12 April 2026 - Second Sunday of Easter – Year A

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The Faith Action Programme would like to thank Rev Stuart Finlayson, Pioneer Minister of Forres Community Church, for his thoughts on the Second Sunday of Easter.

Introduction

As part of the Team Ministry at West Moray Church of Scotland, and in my role as a pioneer minister, I have been leading the planting of the Cleir Eilean I Presbytery Mission Initiative known as Forres Community Church (FCC). FCC is both a new worshipping community and a church plant, created as a space to explore fresh and diverse ways of worship and engagement, particularly among un(de)churched people and those who would not normally consider themselves part of church life.

The vision of Forres Community Church is centred on making disciples for Jesus. We seek to do this by helping believers and ‘not yet' believers to Discover God, Discover Ourselves, and Discover Life. This is not simply a slogan, but a conviction about how disciples are formed. As people discover, or rediscover, who God is and what God has done for us, they begin to understand who they are in Christ. From this renewed identity flows the possibility of stepping into the fullness of life that God promises in His Son, learning to follow Jesus with heart, mind, and action.

People often ask where I will be on any given Sunday—usually meaning which church building I will be in. In a parish as geographically large as West Moray, that could be any one of four buildings. Yet my calling at this time is focused less on buildings and more on pioneering new expressions of church. For FCC, the most significant expression in these early stages is our house church, where we gather each Sunday morning.

In house church we worship, pray, and read Scripture together. We share honestly about our lives and form close, intentional relationships. Central to our gatherings is attentiveness to God's word, received as a lamp for our feet. We ask simple but searching questions: what does this passage tell us about God, about people (including ourselves), and about the good news of Jesus? Because we believe Scripture is true, we also ask how we might live in obedience to what we are learning, trusting it to guide us into fuller life as Jesus' disciples.

It may seem surprising that I do not preach weekly in a traditional sense. At FCC, we choose instead to live with a particular passage of Scripture across the whole week. On Mondays, we gather online for Dwelling in the Word, shaped by a Lectio Divina approach. During the week, the same passage is explored through Discovery Bible Study groups, our primary discipleship pathway. By Sunday, we return to the text having been shaped by it, reflecting together on how God's word has spoken into our lives, often leading into deeply personal prayer ministry.

While it is rare that I work with all four lectionary readings in any given week, this approach is entirely compatible with the lectionary, particularly given the richness of resources available to support it. With this in mind, I will offer reflections on the first three readings—Acts 2, Psalm 16, and 1 Peter—before turning to the Gospel reading, where I will use the Discovery Bible Study method to demonstrate a participatory approach to Scripture that encourages discipleship, engagement, and shared discovery within worship.

Ultimately, our aim at FCC is to help people discover God in ways that are personal, meaningful, and lasting. As we discover who God is—Father, Son, and Holy Spirit—we also discover who we truly are and are drawn into the rich and abundant life Jesus promises, now and not yet.

Acts 2:14a, 22-32

On the Second Sunday of Easter, the church continues to live in the light of resurrection—not as a past event, but as a present reality shaping faith, witness, and community. Acts 2:14a, 22–32 places us firmly within that Easter story, showing how the risen Christ is proclaimed, interpreted, and embodied by the early church.

Peter begins by standing with the eleven. This is resurrection-shaped witness: not individualistic or heroic, but communal. Having raised his voice, Peter addresses the crowd clearly and confidently. The Spirit poured out at Pentecost empowers not only signs and wonders, but courageous and articulate proclamation. Though Peter is no trained scholar, his speech reveals a deep immersion in Scripture and in the story of Jesus. Easter faith gives rise to Easter speech.

Addressing his hearers as "fellow Israelites," Peter appeals to shared memory and shared experience, beginning with what they already know. Jesus of Nazareth was publicly attested by God through deeds of power, wonders, and signs—acts done by God through Jesus and among them. Peter's strategy is pastoral and invitational: inviting the crowd to recognise that the risen Christ is the same Jesus they saw, heard, and encountered. Easter does not introduce a different Jesus, rather it reveals the true significance of the one they already knew.

Peter speaks honestly about the cross. Jesus was handed over, crucified, and killed—yet this took place according to God's definite plan and foreknowledge. Easter faith does not deny human responsibility or suffering, but holds them within God's redemptive purposes. Jesus was not simply taken; Jesus was given. Even the darkness of Good Friday is gathered into the light of God's saving work.

The turning point of the passage comes in the words, "But God raised him up." On this Second Sunday of Easter, these words echo at the heart of the church's proclamation. Death could not hold Jesus. Drawing on Psalm 16, Peter shows that resurrection is the fulfilment of God's promises, not an unexpected reversal. David spoke prophetically of one who would not see corruption, pointing beyond himself to the Messiah.

