WEEKLY MESSAGE May 29, 2022
Greetings
We gather as a people who, in Jesus will find values that count, and the firm basis for a healthy faith community. The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Lighting the Christ Candle
As Linda lights the Christ candle, Christ, Immanuel, God-with-us, is here as we gather in Ravenswood United Church sanctuary, to worship this morning.
Call to Worship
Over the unbroken woods, the streams, and the meadows, the Spirit hovered, and called.
Over the new farms and pioneer settlements, the Spirit hovered, and called.
Over the factories, highways, subdivisions, the Spirit hovers and calls. What will you say?
We hear your call, O God, and we are here, together, in answer.
Let us worship God.
Opening Prayer
Ever-present God, your call to us stretches us beyond what we thought was possible. Your grace comes to us in an abundance that we could not have even dreamed of. When the two come together, our faithfulness is made possible. Join our efforts to your grace so that we can indeed follow your call, in faithfulness and love. Amen.
*Opening Hymn VU 559 Come, O Fount of Every Blessing
Come O Fount of every blessing
tune my heart to sing your grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of endless praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of God's unfailing love.
Here I pause in my sojourning
giving thanks for having come
come to trust at every turning
God will guide me safely home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger
wandering from the fold of God
came to rescue me from danger
precious presence, precious blood.
or daily I am drawn anew!
Let that grace now like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to you.
Prone to wander, I can feel it,
wander from the love I’ve known.
Here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for your very own.
Prayer of Confession
O God, sometimes your call is hard to hear or to understand. Sometimes we assume you call us to do, what we want to do anyway. Open us to your challenge so that your call does not just affirm our schedule, our prejudices, our attitudes. Instead, call us into new places and challenge us to live in ways that show ours is a daring and risky faith. Amen.
Assurance of Grace
Be assured, sisters and brothers in Christ, that God forgives our frailty, our foolishness, and our mistakes, delighting in our humanity, loving us with a love beyond words. This is Good News! Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 575 I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me
I'm gonna live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna live so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna work so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna work so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna pray so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna pray so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna sing so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
I'm gonna sing so God can use me anywhere, Lord, anytime!
Scripture Readings
Acts of the Apostles Acts 16:16-34
Responsive Psalm 23
Hear what the scripture is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 567 Will you Come and Follow Me
Will you come and follow me
If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know
And never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown?
Will you let my name be known
Will you let my life be grown in you
And you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind
If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you
And you in me?
Will you let the blinded see
If I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
And never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean
And do such as this unseen
And admit to what I mean in you
And you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide
If I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
And never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
To reshape the world around
Through my sight and touch and sound in you
And you in me?
Christ, your summons echoes true
When you but call my name
Let me turn and follow you
And never be the same
In Your company I'll go
Where Your love and footsteps show
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you
And you in me
Gospel Reading John 17:20-26
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Illumination
Let us pray,
All knowing God, you are aware of our needs before we are aware of them, and you lead us to new opportunities before we are ready to discover them. Help us to gain new insights this day through scripture. Ever-present God, you are there with us and for us in all of life. Lead us to a new appreciation of the joys we may experience as your people. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Message The Lord Is My Shepherd
The 23 Psalm is pastorally rich, and because it is so familiar it is read often at the bedside of the dying and at countless celebrations of life and /or funerals. It is the Mona Lisa of the Psalms.
It can cause a speaker to be stressed when addressing this text and yet it seems that the psalmist (writer) feels stress as well. In response to this stress, he reminds us who the Lord is, what the Lord does, and who we actually are.
What does the psalmist face here? We are not sure, but we have some clues. He writes, “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want,” in verse one. Maybe the psalmist faces the pressure of lacking enough---enough to eat and drink, enough safety and shelter to live, enough money to pay for what is necessary.
In verse 4 he writes, “Even though I walk through the darkest valley…” This may refer to deep distress, extreme danger, or even the world of the dead. The exact meaning is unclear by theologians, but the inference is clear---There Are, pressures of distress and danger.
Finally, he says, “You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies,” verse 5. The word for enemies here carries the sense of someone who is a foe, someone who irritates regularly or harasses. So, you see that the writer of this psalm may have been facing stress.
