Easter Family Service
at
St. Augustine's

2005 March 27

Key :

directions
instructions for congregation
movements during service
prayers and readings
sections of the service

Other information :

There are some notes on our production of the service.

A rough plan of the church is available.

A note on copyright.

THE SERVICE.

IN THE UPPER ROOM

The whole church, except for the Hospital side of the church and a notional passage along the altar wall to the altar, is the "Upper Room". There is an imaginary door on the altar wall in line with the altar, so that everyone coming into the "room" comes in facing the congregation.
Narrator We welcome you here in the name of Jesus. May the joy of Easter fill our hearts and minds.

During the scenes in the "Upper Room" we hope that you will all take part in the parts labelled "ALL" saying to one another the words on the programme or similar words.

Please stand for the hymn :

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen Lord !

Omitted for copyright reasons; further details.
DD, D2, DF, Thomas, Peter, John, Cleopas and Friend come to front down Hospital side and sit in upper room area - remember where the "door" is ! The last one in ( DD ) "locks" the door, each person wears a shawl.
Narrator Please sit.

Imagine that we are with the disciples on that first Easter morning.

It is just before sunrise and we are beginning to wake up from a troubled night to another day of despair.

We are hiding from the authorities in a locked upper room, puzzled, scared, frightened; what can we do now ?

DD This would have to be the worst few days I've ever experienced.
D2 The worst in all creation, I'd say.
Cleopas I just don't understand it. I expected Jesus to liberate us - not to die in that horrible way.
Peter I was sure He was the Messiah, the Promised One, the One that God promised to us so long ago.
John So was I. But now it's all over, and it's just awful.
Thomas Maybe He wasn't the promised Messiah. Maybe we've all been deceived - like those other pretenders in the past.
Peter No ! I won't believe that. I sure don't understand it, but Jesus was definitely the One, the Promised Messiah.
John So what happens now ? Where do we go from here ?
DF Are you sure the doors are locked ?
DD Yes - I locked them after the women went out.
D2 Oh - they've gone to the tomb, have they ?
Friend Yes, they took all those spices for the body.
DF They're brave. I wouldn't go out into Jerusalem for anything !
Mary comes down Hospital aisle during the above conversation and knocks at the door fairly quietly, shawl round her shoulders.
Thomas Who's there ? Ssh - we don't want the officials to hear us. Anything could happen.
Friend It can't be the women back yet. They've hardly had time to get to the tomb.
All ( including congregation ) to one another : Sh, we don't want people to know we're here.
Do you think it's the soldiers ?
I'm afraid !
So'm I.
Shhh....

silence

Mary knocks again - more urgently.
Thomas There's that knocking again.
It's pretty early, the sun is only just up.
DD It sounds urgent - but it's not like the pounding on the door of soldiers.
I'll go and look.
( DD unlocks door using the key and peeps out. )
 Oh ! It's Mary. Quick, come in ! What's happened ?
Mary comes in.
All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
Mary He's not in the tomb ! They've taken Him away !
Friend What ? You're kidding us. You must have gone to the wrong tomb.
Mary No, No. There were a number of us - we didn't get it wrong. We went to care for His body. But the tomb was open and empty.
DF You're out of your mind. It was dark. You just couldn't see properly.
Mary Where do you think they've taken Him ?
D2 You must have gone to the wrong tomb.
Mary No, we didn't - the stone was rolled away and the seals were broken, we could see the seals there lying on the ground. It wasn't the wrong tomb.
Peter I'm going to the tomb to see for myself - anyone else coming ?
John I'll come with you, Peter.
Peter Mary, you come too.
DD unlocks the door using the key and Mary, Peter and John go out down Hospital aisle to the back of the church, with their shawls round their shoulders. DD relocks the door behind them.
Narrator Please stand for the hymn :

Low in the grave He lay.

1.   Low in the grave He lay,
  Jesus, my Saviour,
  Waiting the coming day,
  Jesus, my Lord :

Chorus :

  Up from the grave He arose,
  With a mighty triumph o'er His foes;
  He arose a victor from the dark domain,
  And He lives for ever with His saints to reign;
  He arose ! He arose ! Alleluia ! Christ arose !

