April 30, 2023
Fourth Sunday of Easter
10:00 am
WELCOME Elder Eric Campo
OPENING PRAYER
Loving Shepherd, you know our names; you care for us. When we face darkness and death, walk beside us. When we hunger for your love, fill us with your presence. When we are fearful, feed us at your table. May we dwell in the house of goodness and mercy all the days of our lives. Amen.
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP
In the laughter of children, we hear the voice of the Gate of the Way, and find our way home.
In the lap of a parent, God’s compassion cradles us in the still waters of love.
The Shepherd of our lives leads us through that door into life with him forever.
We are baptized with living waters which refresh
us, restoring us to follow Jesus all our days.
The Holy Spirit, Keeper of truth, is the Light which guides us through every shadowed moment.
The Breath of life stills our worries and fears, as we are led to that peaceful place of God’s heart.
*HYMN No. 465 “What a Friend We Have in Jesus”
1 What a friend we have in Jesus,
all our sins and griefs to bear!
What a privilege to carry
everything to God in prayer!
O what peace we often forfeit;
O what needless pain we bear,
all because we do not carry
everything to God in prayer!
2 Have we trials and temptations?
Is there trouble anywhere?
We should never be discouraged;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Can we find a friend so faithful
who will all our sorrows share?
Jesus knows our every weakness;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
3 Are we weak and heavy laden,
cumbered with a load of care?
Precious Savior, still our refuge;
take it to the Lord in prayer!
Do thy friends despise, forsake thee?
Take it to the Lord in prayer!
In his arms he’ll take and shield thee;
thou wilt find a solace there.
*CALL TO CONFESSION
Day by day, God would lead us to the places of hope and healing, while moment by moment, we continue to follow sin down all the wrong paths. Let us confess our lives, as we draw near to the One who would restore us to wholeness. Join me as we pray together, saying,
*PRAYER FOR CONFESSION
The wrong paths to foolish lives and repeated mistakes? We know all too well where they are, Gate of our lives. Stirring up the waters with trouble comes all too easy to us, we confess. And locking the doors of our hearts so we don’t have to love others is second nature to us. Forgive us, our Goodness and Mercy. May our hearts overflow with hope for others, as you anoint us with healing oil. May we share from our abundance with all who hunger for life. May we follow Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to the places of service and life with you forever.
*SILENT PRAYER FOR CONFESSION
*ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Our Comforter leads us to that place where God’s Table is spread with forgiveness and overflowing with grace. Here, we are called to life and love.
We will live as God’s people: forgiven to serve, blessed to share, loved so we might care. Thanks be to God. Amen.
*RESPONSE No. 260 “Alleluia! Sing to Jesus”
Alleluia! Sing to Jesus;
his the scepter, his the throne;
Alleluia! his the triumph,
his the victory alone!
Hark! The songs of peaceful Zion
thunder like a mighty flood:
“Jesus out of every nation
has redeemed us by his blood.”
*PASSING OF THE PEACE OF CHRIST
Our peace comes from knowing how much God loves us in Jesus Christ. With God’s help, we try to love and forgive one another as Christ loves and forgives us.
“The peace of Christ be with you,”
“And also with you.”
ANTHEM: “One Who Stands Among Us” Ken Medema
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
MaryLynne Diehlman
UNISON PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION
Almighty God, through your only Son you overcame death and opened to us the light of eternity. Enlighten our minds and kindle our hearts with the presence of your Spirit, that we may hear your words of comfort and challenge in the reading of the scriptures, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE Elder Scott Kintzing
PSALM 23
1 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.
2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;
he leads me beside still waters;[a]
3 he restores my soul.[b]
He leads me in right paths[c]
for his name’s sake.4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,[d]
I fear no evil,
for you are with me;
your rod and your staff,
they comfort me.5 You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
you anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
6 Surely[e] goodness and mercy[f] shall follow me
all the days of my life,
and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord
my whole life long.[g]
JOHN 10:1-10
10“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” 6Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.
SERMON “Jesus the Good Shepherd” Elder Judy Platt
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Apostles’ Creed
I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic Church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.
*HYMN No. 802 “The King of Love My Shepherd Is”
1 The King of love my shepherd is,
whose goodness faileth never;
I nothing lack if I am his
and he is mine forever.
2 Where streams of living water flow
my ransomed soul he leadeth,
and where the verdant pastures grow,
with food celestial feedeth.
