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John 20:1-18

The empty tomb

20 Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. ² So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, ‘They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!’

³ So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. ⁴ Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. ⁵ He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. ⁶ Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, ⁷ as well as the cloth that had been wrapped round Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. ⁸ Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. ⁹ (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) ¹⁰ Then the disciples went back to where they were staying.

Jesus appears to Mary Magdalene

¹¹ Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb ¹² and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot.

¹³ They asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying?’

‘They have taken my Lord away,’ she said, ‘and I don’t know where they have put him.’ ¹⁴ At this, she turned round and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realise that it was Jesus.

¹⁵ He asked her, ‘Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?’

Thinking he was the gardener, she said, ‘Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.’

¹⁶ Jesus said to her, ‘Mary.’

She turned towards him and cried out in Aramaic, ‘Rabboni!’ (which means ‘Teacher’).

¹⁷ Jesus said, ‘Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, “I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.”’

¹⁸ Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: ‘I have seen the Lord!’ And she told them that he had said these things to her.

Also referenced: 1 Corinthians 15:13-20; John 16:20; 16:21-22; Exodus 25:17-22; John 10:3; John 14:1-3; Acts 1:4-9

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ANNOUNCEMENTS:

EVERY THURSDAY …YOUR PATHWAY TO WELLBEING: Keep spreading the word about this Partnership with our Church in Mossley Methodist.

So far, Melanie Maxwell-McIlroy from Connect North has been able to help local residents with the following issues which have had a positive impact on their wellbeing.

• Access to Transport to attend both appointments and some groups
• Blue Badge application
• Referral to Occupational Therapy for aids to promote independence at home
• Support with a CV to apply for paid employment
• Several benefits checks and applications
• 2 x Home safety checks
• 1 x Fire Safety check

NOTE: If for some technical reason, the video link for the service is unavailable on the website. You will likely find the most up to date sermon by the Rev Sam Campbell readily available to access and listen to on this telephone line. Simply ring this number 028 9507 2248