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Various forms of the Easter Acclamation in countless languages have been used for centuries and continue to be used today as a responsive Paschal Greeting. The ancient greeting is used not only for the day of the Resurrection of Our Lord, the chief festival, the highest holy day of the Church Year, but also for the whole Easter season of 50 days, a week of weeks, as it were. Notable in the greeting as we use it is the ringing return, from being put away for Lent, of the word “Alleluia!”, carried from the original Hebrew, through Greek, and into English meaning “Praise the Lord!”

We praise the Lord for the God-man Jesus Christ’s resurrection because of what it means to us: that Christ is the Son of God (Romans 1:4); that His doctrine is the truth (John 2:19; 8:28); that God the Father accepted Christ’s sacrifice on the cross for the sins of and so the reconciliation of the world (Romans 4:25; 5:10; 1 Corinthians 15:17); and that all believers in Christ will rise to eternal life (John 11:25-26; 14:19; 1 Corinthians 15:20).

You are invited to praise the Lord for the Resurrected Christ Jesus with all those who believe in Him at Pilgrim Lutheran Church on Easter Day, throughout the Easter season, and always. On Easter Day, April 5, 2015, we will have special “Sonrise” Matins at 7:30 a.m. and the Divine Service at 10:45 a.m. Between the two, we will have an Easter Breakfast at 8:15 a.m. and an Egg Hunt at 9:15, before Sunday School and Adult Bible Class at 9:30 a.m. For the rest of the Easter season and every other Sunday, our regular schedule is at the right.

Easter lilies and butterflies are often-used symbols of the season. The latter are especially appropriate given the seeming death of the caterpillar in its cocoon, only to emerge later in a more glorious form. The color white symbolizes the joy, celebration, gladness, purity, and innocence of the season. The Gospel Readings for the season present multiple themes that are all part of the Easter mystery: resurrection, ascension, and the sending of the Holy Spirit. The following are the Sundays of Easter in 2015 and their Gospel Readings (appointed by Lutheran Service Book’s three-year lectionary series B).

  • Easter Sunday (04/05): Jesus rises from the dead (John 1:1-18; Mark 16:1-8)
  • Second Sunday (04/12): Jesus appears to Thomas (John 20:19-31)
  • Third Sunday (04/19): Jesus explains how His rising fulfills Holy Scripture (Luke 24:36-49)
  • Fourth Sunday (04/26): Jesus the Good Shepherd takes up His life for the sheep (John 10:11-18)
  • Fifth Sunday (05/03): Jesus is the Vine and believers are the branches (John 15:1-8)
  • Sixth Sunday (05/10): Jesus chooses believers to bear fruit (John 15:9-17)
  • Seventh Sunday (05/17): Jesus prays for believers to be sanctified in the Truth (John 17:11b-19)

The Day of Pentecost, the 50th day of Easter, will be observed this year on May 24th (the appointed Gospel Reading is John 15:26-27; 16:4b-15). Pilgrim will also offer a Divine Service marking The Ascension of Our Lord on Thursday, May 14th, at 7:00 p.m. (the appointed Gospel Reading is Luke 24:44-53). All are welcome to any of our services!

Usually you may read and hear the sermons at Pilgrim from the Season of Easter and from every season of the Church Year here.

The photograph of the single Easter lily incorporated into the slider graphic and the banner graphic at the top of this page was found here, where the photographer was not identified.