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5th Sunday of Easter

                                  05/18/2025 - 10:30 pm

WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

CENTERING MUSIC                    Lift High the Cross                         Sydney H, Nicholson
                                                        Arr. Carolyn Hamlin

CALL TO WORSHIP

*OPENING HYMN #249                               Because You Live, O Christ

Because you live, O Christ, the garden of the world has come to flower;

The darkness of the tomb is flooded ith your resurrection power.

The stone has rolled away and death cannot imprison!

O sing this Easter day, for Jesus Christ has risen, has risen, has risen, has risen!

 

Because you live, O Christ, the spirit bird of hope is freed for flying;

Our cages of despair no longer keep us closed and life-denying.

The stone has rolled away and death cannot imprison!

O sing this Easter day, for Jesus Christ has risen, has risen, has risen, has risen!

 

Because you live, O Christ, the rainbow of your peace will span creation;

The colors of your love will draw all humankind to adoration.

The stone has rolled away and death cannot imprison!

O sing this Easter day, for Jesus Christ has risen, has risen, has risen, has risen!

RESPONSIVE PRAYER CONFESSING OUR NEED FOR GOD’S GRACE

One: From that place of knowing we are given grace, we turn to you in confession:
O God, we’ve heard the old, old story and we confess our sin of indifference.

People: God, jolt our lives to turn and look at You once more.

One: Give us the ears to hear your amazing story that God would become one of us living among us, teaching us, sitting down at table with us, breaking bread and drinking wine with us and then dying among us.  Amazing grace!

People: O God, we ask for your presence this day.  Brush against us when we least expect it.  Touch us with your Spirit.  Take us by the shoulders and shake us awake to your incredibly truth.

One: We are your people and you are our God.  Forgive our faithlessness, O Faithful God!  And see beyond our apathy, our thoughtlessness, our self-centeredness, our wrong choices.  See into our heart, for you are our Treasure!

People: We pledge once more to give to those who need us, that this world ight e more human.  We pledge to do away with indifference.  We pledge to tell the old, old story in new life-changing ways.  For Jesus’ sake, Amen.

MOMENT OF SILENT PRAYER

SONG OF RENEWAL   #240 Refrain

Alleluia, alleluia, give thanks to the risen lord, alleluia, alleluia, give praise to his name.

 

CELEBRATION OF GOD’S GRACE

One: We celebrate that the Grace of God is today, is tomorrow, is forever.
People: We sigh with relief that there is nothing that is beyond God’s redemption and healing.
All: We dance in the joy of knowing God’s grace is far bigger than we could ever hope or imagine!

 

*PASSING THE PEACE

Pastor: The peace of Christ be with you.
People: And with you also.
Pastor: Let us pass the peace of Christ.
People: The peace of Christ be with you.   (To one another)

ANTHEM                   "Take the World, but Give Me Jesus"

BLESSING THE CHILDREN AND SINGING TO GODLY PLAY

            Today’s Story                   “The Seven Faces of Jesus”
                                                  Peter Cloven & Cyndi Sneeringer

            Leader:            And as we continue our worship…
            Congregation: May God be with you there.
            Children:         May God be with you here.

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Leader:            Lord in your mercy,
People:            Hear our prayer

PASTORAL PRAYER

THE LORD’S PRAYER

As we pray together the Lord's Prayer, you are invited to say this in whatever version is most comforting and meaningful to you.  Here is one possible version (ecumenical version) that you can use:

Our Father, who is in heaven, holy be your name.

Your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread and forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.

And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever.  Amen.

SCRIPTURES            Psalm 23

RESPONSE                                                   

Reader:      The word of the Lord
People:      Thanks be to God

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION, from Psalm 19 - responsively

Pastor:       May the words of my mouth
People:      And the meditations of our hearts
All:            Be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord,
                  Our rock and our redeemer.  Amen

SERMON                   The Shepherd and the Sheep                                    Susan Chapman

MOMENT OF SILENT REFLECTION

*HYMN OF RESPONSE   #309    Come, Great God of All the Ages     vs. 1,3  

OFFERING

OFFERTORY                        Elevation                                             Paul Benoit

*DOXOLOGY                       Sung to: All Creatures of our God and King

Praise God the giver and the gift,

Hearts, minds and voices now uplift:

Allelulia!  Alleluia!

Praise, praise the Breath of glad surprise,

Freeing uplifting opening eyes,

Three in Oneness, Love community,

Alleluia!  Alleluia!  Alleluia!

*PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING     Written by Pope Francis

All powerful God, you are present in the whole universe and in the smallest of your creatures. 

You embrace with tenderness all that exists. 

Pour out upon us the power of your love, that we may protect life and beauty and peace. 

Fill us with that so we may live as brothers and sisters, harming no one. 

O God of the poor, help us to recognize the abandoned and forgotten of this earth ,so precious in your eyes. 

Bring healing to our lives, that we can protect the world and not prey upon it, that we may sow beauty, not pollution and destruction. 

Touch the hearts of those who look only for gain at the expense of the poor and the earth. 

Teach us to discover the worth of each thing, to be filled with awe and contemplation,

to recognize that we are profoundly united with every creature as we journey towards your infinite light. 

We thank you for being with us each day. 

Encourage us, we pray, in our struggle for justice, love and peace. 

*CLOSING HYMN         #246   Christ is Alive!      Vs. 1-4

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE                                  Reprise                                    Arr. Carolyn H. Hamlin

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