An after-Easter worship service: Now what

Group, Mar/Apr 2003 by Case, Steve

AN AFTER-EASTER WORSHIP SERVICE

After the hubbub and splendor of Easter, it's time to remind your kids that Jesus lives in the everyday. Use this simple after-Easter worship service to invite them into quiet recognition of Jesus' ongoing presence in their lives.

A somber meal on Maundy Thursday, tears on Good Friday, triumphant majesty on Easter-now what do we do? That's probably what the disciples were thinking after Jesus left them for heaven. Quiet, a little lonely, a little apprehensive, a little determined.

This calm, meditative service is designed to fill that post-Easter void, when the decorations have been put away and the sanctuary no longer smells like lilies. The gospels do not end with the glory of the Resurrection. The story continues. Jesus appears again and again to his disciples after they've gone back to their old jobs. This is how we need to meet Jesus-in the midst of our everyday lives. This service is designed as a no-frills experience to contrast the pomp that accompanies Easter.

the idea

Jesus is here. Now. Jesus says, "I am with you always." The goal of this service is to help your teenagers understand that Christ's story did not end on Easter morning. It's still going on.

location

Get out of the church building for this service. Pile your kids into the church van and hold the service at a rest stop along a highway (one of the Scriptures deals with Jesus' appearance on the road to Emmaus). Or hold the service in a fast-food parking lot or on a beach if you live near one. If you can't get out of the building, hold the service in the church kitchen.

what you'll need

1. One candle-Don't use a new candle. Find one that's leftover from an old Advent wreath. The more beat up it looks, the better. Bring a dishtowel and matches or a lighter.

2. Flannel squares-(This is optional, but a nice addition.) To give the service a tactile edge, buy some baby blankets or flannel jammies at your local thrift store. Wash them in a "baby detergent," then cut them into small squares. Pass out the squares at the beginning of the service-the goal is to emphasize the feeling of security we get when we know Jesus remains with us no matter what.

3. Opening and closing music-You'll need two songs to bookend the service. Bring a battery-powered boombox.

For the opening song, find a traditional hymn that's performed by a contemporary artist as an acoustic piece (the goal is to provide a counterpoint to the Easter service's pizzazz). Suggestions: "Come Thou Fount of Every Blessing" by The Worship Room (www.theworship room.com). There's also an excellent version of this hymn on All I Can Say by the David Crowder Band (www.davidcrowder band.com). If you don't have either of these, look through your collection-lots of Christian artists put acoustic hymns on their albums. Just make sure it's low-key.

For the closing song, try "Baby" by Lost and Found from This CD or "Fruit We Bear" from Something (www.speedwood.com). If you can't find either of these, use a song (or sing one) that emphasizes the truth that Jesus lives and moves in our lives today. He's alive because we're alive, and vice versa.

If you want to try something a little more out-of-the-norm for the closer, use Sting's "Fields of Gold" from 10 Summoner's Tales or his greatest-hits collection Fields of Gold (www.sting.com), or the Eva Cassidy version of the song on her album Songbird (www.blixstreet.com). If you're feeling really experimental, try Johnny Cash's version of Depeche Mode's song "Personal Jesus" on the American IV album (www.amazon.com).

4. Supplies for an alternative communion. Prepare communion using items from your students' everyday lives. Use a doughnut and a canned soft drink, or a bagel and orange juice. Pull through a drive-through and get coffee and a muffin, then use those.

the service

1. Once you've arrived at your location, set up an informal worship area. Place your beat-up candle on a picnic table or on the hood of your car (put a dishtowel under it). Light the candle.

2. Say something like: The story of Jesus did not end at the Resurrection. Jesus continued to appear to his followers again and again. John, the beloved disciple, even writes in his gospel, "Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book" (John 20:30).

(If you choose a roadside location, you can add: Jesus appeared to two of the disciples as they were walking along a road. That's why we're out here. We're on the road, inviting Jesus to be among us.)

Say: Jesus kept coming back over and over to let his disciples know that he was going to be with them forever. I'm going to hand you something now. (Pass out the squares of baby blanket.) I want you to simply hold this in your hand. Run it back and forth in your fingers as we worship. Let's start with a prayer.

Pray something like this: Creator God, the Easter eggs are mostly gone. We're tired of plastic grass and pastel candy. The chocolate bunnies and Marshmallow Peeps have lost their appeal, and we sort of feel let down. The return of your Son is a celebration, but now, like the disciples, we wonder what's next. Show us how you intend for this celebration to continue in our lives, God. Now, we ask that you make your presence known as we try to get closer to your Son. Amen.