Order of Worship
GATHERING MUSIC Jubilate Deo
Translation: Shout joyfully to God, alleluia!
EASTER GREETING
Christ is risen!
Christ is risen, indeed!
Christ is risen!
Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!
OPENING SONG Christ the Lord is Risen Today
Christ the Lord is risen today, Alleluia!
Mortal tongues and angels say: Alleluia!
Raise your joys and triumphs high, Alleluia!
Sing, glad heavens, and earth reply: Alleluia!
Let the Victor’s people sing, Alleluia!
Where, O death, is now your sting? Alleluia!
Dying once, Christ lives to save, Alleluia!
Where your victory, O grave? Alleluia!
Love’s redeeming work is done, Alleluia!
Fought the fight, the battle won, Alleluia!
Death in vain forbids Christ rise, Alleluia!
God has opened paradise, Alleluia!
Soar we now where Christ has led, Alleluia!
Following our exalted head, Alleluia!
Made like Christ, like Christ we rise, Alleluia!
Ours the cross, the grave, the skies, Alleluia!
WELCOME
OPENING PRAYER
PASSING OF THE PEACE
Peace be with you…. ...and also with you
SONG Easter Passacaglia- Bethany Pick-up Choir
GIVE, SERVE, SHARE: Announcements
OFFERTORY Mache dich, mein Herze, rein by J. S. Bach
Keanon Kyles, baritone
DOXOLOGY
Praise God from whom all blessings flow.
Praise God, all creatures here below.
Praise God above ye heavenly host,
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
SCRIPTURE
READING
SONG OF PREPARATION Now the Green Blade Rises
Now the green blade rises, from the buried grain,
Wheat that in dark earth many days has lain;
Love lives again, that with the dead has been:
Love is come again like wheat that rises green.
In the grave they laid their Love who hate had slain,
Thinking that their Love would never would wake again,
Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen:
Love is come again like wheat that rises green.
Christ came forth at Easter, like the risen grain,
Jesus who for three days in the grave had lain;
Quick from the dead the risen One is seen:
Love is come again like wheat that rises green.
When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain,
Christ’s warm touch can call us back to life again,
Fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been:
Love is come again like wheat that rises green.
SERMON Rev. Rebecca Anderson
MUSIC FOR REFLECTION Trumpet Shall Sound from Messiah by Handel
Keanon Kyles, baritone
COMMUNION
Everyone is welcome to receive communion at Bethany.
We have both wine and grape juice.
God be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to God.
Let us give thanks to God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
Communion Music Easter from The Five Mystical Songs by Vaughn Williams
Keanon Kyles, baritone
CLOSING SONG Beautiful Day by U2
The heart is a bloom, shoots up through stony ground
But there's no room, no space to rent in this town
You're out of luck and the reason that you had to care,
The traffic is stuck and you're not moving anywhere.
You thought you'd found a friend to take you out of this place
Someone you could lend a hand in return for grace
It's a beautiful day, the sky falls
And you feel like it's a beautiful day
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
You're on the road but you've got no destination
You're in the mud, in the maze of her imagination
You love this town even if it doesn't ring true
You've been all over and it's been all over you
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
It's a beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Touch me, take me to that other place
Teach me, I know I'm not a hopeless case
See the world in green and blue
See China right in front of you
See the canyons broken by cloud
See the tuna fleets clearing the sea out
See the bedouin fires at night
See the oil fields at first light
See the bird with a leaf in her mouth
After the flood all the colours came out
It was a beautiful day
A beautiful day
Don't let it get away
Touch me, take me to that other place
Reach me, I know I am not a hopeless case
What you don't have you don't need it now
What you don't know you can feel it somehow
What you don't have you don't need it now
You don't need it now, you don't need it now
Beautiful day
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE
* * *
Rescheduled Pastoral Info Session
Today After Worship
Attempt no. 2 after some traveling mishaps threw off our plans! Join us for our (Rescheduled) Pastoral Info Session today after worship:
You may have heard the news that we are reconfiguring our pastoral jobs at Bethany to reflect the change in our work co- pastoring Gilead Chicago. Gilead is a congregation started by our Pastors that began worshipping together 8 years ago, and has voted to close. If you’re just finding out now, let us be clear: we’re staying at Bethany as your pastors (as long as you’ll have us!)
