull.

Postlude – Ave Verum Corpus by Stephanie Martin

This beautiful a cappella motet rose to the top of the Cypress publishing list in 2009. The sweet vocal registers and intuitive voice leading makes this compelling composition accessible for church choirs. The Latin text is a short Eucharistic chant that has been used to remember the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is often sung during the liturgy of Communion. The motet was composed by Toronto composer, educator and church musician, Stephanie Martin (b. 1962). Stephanie Martin was the director of music at Leaside United Church in Toronto. This motet was pre-recorded by the leads of the Leaside Chancel Choir specifically for this service. In doing so, the leads recorded their parts at home, which were then compiled and mixed together by our bass lead, Peter Bull.