2.   Vainly they watch His bed,
  Jesus my Saviour;
  Vainly they seal the dead,
  Jesus, my Lord :

Chorus

3.   Death cannot keep His prey,
  Jesus, my Saviour;
  He tore the bars away,
  Jesus, my Lord :

Chorus

Narrator Please sit.
Peter and John, without their shawls, come back down Hospital aisle and knock at the door.

This time the door is quickly unlocked by DD, using the key, and Peter and John come in.

All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
Thomas Well, what did you see ?
Peter It's just as Mary said. The tomb is open and empty. We went right inside.
John Yes - and the grave clothes were neat and tidy.
He's risen. I know He has, just like He said He would.
Peter Yes, John is right. He is risen !
Peter and John light two of the altar candles.
Peter and John We believe that Jesus is risen !
Narrator Jesus is risen !
All Jesus is risen, indeed !
Peter and John return to places.
D2 Where's Mary ?
Peter Oh, she stayed behind to pray.
Mary comes running down Hospital aisle, without her shawl, and knocks on the door.

DD unlocks the door with the key and opens it; Mary comes in.

All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
Mary I have seen Jesus !

This is what happened.

( Mary acts this out in mime as the passage is read. )
Reader This reading is taken from John Chapter 20 verses 11-18 and can be found on page 1200 of the church Bibles.

Jesus Appears to Mary Magdalene

Mary stood crying outside the tomb. While she was still crying, she bent down and looked into the tomb and saw two angels there dressed in white, sitting where the body of Jesus had been, one at the head and one at the feet. "Woman, why are you crying ?" they asked her.

She answered, "They have taken my Lord away, and I do not know where they have put Him !"

Then she turned around and saw Jesus standing there; but she did not know that it was Jesus. "Woman, why are you crying ?" Jesus asked her. "Who is it that you are looking for ?"

She thought He was the gardener, so she said to Him, "If you took Him away, sir, tell me where you have put Him, and I will go and get Him."

Jesus said to her, "Mary !"

She turned towards Him and said in Hebrew, "Rabboni !" ( This means "Teacher". )

"Do not hold on to Me," Jesus told her, "because I have not gone up to the Father. But go to My brothers and tell them that I am returning to Him Who is My Father and their Father, My God and their God."

So Mary Magdalene went and told the disciples that she had seen the Lord and related to them what He had told her.

This is the Word of the Lord.

All Thanks be to God.
Mary lights a candle on the altar.
Mary I believe that Jesus is risen !
Narrator Jesus is risen !
All Jesus is risen, indeed !
Thomas I just can't believe any of this. I must get away from you all, it's just too much for me.
DD unlocks the door using the key and Thomas goes out of upper room with shawl still over his head and to back down Hospital aisle.
All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
Narrator For the rest of the day the disciples spent their time in the upper room discussing all that had happened. Had Jesus truly risen from the dead ? Some believed, others didn't. Towards the middle of the afternoon Cleopas and his friend got up to go.
Cleopas We really must get back to Emmaus tonight.
Friend Yes, if we don't go now we won't get back before dark.
Cleopas to Peter I wish I had your faith.
DD unlocks the door using the key; Cleopas and Friend go to the back with shawls on.
All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
Narrator Please stand for the hymn :

"Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia".

1.   Jesus Christ is risen today, Alleluia !
  Our triumphant holy day, Alleluia !
  Who did once upon the Cross, Alleluia !
  Suffer to redeem our loss. Alleluia !

2.   Hymns of praise then let us sing, Alleluia !
  Unto Christ, our heavenly King, Alleluia !
  Who endured the Cross and grave, Alleluia !
  Sinners to redeem and save. Alleluia !

3.   But the pains that He endured, Alleluia !
  Our salvation have procured; Alleluia !
  Now above the sky He's King, Alleluia !
  Where the angels ever sing. Alleluia !

Narrator Please sit.

The discussions in that room continued, Mary, Peter and John sure that Jesus was alive, the rest continued to wonder - THEN ....