Today after worship, we’ll share with the congregation more broadly and answer questions you might have. Join the conversation!
Celebrate Earth Day at a Bethany "Sew-in”
April 22nd
Celebrate Earth Day at the Bethany "sew-in" on Tuesday, April 22 when we will sew cloth produce bags to be given away at nearby farmers markets for venders to hand out instead of plastic bags.
From 2-8pm teams of 6-8 people will cut, iron, pin, sew and finishing simple bags made from pillow cases, sheets, clothing and cotton fabrics. Sign up here for a 2 hour slot if you’re able to help out, no sewing experience required! Pizza and soft drinks will be provided. If you have materials to donate, please have them cleaned and placed in the church narthex by April 15 .
New Members Info Session
May 5th
New around here? Maybe you've been attending for a while (or even once!) and are curious what it would mean to join Bethany. (Spoiler: technically it mostly means you get a vote at congregational meetings and otherwise, it's a way of formalizing the relationship we already have.)
Join Vince and Rebecca for a conversation on May 5th: we’ll talk about who we’ve been, who we’re called to be, and to answer questions you might have about membership or the community.
Volunteer At Nourishing Hope
May 3rd
Join us on Saturday, May 3 from 11:30 - 3:00 to sort and glean food at Nourishing Hope (formerly Lakeview Pantry). It's a great opportunity to address local food insecurity and build connection with fellow Bethany congregants. Contact Paul Monzella if you have any questions, and check your weekly email for details on how to register as a volunteer!
Disability Justice & Movie
Tuesdays in May
Our May worship theme at Bethany is Sanctuary: being and making a place to rest safely in God for all kinds of people. Bethany has long been an intentionally diverse, intergenerational church. And we're committed to asking, "Who's not here?" and "why"?
In May, there are two related opportunities to ask those questions about who can and cannot access life at Bethany. Both are an invitation to look at our building and community with (what may be for some of us) a new lens.
On Tues, May 6th, we'll watch the excellent movie Crip Camp at 7 pm in the sanctuary. Then, for four Tuesdays beginning May 13th, we'll read and work through Amy Kenny's “My Body in Not a Prayer Request: Disability Justice in the Church.”
Sign up here if you’re interested in participating!
May Book Group: The Storied Life of AJ Firky
May 7th
We hope you'll join us in reading “The Storied Life of AJ Fikry” by Gabrielle Zevin for our next book group on May 7th at 7pm!
The novel (which was adapted for film in 2022) follows A.J. Fikry. His wife has died, his bookstore is in trouble, and now his prized rare edition of Poe poems has been stolen. However, when a mysterious package appears, its arrival gives him the chance to start his life over and see things anew.
If you’re interested in reading with us, please sign up here!
Join The Outer Belt Pilgrimage!
We had a great beginning to our Bethany pilgrimage along the Chicago Outer Belt Trail. We're walking 210 miles together, looping our city in prayer, and getting to know one another along the way.
Save the dates for our next legs:
Saturday, May 17
Sunday, June 8
Sunday, July 13
We walk around 10 miles each time. Please contact Vince for more information and/or go to outerbelt.org. Sign up here to be part of our May 17th walk from the Aragon Ballroom to Bunker North Flatwoods.
Climate Action Camp
June 16th-20th
Join Xander King and Rev. David Russell (former Bethany Associate Minister) as they encourage faith leaders and families, students and teachers, activists and seekers to come together to begin, continue or go deeper to be the Land Defenders and Water Protectors God needs at this time.
“Climate Action Camp” will take place from June 16th-20th at Tower Hill UCC Camp. It is open to all ages and will cost $375 per person.
During our time together, all ages will explore the climate crisis through the lens of water, especially Lake Michigan and it’s watershed. We will spend time diving deeper into the issues and learning how we can be agents of change. We will also spend time doing fun camp things- exploring Vernal Pools, playing and swimming at the beach, archery, teach building, campfires and creating. Click here to register or learn more!
COFFEE HOUR
We’ll have coffee hour on every second and fourth Sunday of each month! Click here to lock in a date you're willing to host. Reminder, we make the coffee and you bring treats to share!