"This Jesus"—the crucified and risen one—God raised up, and the apostles are witnesses. Easter creates a community of witnesses, rooted in Scripture, shaped by shared experience, and sent to speak of the life that God has brought out of death.

Psalm 16

Psalm 16 invites us to practise a posture of trust before it becomes a statement of belief. It calls us to name God as our refuge in the midst of uncertainty, to seek joy in God's presence rather than in what is temporary or fragile, and to walk attentively in the "path of life" God sets before us.

Read in the light of Easter, the psalm encourages disciples to live with confidence that our lives are held securely by God—both now and beyond death—and to allow that assurance to shape our choices, our worship, and our daily obedience as we follow Jesus into fullness of life.

1 Peter 1:3-9

Written to believers scattered across Asia Minor, 1 Peter 1:3–9 addresses Christians who live on the margins—socially vulnerable, misunderstood, and often pressured because of their faith. On the Second Sunday of Easter, this passage invites us to reflect on what resurrection means not only for belief, but for identity, hope, and perseverance.

Peter begins with praise: "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ." This is Easter praise, rooted in what God has already done. Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, believers have been given a new birth into a living hope. Resurrection is not simply something Jesus experienced; it is something into which believers are drawn. Easter creates a new beginning.

A key concern in this letter is belonging. Peter writes to Gentile Christians who may feel uncertain of their place within God's story. Drawing on language traditionally associated with Israel's inheritance, Peter reassures them that, in Christ, they are fully included in the family of God. They are not second-class members of the people of God. In Jesus, they belong.

This inheritance, Peter insists, is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading – kept in heaven for them. Unlike earthly security, which can decay or be taken away, this Easter inheritance cannot spoil or fade. It is spiritual in nature, grounded in resurrection life, and guaranteed by God's faithfulness rather than human effort.

Peter is realistic about suffering. Faith, he acknowledges, can be tested, just as gold is refined by fire. Yet even here, Easter reframes the experience. Trials do not negate faith; they reveal its genuineness. Suffering is not the final word, nor is it meaningless. Instead, it becomes a place where faith is deepened and hope clarified.

Although Peter's readers have not seen Jesus, they love Him. Though they do not see Jesus now, they believe in Him and rejoice with an inexpressible and glorious joy. This is resurrection faith lived in the present tense—a faith sustained by trust rather than sight, and by joy rather than certainty.

On this Second Sunday of Easter, 1 Peter reminds us that the risen Christ gives more than forgiveness or future hope. He gives a new identity, a new family, and a living hope that sustains disciples as they follow Jesus in a complex and often costly world.

John 20:19-31

John 20:19–31 describes the risen Jesus appearing to the disciples in the midst of fear, doubt, and uncertainty. Speaking peace, showing His wounds, and breathing the Holy Spirit upon them, Jesus reassures His followers and sends them into the world. The encounter with Thomas highlights both the reality of human scepticism and the patience of the risen Christ. The passage closes by naming its purpose: that these signs are written so that people may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing may have life in Jesus name. On the Second Sunday of Easter, this reading invites reflection on faith shaped by peace, trust, and resurrection life.

Using a Discovery Bible Study (DBS) with John 20:19–31

A key strength of Discovery Bible Study is that no one person is positioned as the teacher. Instead, the group gathers around Scripture, trusting that God speaks through the text and through the shared listening of the community. Insight emerges as people discover together, valuing each person's contribution and encouraging participation from those who might otherwise remain silent.

The role of the facilitator is not to explain the passage, but to create space for careful listening, shared reflection, and faithful response. However, in our context there are always lots of questions in my direction and so I try hard to teach as well as encourage people to refer back to Scripture themselves and not just accept my response. What follows is our typical DBS method which we have drawn from the Waha App which we have found useful in group and individual settings.

  1. Read the Scripture: Read the passage aloud at least twice, possibly using different voices or translations. Encourage participants to listen attentively and notice as much as possible—words, phrases, emotions, actions, or questions that arise. Note these things down if you wish.
  1. Retell the story: Invite the group to retell the passage in their own words. This is done gently and collaboratively, with any corrections coming in questions like, "Where do we see that in the Scripture?" This allows the group to hear the story again through shared reflection.
  1. Observe together: Ask participants what stood out to them. All observations should remain grounded in the text.
  1. Ask the DBS questions

a) What does this passage tell us about God?

  • Jesus comes to His friends even when they are fearful and hiding.
  • The risen Christ offers peace rather than condemnation.
  • Jesus' wounds are real; resurrection does not deny suffering.
  • God sends His people into the world as Jesus was sent.
  • God gives the Holy Spirit to empower forgiveness and mission.
  • God patiently meets doubt with grace.
  • God asks us to trust in spiritual realities.

b) What does this passage tell us about people?