Cleopas and Friend come running back down the Hospital aisle with shawls off.
Narrator Once more there was a knocking at the door. ( knocks at the door. )
All ( including congregation ) to one another Sh, we don't want people to know we're here !
Do you think it's the soldiers ?
I'm afraid.
So'm I.
Shhh .....

silence

Narrator They opened the door.
( DD unlocks the door using the key; Cleopas and Friend come in. )
All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
DD Cleopas, what's happened ? We thought you'd be at home in Emmaus by now.
Cleopas We've seen Jesus !
D2 What ? Tell us about it !
Cleopas We were so busy talking about all that Mary, Peter and John had said that we didn't notice when someone else joined us.
Friend Yes, we were so surprised when this stranger asked us what we were talking about as we walked along.
Cleopas We stopped right there in the middle of the road and stared at Him. We asked Him, "Haven't you heard what's been happening in Jerusalem these last few days ?"
Friend He asked "What things ?"
Cleopas So we told Him all that had happened to Jesus, how the chief priests and rulers had handed Him over to be killed, and that He had been whipped and crucified -
Friend We were nearly in tears as we spoke to Him about it.
Cleopas - and that now, three days later, some of them were saying that they'd seen Him, that He was alive again ! -
Friend - but we just found that too difficult to believe, although we had hoped that Jesus was The Messiah, the promised One of God.
Cleopas Then the three of us walked on towards Emmaus, and this Man told us some of the things that had been written in the Bible about how the Messiah would suffer many things before entering His glory.
Friend We began to wonder if Jesus could be the Messiah after all. ( Shawls to shoulders. )
Cleopas By this time it was getting dark and we had reached Emmaus -
Friend - so we asked the Man to stay at our place overnight -
Cleopas - and He came in and we ate our supper together.
Friend Then the Man picked up the bread and broke it - just like Jesus did -
Cleopas - and we looked at the Man and both of us said
Cleopas and Friend Jesus ! ( shawls come off )
Friend Then He disappeared.
Cleopas So we came hurrying back to tell you what we had seen.
D2 No - it can't be true.
DD You saw the way they treated Him. Totally beaten up. He was barely recognisable.
Cleopas and Friend But it is true ! We were together. Truly we saw Jesus.
Cleopas and Friend light candles on the altar.
Cleopas and Friend We believe that Jesus is risen !
Narrator Jesus is risen !
All Jesus is risen, indeed !
Cleopas and Friend return to places.
Narrator Please stand for the hymn :

"He lives ! He Lives !".

Omitted for copyright reasons; further details.
( During this hymn Jesus, with marks on His hands and feet, goes to front down Hospital aisle, to hide behind palm. )
Narrator Please sit.
DD ( shawl almost on ground. ) I wish I could believe !
Jesus appears in the upper room. ( Do not use the doorway ! ! )
All ( pointing to Jesus ) Oh,
Oh,
Oh,
Oh !
Jesus Peace be with you !
Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your mind ? Look at My hands and My feet. ( Jesus shows them His hands and His feet. )
It is I, Jesus - touch Me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have.
( shawls all now on floor )
Narrator Then He sat down and explained the scriptures to them.
Jesus leaves ( hides behind palm again ).

DD and D2 light the sixth altar candle and one pavement candle.

DD and D2 We believe that Jesus is risen !
Narrator Jesus is risen !
All Jesus is risen, indeed !
DD and D2 return to places.

Thomas comes back down Hospital side, still wearing his shawl. He knocks on the door.

All ( including congregation ) to one another Sh, we don't want people to know we're here !
Do you think it's the soldiers ?
I'm afraid.
So'm I.
Shhh .....

silence

DD unlocks the door with the key and opens it; Thomas comes in.
DD Wow, Thomas ! You missed it all !
D2 It was fantastic !
All ( including congregation ) to one another Is the door locked ?
Quick, lock the door !
DD locks the door using the key.
Thomas At least I've had some sleep. It was all just too much for me. Jesus alive ? Don't be ridiculous.
D2 Well, you missed a real treat.
Peter It wasn't only Mary that saw Him.
Cleopas and Friend We saw Him too.
John And He's just been here. We all saw Him
Thomas No. No. No ! Not all of you ! How can a dead man come alive ?
Peter But we all saw Him. He came in even though the door was locked. He was just suddenly here.
Thomas I don't believe you.
John But He did. We all saw Him and spoke to Him.
D2 We even saw His nail marks.
Thomas No. I won't believe it. You must have been hallucinating - or dreaming - or something.
Peter Well, I wasn't dreaming.
Thomas Look, you guys. I don't believe it, and I won't believe it, unless I put my finger into the nail prints and my hand into His wounded side. I have to see this for myself - so I KNOW.
Freeze.

