Seventeen hours before this time the sun rose over the sheep-grazing slopes of New Zealand. Along with Christians on other islands in the Western Pacific, from North to South, New Zealanders were the first to greet this Easter Day. While we were still living our yesterday, they sang (response)

An hour later Eastern Australians greeted the day with song, as the rising sun sparkled on white sand beaches. While we were still living our yesterday, they sang (response).

As alleluias echoed over the giant red rocks of Central Australia, they were joined by songs of praise from Japan, Korea, and Southeast Asia - Malaysia, the Philippines, and India. While we were still living our yesterday, they sang (response).

And into the Holy Land itself pilgrims who walked the very way of the cross that Jesus walked 2000 years before, sang out their joy. As our Saturday turned into Sunday, still dark for us, they sang (response).

Into Madagascar, South Africa, and Eastern Europe the wave of alleluias continued. While we were yet sleeping, they sang (response).

As the sun rose over Western Europe - in Naples and Rome, in the villages of the Rhine and chalets of the Alps, in the great cathedrals of France, while we were yet sleeping, they sang (response).

In London and Madrid, in Lisbon, Cardiff, Dublin and Glasgow, in West Africa, while we were yet sleeping, they sang (response).

Across the Atlantic to Iceland and Greenland; and in Brazil the sounds of praise echo onward. While we were yet sleeping, they sang (response).

Even as the sun touched the shores of the Americas and the wave of alleluias reached our own land, in Eastern South America and in Newfoundland, they sang (response).

The Easter sun journeyed on through the Canadian Maritimes, the Caribbean, Central and South America. As we were stirring from our sleep we could almost hear them as they sang (response).

And now this glorious Easter sun has awakened us to the joy and hope of resurrection. And WE join the wave of alleluias and sing: (Here use one verse of an Easter hymn that can be sung from memory [i.e.hands free] A suggestion is the last verse of "God, we praise you for the morning" by Jim Strathdee

(All face west)

And the wave of alleluias around the earth is not yet finished. The Prairie sky embraces the Easter sun, and the sound of alleluias rolls across the vast expanses of North & South America to the mountains and the ocean beyond.

In a few hours Hawaiians will awake to aloha and alleluias. The sound will echo toward the date line as Fijiians sing out their alleluias.

Now the whole earth sings.

All: Alleluia, Christ is Risen!

Hymn: "In Christ there is no east or west" verse 1 (hopefully sung from memory so the whole body can move and sing with joy)

Leader: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen!

All: Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia! Christ is Risen!