Last Sunday we didn't have a sermon, but rather jokes and fooling in our service. Here is the bulletin from that celebration. Our general "theme" was cruising and ships.
Feast of Fools Day!!!!!
Holy Hilarity Sunday!!!!!!
Bright Sunday!!!!!!
“Then Abraham fell on his face and laughed, and said to himself ‘Can a child be born to a man who is a hundred years old? Can Sarah who is ninety years old, bear a child?’” Genesis 17:17
“A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn and a time to dance.” Ecclesiastes 3:4
Boarding the Ship
Call to Worship
Alleluia! Jesus is risen!!
The joke is on the Devil, the whole world laughs!
Death has been defeated by life.
The joke’s on death. Let joy ring out!
Alleluia! Come celebrate!
We come, to worship, to laugh and play, to celebrate.
*Opening Hymn “Easter Celebrations” (To the tune Jesus Christ is Risen Today)
Rising early in the morn, Alleluia!
Smiling at the Easter dawn, Alleluia!
Lent is o’er, the fast is done, Alleluia!
Now is time for food and fun, Alleluia!
After Mass we fill our glass, Alleluia!
Hunt for eggs in the long grass, Alleluia!
It’s a day to dance and sing, Alleluia!
For we greet the Easter spring, Alleluia!
All the want that we’ve endured, Alleluia!
Now our shopping has procured, Alleluia!
Cake and sweets and chocolate things, Alleluia!
All washed down with many gins, Alleluia!
*Processing of the Easter Light
Cruising Together
Prayer of the Day (Together)
God of Delight and Merriment, thank you for the gift of laughter. As we open our mouths to smile or grin, open wide our hearts to your surprising joy. Tickle our funny bones, we pray. Poke holes in our too-serious outlook. Teach us to relish each moment. Sparkle spirit through our entire being, and infect every particle of creation with holy hilarity. We pray in the name of Jesus, whose rich, warm laughter surrounds us always.
*Hymn “Now Our Lent is Done” (to the tune of Now the Green Blade Rises)
Now the days have come when all our fast is done.
Holy Week is past us, pilgrims every one .
Strength, Christian, strength, for Easter now has dawned.
Now our Lent is done, and we have Easter morn.
Forty days restraining from temptations wide.
Tastes and habits training, abstinence from pride.
Pleasure and pastimes we have put to scorn.
Now our Lent is done, and we have Easter morn.
After mass this morning, homeward we will run.
Full of grace arisen, and an Easter bun.
Eggs wrapped in foil, and sherry on the lawn.
Now our Lent is done, and we have Easter morn.
The Jokes of the People
Offering Our Thanks
Offering
Invitation to the Offering
Offering (All of our gifts will be brought to the table.)
Offering Hymn “Coffee, Coffee, Coffee” (to the tune of Holy, Holy, Holy)
Coffee, coffee, coffee, praise the strength of coffee.
Early in the morn we rise, with only thought of thee.
Served fresh or reheated, dark by thee defeated,
brewed black by perk, or drip, or instantly.
Though all else we scoff, we come to church for coffee;
if we’re late to congregate we come in time for thee.
Coffee our one ritual, drinking it habitual,
brewed black by perk, or drip or instantly.
Coffee the communion of our church’s union,
symbol of our sacred grounds, our one necessity.
Fell the holy power of our coffee hour,
brewed black by perk, or drip or instantly.
The Jokes of the People
Response “Zip-a-dee-doo-dah” (sing twice)
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
My oh my what a wonderful day,
plenty of sunshine going my way,
Zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay.
Mr. Bluebird’s on my shoulder,
It’s so grand, it’s actual,
highly satisfactual,
zip-a-dee-doo-dah, zip-a-dee-ay
Wonderful feeling, wonderful day.
Going Back Down the Gangway to Land
The Jokes of the People
*Hymn “Joy to the World” VU 59
Blessing
I’d like to leave you with one last thought this morning. Beware of joy stealers and killjoys! They are everywhere! Keith Barnett wrote: “Nowhere is it told of the devil that he wants us to experience joy. Circumstances can rob us of our joy, if we allow them. Things and money certainly can be thieves of our joy. People can be the greatest thieves of all.” Don’t let circumstances, things or people rob you of your Easter Joy!!!!
We will celebrate Easter every day of our lives. Thanks be to God for resurrection and for life!!!! Alleluia!!!
Commissioning “Go Forth and Keep on Giggling” (to the tune of Sent Forth By God’s Blessing)
Go forth and keep on giggling, perhaps even trying wiggling,
we learn how to live more graciously when we lose face.
There’s nothing complicated in folks giving thanks for blessings,
in folks celebrating Jesus whose footsteps we trace.
Laughing frees us from pompous notions that we are
more special than other people in whom God’s light shines
as bright as in us. We make life so much harder
when we separate ourselves from the God
who will always feed us; so climb on the bus.
In large ways and in small ways, for straight people and for all gays,
God graciously opens windows of hope and new life.
Surprises all around us, unleash possibilities that
we never imagined could be achieved without strife.
Prejudice, animosity are completely eradicated and
we double over laughing, for Christ is alive.
So let us never waver for God holds us all in favour,
there’s good news for all Creation, and that ain’t no jive!
Hymns and prayers today are taken from:
The Pharisaios Journal, www.pharisaios.co.uk; The Fellowship of Merry Christians; materials collected by Rev. Sandra Sellars, Saskatchewan; and Rev. Terri Powell Bracy, Warren, Michigan.
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