PAUSE with "ONE WEEK LATER" on screen.

Narrator A week later they were all, including Thomas, in that upper room again -
Jesus comes into the room ( NOT by the "door" ).
All Look !
Look !
Look !
Jesus, He's here again -
Look, Thomas, Look !
D2 Thomas, look ! - it's Jesus
Jesus Peace to you all.

Thomas, I'm glad you are here. Look. Put your finger into the nail prints. And here is My wounded side. Touch it with your hand. I want you to believe too, Thomas.

Thomas ( throwing shawl off, kneeling at Jesus's feet )
My Lord and My God !
Jesus Because you have seen Me, you have believed.
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.
Jesus returns to hiding place;
Thomas lights pavement candle.
Thomas I believe that Jesus is risen !
Narrator Jesus is risen !
All Jesus is risen, indeed !
Thomas returns to place.
Narrator Tex will now sing the hymn "The Old Rugged Cross";
please join in the chorus.
1.   On a hill far away stood an old rugged cross,
  The emblem of suffering and shame,
  And I love that old cross where the dearest and best
  For a world of lost sinners was slain.
Chorus :

  So I'll cherish the old rugged cross,
  Till my trophies at last I lay down;
  I will cling to the old rugged cross,
  And exchange it some day for a crown.

2.   Oh, that old rugged cross, so despised by the world,
  Has a wondrous attraction for me,
  For the dear lamb of God left His glory above,
  To bear it to dark Calvary.

Chorus

3.   To the old rugged cross I will ever be true,
  Its shame and reproach gladly bear;
  Then He'll call me someday to my home far away,
  Where His glory forever I'll share.

Chorus

( At the end of this hymn all actors move to seats in church - please stay near the front. )

Helpers will hand out an activity for the children.

Preacher The MESSAGE.

THEME : Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.

At the end :

We invite you to come forward and light one of the candles on the table as a thanksgiving for all that Jesus has done for us.

Organist plays quietly "I am the light of the world".

When all who wish to do so have lit candles -

Narrator Please stand for the hymn :

"I am the light of the world".

Omitted for copyright reasons; further details.
( During this hymn Reader 1, Reader 2, and Reader 3 come to lectern area ready to read the prayers. )
Narrator Please sit or kneel for the prayers.
Reader 1 Thank You, Jesus, for Your willingness to suffer on the Cross for us.
Thank You, for not giving up and for persevering to the end.
Help us, also, to persevere in our faith and to grow closer to You.
Amen.
Reader 2 Teach us to be people who desire to do Your will and not follow our own selfish ways.
Teach us to love one another as You loved us.
Amen.
Reader 3 We pray for peace, peace in our hearts, peace in our families, peace in our nation and throughout the world.
Amen.

Together we sing The Lord's Prayer.

Our Father in heaven,
Hallowed be Your name, Your kingdom come,
Your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the Kingdom, the power and the glory are Yours now and for ever.
Amen.

Narrator Please stand for the Hymn :

"Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son".

( Readers return to their seats. )

1.   Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
  Endless is the victory Thou o'er death hast won;
  Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away,
  Kept the folded grave clothes where Thy body lay :

Chorus :

  Thine be the glory, risen, conquering Son,
  Endless is the victory Thou o'er death has won.

2.   Lo, Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb;
  Lovingly He greets us, scatters fear and gloom;
  Let the church with gladness hymns of triumph sing,
  For her Lord now liveth, death has lost its sting :

Chorus

3.   No more we doubt Thee, glorious Prince of Life;
  Life is nought without Thee; aid us in our strife;
  Make us more than conquerors through Thy deathless love;
  Bring us safe through Jordan to Thy home above.

Chorus

Narrator Blessing.
Please join us for a cuppa in the Hall
We wish you all the joys of this Easter season.

Those taking part :

Cleopas, D2, DD, DF, Friend, Jesus, John, Mary, Narrator, Peter, Thomas, Reader, Reader 1, Reader 2, Reader 3.