  • People experience fear and uncertainty.
  • People hide and doubt.
  • People are sceptical even in the face of overwhelming evidence.
  • People are driven by senses and feelings (not facts and the word of God).
  • People need peace and reassurance.
  • People can receive the Holy Spirit.
  • People can believe without seeing.

c) What does this passage tell us about the gospel?

  • Jesus is risen in a real, embodied way.
  • Resurrection brings peace and new life.
  • The risen Christ sends His followers into the world.
  • Believers are to share the news about Jesus.
  • Faith does not depend on sight and sense alone.
  • Believing in Jesus leads to life in His name.
  1. Respond in obedience.

Because we believe this Scripture is true, we ask:

  • What is one thing God is inviting us to believe, change, or do this week?
  • How might living this out lead us further into the fullness of life promised in the risen Christ?

This approach allows the Easter story not only to be heard, but to be responded to, and lived.

Potential answers may include:

Believing:
Choosing to trust that Jesus meets us with peace rather than judgement, even when we feel fearful, uncertain, or ashamed.

Changing:
Letting go of the conditions we place on belief—like Thomas—and becoming more open to trusting God without needing absolute certainty.

Doing:
Intentionally offering peace to others this week, especially in situations marked by fear, conflict, or anxiety.

Living sent:
Paying attention to where God may already be sending us, recognising that resurrection leads not only to comfort but to mission.

Sharing:
Identifying one person who might need to hear or experience something of the peace and life Jesus offers.

Practising forgiveness:
Reflecting on how receiving the Holy Spirit connects to releasing forgiveness and considering one step towards reconciliation.

Groups might then reflect together on how these small, concrete steps could lead them further into the fullness of life promised in the risen Christ.

Sermon Ideas

The DBS above gives a real world example of how this might be unpacked in a group setting or used to help prepare for bringing the Word in a variety of different formats.

Taken together, these responses reflect the wider lectionary themes of the Second Sunday of Easter, where resurrection faith moves from proclamation into lived experience.

In Acts 2, the risen Jesus is publicly witnessed and confidently proclaimed; in 1 Peter 1, resurrection gives birth to a living hope that sustains believers amid uncertainty and testing; in Psalm 16, trust in God leads to joy and security in life beyond death.

The Gospel reading brings these themes into personal and communal focus, showing how peace, belief, forgiveness, and sending are formed not through certainty or status, but through encounter with the risen Christ.

Responding in obedience—believing, changing, and acting—becomes a shared way of participating in resurrection life, as the Spirit leads the church from fear into faith, from doubt into trust, and from gathering into mission.

Prayers

At Forres Community Church, we don't really use traditional prayers structured around the A.C.T.S. pattern, as our house church gatherings are intentionally less formal. This is not to suggest that prayer is absent—quite the opposite. We devote significant time to praying together, particularly following our shared worship and engagement with Scripture. This often culminates in a time of prayer ministry, where individuals are invited forward, and the community gathers around them, laying on hands and interceding together in a deeply personal and attentive way.

For this resource, however, I have included a set of prayers that are suitable for use in a more corporate worship setting, while still reflecting the values of participation, attentiveness, and pastoral care that shape our practice.

Call to worship (from Psalm 16)
Preserve us, O God
for we take our refuge in You.
You are our Lord
we have no good apart from You.
We bless the Lord who gives us counsel
He is at our right hand so we shall not be moved.
You show us the path of life
in Your presence our joy is made complete.

Gathering/Settling Prayer
Risen Christ,
You come and stand among us,
speaking peace into our fear
and hope into our uncertainty.
As we gather, open our hearts to Your presence,
open our lives to Your word,
and lead us into the fullness of life
You offer in Your name.
Amen.

Confession / Repentance
Faithful God,
we confess that we often hide behind locked doors—
doors of fear, doubt, or self-protection.
We place conditions on belief
and resist the paths You set before us.
Forgive us, renew us,
and breathe Your Spirit upon us again,
that we may trust Your grace
and walk in the path of life.
Amen.

Thanksgiving / Gratitude
God of resurrection,
we give thanks that death could not hold Your Son
and that through Jesus
we are given new birth into a living hope.
We thank You for joy beyond words,
for faith refined through trial,
and for the inheritance kept for us in Your love.
Receive our praise,
for You are faithful and Your promises endure.
Amen.

