Music for The Great Vigil of Easter

This is the night, when Christ broke the bonds of death and hell, and rose victorious from the grave.

How blessed is this night, when earth and heaven are joined and we are reconciled to God.

The Great Vigil of Easter is the very heart of the Christian year, the mother of all our celebrations.  In the irony that defines the resurrection, we celebrate it after the sun goes down. We celebrate the coming of the light in the darkness.  And we learn that what St. John says is true, "The light shines in the darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it."

The Great Vigil, which begins at 7 pm, has four parts:

We light the new fire, a custom which is probably Celtic in its origins. We light the great Paschal (Easter) Candle, which will preside over all Services through the Great Fifty Days (through Pentecost).  All receive light from the fire and a great chant is sung, "The Exsultet."  The above words in italics are taken from this incredible prayer of thanks and praise.

The Vigil then begins, an extended Liturgy of the Word. Some of the readings we use are told in unconventional ways. We listen and we sing in the darkness, lit by our candles. When these readings end, Easter is Proclaimed and the bells will ring from the balcony as we sing Hail Thee, Festival Day.  We then will hear the story of the resurrection.

As our first Easter act, we renew our Baptismal Covenant.  In Baptism, we say, "we are buried with Christ in his death," and "by it we share in his resurrection." We will also experience the joy of baptism for 5 individuals.

Finally we celebrate the First Eucharist of Easter.

This is an incredibly joyful Service.  At its end, we are ready to be resurrection people in the world.

Music for The Great Vigil of Easter

The Liturgy of the Word

Many and Great

When Israel Was in Egypt’s Land

Breathe on Me, Breath of God

Surely It Is God Who Saves Me

The First Eucharist at Easter

Hail Thee, Festival Day

We Know that Christ Is Raised

Come Risen Lord

At the Lamb’s high Feast We Sing

Jesus Christ Is Risen Today

Trinity Choir and Trinity Ringers

O Sons and Daughters

Trinity Ringers

Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds

At the offertory Trinity Choir will join the ringers in the balcony for the offertory. For Two-Part Choir, Drone, Bells, Triangle, Shaker, Drums, Rainstick, and xylophone, this is a setting of the 17th century French tune, Filii et Filiae. As mystical as it gets! (and almost downright spooky.) 

At communion Trinity Ringers will ring a fun, upbeat arrangement of the tune LASST UNS ERFREUN by Cathy Moklebust. Cathy is a well know handbell composer from South Dakota and her pieces are always a favorite by the ringers