Easter SonRise 2026

Combined Church SonRise Service

Resurrection Sunday, 6am 5^th April 2026

Opening

Call to Worship

Leader:
We gather between darkness and daylight.
People:
We gather in the light of hope.

Leader:
We gather between sorrow and joy.
People:
We gather in the promise of new life.

Leader:
Come, let us worship God.
People:
With open hearts, we come.

Opening Prayer
Rev. Andrew Collis (Sapphire Coast Uniting Church)

O Praise The Name (Anástasis)
Verse 1

I cast my mind to Calvary
Where Jesus bled and died for me
I see His wounds His hands His feet
My Saviour on that cursed tree

Verse 2
His body bound and drenched in tears
They laid Him down in Joseph's tomb
The entrance sealed by heavy stone
Messiah still and all alone

Chorus
O praise the Name of the Lord our God
O praise His Name forevermore
For endless days we will sing Your praise
Oh Lord oh Lord our God

Verse 3
Then on the third at break of dawn
The Son of heaven rose again
O trampled death where is your sting
The angels roar for Christ the King

Verse 4
He shall return in robes of white
The blazing sun shall pierce the night
And I will rise among the saints
My gaze transfixed on Jesus' face

Benjamin Hastings, Dean Ussher, Marty Sampson
CCLI Song #7037787
© 2015 Small City Music; Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use.  All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #182257

First Reading
Pastor Bronson Symes (Pambula Baptist Church)

Acts of the Apostles 10:34-43 (NLT)

³⁴ Then Peter replied, “I see very clearly that God shows no favoritism. ³⁵ In every nation he accepts those who fear him and do what is right. ³⁶ This is the message of Good News for the people of Israel—that there is peace with God through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all. ³⁷ You know what happened throughout Judea, beginning in Galilee, after John began preaching his message of baptism. ³⁸ And you know that God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Spirit and with power. Then Jesus went around doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with him.

³⁹ “And we apostles are witnesses of all he did throughout Judea and in Jerusalem. They put him to death by hanging him on a cross, ⁴⁰ but God raised him to life on the third day. Then God allowed him to appear, ⁴¹ not to the general public, but to us whom God had chosen in advance to be his witnesses. We were those who ate and drank with him after he rose from the dead. ⁴² And he ordered us to preach everywhere and to testify that Jesus is the one appointed by God to be the judge of all—the living and the dead. ⁴³ He is the one all the prophets testified about, saying that everyone who believes in him will have their sins forgiven through his name.”

In Christ Alone

 Verse 1
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light my strength my song
This Cornerstone this solid Ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love what depths of peace
When fears are stilled when strivings cease
My Comforter my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand

Verse 2
In Christ alone who took on flesh
Fullness of God in helpless babe
This gift of love and righteousness
Scorned by the ones He came to save
Till on that cross as Jesus died
The wrath of God was satisfied
For every sin on Him was laid
Here in the death of Christ I live

Verse 3
There in the ground His body lay
Light of the world by darkness slain
Then bursting forth in glorious Day
Up from the grave He rose again
And as He stands in victory
Sin's curse has lost its grip on me
For I am His and He is mine
Bought with the precious blood of Christ 

Verse 4
No guilt in life no fear in death
This is the power of Christ in me
From life's first cry to final breath
Jesus commands my destiny
No power of hell no scheme of man
Can ever pluck me from His hand
Till He returns or calls me home
Here in the power of Christ I'll stand

Keith Getty, Stuart Townend
CCLI Song #182257
© 2001 Thankyou Music Ltd
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use.  All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #71966

Psalm 118:1-2,14-24 Responsive Reading
Pastor Peter Hocking (Sapphire Life Church)

Leader:
Give thanks to the Lord, for he is good!
His faithful love endures forever.
Let all Israel repeat:
“His faithful love endures forever.”

People:
His faithful love endures forever.

Leader:
The Lord is my strength and my song;
he has given me victory.
Songs of joy and victory are sung in the camp of the godly.
The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!
The strong right arm of the Lord is raised in triumph.
The strong right arm of the Lord has done glorious things!

People:
His faithful love endures forever.

Leader:
I will not die; instead, I will live
to tell what the Lord has done.
The Lord has punished me severely,
but he did not let me die.
Open for me the gates where the righteous enter,
and I will go in and thank the Lord.
These gates lead to the presence of the Lord,
and the godly enter there.
I thank you for answering my prayer
and giving me victory!

People:
His faithful love endures forever.

Leader:
The stone that the builders rejected
has now become the cornerstone.
This is the Lord’s doing,
and it is wonderful to see.
This is the day the Lord has made.

People:
We will rejoice and be glad in it.

Gospel Reading
Matthew 28:1-10 (NLT)

¹ Early on Sunday morning, as the new day was dawning, Mary Magdalene and the other Mary went out to visit the tomb.

² Suddenly there was a great earthquake! For an angel of the Lord came down from heaven, rolled aside the stone, and sat on it. ³ His face shone like lightning, and his clothing was as white as snow. ⁴ The guards shook with fear when they saw him, and they fell into a dead faint.

⁵ Then the angel spoke to the women. “Don’t be afraid!” he said. “I know you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. ⁶ He isn’t here! He is risen from the dead, just as he said would happen. Come, see where his body was lying. ⁷ And now, go quickly and tell his disciples that he has risen from the dead, and he is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see him there. Remember what I have told you.”

⁸ The women ran quickly from the tomb. They were very frightened but also filled with great joy, and they rushed to give the disciples the angel’s message. ⁹ And as they went, Jesus met them and greeted them. And they ran to him, grasped his feet, and worshiped him. ¹⁰ Then Jesus said to them, “Don’t be afraid! Go tell my brothers to leave for Galilee, and they will see me there.”

Message

Prayer

Easter Acclamation
All:
Christ has died
Christ is risen
Christ will come again

My Redeemer Lives

Verse
I know He rescued my soul
His blood has covered my sin
I believe I believe
My shame He's taken away
My pain is healed in His name
I believe I believe

Pre-Chorus
I'll raise a banner
'Cause my Lord has conquered the grave

Chorus
My Redeemer lives
My Redeemer lives
My Redeemer lives
My Redeemer lives

Bridge
You lift my burdens
I'll rise with You
I'm dancing on this mountaintop
To see Your kingdom come

Reuben Morgan
CCLI Song #2397964
© 1998 Hillsong Music Publishing Australia
For use solely with the SongSelect® Terms of Use.  All rights reserved. www.ccli.com
CCLI License #182257

Benediction