Prayer for others / Intercession
God of peace,
we pray for all who live behind locked doors today—
those burdened by fear, grief, or uncertainty.
Bring comfort where there is suffering,
hope where faith is tested,
and peace where hearts are troubled.
Strengthen Your church to be a faithful witness,
sent into the world as Christ was sent,
bearing signs of resurrection life.
Amen.

Blessing / Closing prayer
Go in peace,
held in the love of God,
renewed by the risen Christ,
and led by the breath of the Holy Spirit.
Walk in the path of life,
live in resurrection hope,
and may your joy be made full.
Amen.

Musical suggestions

Our musical worship is primarily contemporary, with gatherings usually beginning with sung worship led by guitar or piano. Alongside contemporary songs, we also use a small number of traditional hymns that resonate with our community. The following selections reflect songs commonly used in our context and support the Easter themes of resurrection, hope, peace, and new life.

God Welcomes All (GWA) is the new supplement to Church Hymnary Fourth Edition. This exciting new collection features over 200 hymns and songs in a wide range of styles by writers from Scotland and around the world.

The full music and words-only versions are now available; and digital resources, including the expansion of the existing Church of Scotland music website, will be published in due course, with streaming functions and further information on each song; backing tracks; and lyric videos. God Welcomes All is available to order from https://chbookshop.hymnsam.co.uk/books/9781786225573/god-welcomes-all

Our online music resource is on the Church of Scotland website; you can listen to samples of every song in the Church Hymnary 4th edition (CH4) and download a selection of recordings for use in worship. You will also find playlists for this week and liturgical seasons and themes on the Weekly Worship and Inspire Me tabs.

You can find further musical suggestions for this week in a range of styles on the Songs for Sunday blog from Trinity College Glasgow.

  • GWA 124 – "How great the chasm that lay between us"
  • GWA 129 – "Build your kingdom here (Come set your rule and reign)
  • GWA 137 – "King of kings (In the darkness we were waiting)"
  • CH4 419 – "Thine be the glory, risen, conquering son"
  • CH4 415 – "This joyful Eastertide"
  • CH4 189 – "Be Still, for the Presence of the Lord"
  • CH4 250 – "Sent by the Lord am I"
  • CH4 432 – "How often we, like Thomas"

Contemporary Worship:

  • A suggested playlist of songs from CH4 throughout Easter can be found on the Church of Scotland website

Reflecting on our worship practice

Since the start of the pandemic in 2020, the way we worship has changed and we need to reflect on the changing or newly established patterns that emerged and continue to emerge as a result of the disruption.

We can facilitate worship for all by exploring imaginative approaches to inclusion, participation and our use of technologies in ways that suit our contexts. This is not an exhaustive list, but some things we could consider are:

  • Framing various parts of the worship service in accessible language to help worshippers understand the character and purpose of each part. This is essential for creating worship for all (intergenerational worship) that reflects your community of faith.
  • Holding spaces for reflection and encouraging prayer to be articulated in verbal and non-verbal ways, individually and in online breakout rooms.
  • In online formats the effective use of the chat function and microphone settings encourages active participation in prayer, e.g. saying the Lord's Prayer together unmuted, in a moment of ‘holy chaos'.
  • While singing in our congregations is still restricted, we can worship corporately by using antiphonal psalm readings, creeds and participative prayers.
  • Using music and the arts as part of the worship encourages the use of imagination in place of sung or spoken words.
  • Use of silence, sensory and kinaesthetic practices allow for experience and expression beyond regular audio and visual mediums.

The following questions might help you develop a habit of reflecting on how we create and deliver content and its effectiveness and impact, and then applying what we learn to develop our practice.

  • How inclusive was the worship?
    Could the worship delivery and content be described as worship for all/ intergenerational?
    Was it sensitive to different "Spiritual Styles"?
  • How was the balance between passive and active participation?
  • How were people empowered to connect with or encounter God?
    What helped this?
    What hindered this?
  • How cohesive was the worship?
    Did it function well as a whole?
    How effective was each of the individual elements in fulfilling its purpose?
  • How balanced was the worship?
    What themes/topics/doctrines/areas of Christian life were included?
  • How did the worship connect with your context/contemporary issues?
    Was it relevant in the everyday lives of those attending and in the wider parish/ community?
    How well did the worship connect with local and national issues?
    How well did the worship connect with world events/issues?
  • What have I learned that can help me next time I plan and deliver worship?

You can listen to samples of every song in the Church Hymnary 4th edition (CH4) and download a selection of recordings for use in worship in our online hymnary.

You are free to download, project, print and circulate multiple copies of any of this material for use in worship services, bible studies, parish magazines, etc., but reproduction for commercial purposes is not permitted.

Please note that the views expressed in these materials are those of the individual writer and not necessarily the official view of the Church of Scotland, which can be laid down only by the General Assembly.