Saturday, April 7, 2012 8 PM
The Great Vigil of Easter
The Rev. Canon Jan Naylor Cope, preacher; the Rev. Dr. Francis H. Wade, celebrant.
ASL is provided at the Easter Vigil.
We gather tonight to celebrate the deepest, most important truth we know—that in the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God has entered into our world to bring hope, healing, and new life. Jesus embodied God’s unstoppable love so completely that he became a threat to nearly everyone around him, and he was hung on a cross for refusing to compromise or set limits on that love. Tonight the church proclaims that death was not the last word for him, that God raised him to new life, and in doing that has opened the possibility of healing and hope for everyone.
Easter promises that, as with the first disciples, we too can know this risen Lord and can find our lives being filled with his life. So our celebration tonight is not simply about an event long ago, but about how the miracle of resurrection can take place in us.
About the Great Vigil of Easter
This is the night when Christ broke the bonds of death and rose victorious from the grave. Tonight we hear the ancient stories of God’s redeeming work, moving from darkness to light, from solemn chant to joyful song, as we celebrate the glorious Resurrection. We rejoice tonight with those who this night receive the sacrament of Holy Baptism and we renew our own baptismal vows. This is the holiest night of the Christian year as God in Christ invites us into new life. Worshipers are encouraged to bring bells to announce joyfully the Resurrection.