3 Perverse and foolish oft I strayed,
but yet in love he sought me,
and on his shoulder gently laid,
and home, rejoicing, brought me.
4 In death’s dark vale I fear no ill
with thee, dear Lord, beside me;
thy rod and staff my comfort still,
thy cross before to guide me.
5 Thou spread’st a table in my sight;
thy unction grace bestoweth;
and O what transport of delight
from thy pure chalice floweth!
6 And so through all the length of days
thy goodness faileth never;
Good Shepherd, may I sing thy praise
within thy house forever.
THE PASTORAL PRAYER & THE LORD’S PRAYER
Dearest Lord,
Holy Lamb of God,
Shepherd of the world,
You lead us to respite and relief.
You are our provider and sustainer and through Your providence,
we will never want for Your Presence.
You lead us to fields of plenty
and You refresh our souls with the cool clear waters of Your spirit.
Holy Lamb of God,
You are the Good Shepherd.
We follow You Lord because we know Your voice.
We know that You will lead us through the valley of the shadow of death.
You are Yourself the Gate—
we can only come to the Throne of Grace through You.
And You are truly with us—Emmanuel, God with us—
so we will not fear evil but be comforted.
You came to give us life and give it to us abundantly.
You have prepared Your table for us and anoint us for service.
Anoint us with Your Holy Spirit:
help us to devote ourselves to Your good teachings,
to worship, to fellowship and to prayer.
We eat the food that You have given us,
both spiritual and physical and You nourish us.
Holy Lamb of God,
today we pray for our sisters and brothers,
especially for those who suffer.
We pray for the children—
those who live in plenty, but also for those who live in want.
We pray for all of those who live alone, the homebound and the aged.
We pray for those who are absent from us—
those who live far away,
or are stationed in far places and live in great danger
or those who are absent from us even though we share a house with them.
We pray for those who grieve and mourn.
We pray for those who are imprisoned by addiction or disease.
Holy Lamb of God,
we confess that we have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,
by what we have done, and by what we have left undone.
All of us are like sheep who have gone astray—
we have not loved You with our whole heart;
we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.
We are truly sorry and we humbly repent.
Forgive us and free us for joyful obedience.
Help us to follow the example of Christ.
He left his petitions in the hands of God, who always judges fairly.
Help us to remember that He personally carried away our sins in His own body
so we can be dead to sin and live for what is right.
Help us to rejoice that we have been healed by His wounds!
Once we were wandering like lost sheep,
but now we have turned to Your Shepherd, the Guardian of our souls.
All we can say is thank You
and pray that Your goodness and mercy will follow us all the days of our lives.
These things we pray in the name of your Son, the Holy Lamb of God,
who taught us to pray saying…Our Father……
Our Father, who art in heaven, Hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
OFFERING OF TITHES & OFFERINGS
The Shepherd cares for us, providing all that we need in abundance. The Shepherd calls us to love one another in truth and action. May our gifts reflect our trust in the Shepherd’s care. May our offerings show our willingness to love one another.
OFFERTORY
*RESPONSE N0. 609 “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessing flow, Praise God, all creatures here below. Alleluia, Alleluia Praise God in Jesus fully known; Creator, Word, and Spirit one. Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
* PRAYER OF DEDICATION
God of love, you abide with us; you provide for all our needs and guide us in your ways. Out of gratitude for your care, we bring our gifts before you. Use them for your work of caring, that all may feast at the table of abundance, walk without fear, and drink deeply from the cup of compassion. Amen.
*HYMN No. 792 “There is a Balm in Gilead”
Refrain:
There is a balm in Gilead
to make the wounded whole;
there is a balm in Gilead
to heal the sin-sick soul.
1 Sometimes I feel discouraged,
and think my work’s in vain,
but then the Holy Spirit
revives my soul again. (Refrain)
2 Don’t ever feel discouraged,
for Jesus is your friend,
and if you lack for knowledge,
he’ll not refuse to lend. (Refrain)
3 If you cannot preach like Peter,
if you cannot pray like Paul,
you can tell the love of Jesus
and say, “He died for all.” (Refrain)
*BENEDICTION
Day by day, God will lead us:
to those pools of peace where we can gather with our friends and strangers.
Day by day, Jesus will call us:
to give ourselves in service, to anoint others with hope.
Day by day, the Spirit shows us:
the people we might be, the community we might become. Amen.
0 Comments