We, as members of The United Church of Canada have times when we face stress, even multiple stress. There is stress: as some sit in a traffic gridlock; as some work ever-increasing hours in a challenging economic time; as some contend with the challenges of school; as some struggle with relationships; as some worry about having enough money, as some interact with angry and hurting people, as some search for meaning in their lives; as some face retirement and as some face death itself. I read just recently heard on the news that many young children are stressed to the point of being diagnosed with a mental illness caused by climate change. Stress is ever present. And most often visits to the medical doctor have a stress related component. We are practically drowning in stress.
In a commentary by Jeff Paschal, a minister in Ohio State, he reminds us that in the heat of this pressure cooker, the psalmist offers cool, refreshing peace found in knowing and celebrating who God is, and who we are. “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want….
He makes me lie down in green pastures; he leads me beside still waters; he restores my soul.” In our culture, which clings to the myth of, ‘rugged individualism’ and ‘self-made’ people, the psalmist instead proclaims the truth---none of us are self-made. None is strong and independent. We are God-made, utterly dependent of God, as sheep are dependent upon the shepherd. Yes, we work, we save, we study, we plan, but God ultimately is the One who meets our needs. God is the One who slows us down and restores our very being.
The psalmist continues, in verse 3 with--- “He leads me in the paths of righteousness for his name’s sake,” here he lets us know that despite our simplistic imaginings about our own goodness, God is the One who enables us to be good and to do any good at all. Any right paths we take in this life are the result not of any particular wisdom on our part but of the wise direction of God.
And in verse 4 –Yeah though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; for you are with me; your rod and your staff they comfort me. Although God is a vulnerable God, and a crucified God, the psalmist reminds us that God is also a powerful protector. Like a shepherd with a rod and staff, God guides us and protects us from those who might try to harm us in some fashion.
God’s protective power is so great that the psalmist has the audacity to proclaim that we are invited to imagine entering a room filled with our enemies. So, we take a seat and begin to eat the feast God has prepared---and we eat right in front of our enemies. If that is not enough, then God anoints our head with oil and fills our cup until it overflows. Some Christians facing physical and spiritual struggles may refer to their challenges as enemies and in turn may recognize this image and rejoice.
The last verse indicates that every moment of life, God is hounding us with goodness and kindness. Imagine that!
What kind of God is this? The psalmist says that God is our shepherd, who grants our needs, causes us to rest and be restored, leads us in the right way of living, protects us from evil, honours and blesses us and never stops pursuing us with goodness and kindness.
What kind of creatures are we? Well, not exactly self-sufficient superstars---more like needy, dependent sheep. This Psalm beckons us--to allow the Shepherd to slow us down.
Let us take a moment to reflect.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 579 The Church Is Wherever God’s People
The Church is wherever God's people are praising,
singing God’s goodness for joy on this day
The Church is wherever disciples of Jesus
remember his story and walk in his way.
The Church is wherever God's people are helping,
caring for neighbours in sickness and need.
The Church is wherever God's people are sharing
the words of the Bible in gift and in deed.
*A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
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Offering Invitation
What a time it was in those early days after Easter! Friends of Jesus spending as much time together as possible, sharing food and worshipping together with glad and generous hearts! Let us open our glad and generous hearts as we praise God with our offerings.
*Offering Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication
Dear God, as your children blessed with many gifts, we come before you. It is with joy that we now return to you some of what you have given to us. May these gifts be used to bring hope and peace to your community. This we ask in the name of Immanuel, God-with-us. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
God of All,
We are your people, the sheep of your pasture. Stir us with the new life you have given us in the risen Christ. Pour your grace upon us like rain on the budding earth. Startle us with you wonder. We come to you in this time of prayer. You draw us to you. You show us the way and we follow. We know your voice. We follow in community as sheep following the shepherd. Risen Christ, use our feet to lead us in your way, to walk with our brothers and sisters in this church community, in our neighbourhood, and in the greater world.
In prayer we remember the many parts of your world: in countries torn apart by war; in hospitals and with the dying; in families struggling with separation and divorce; in corners, fearing our deepest selves. God of peace, our prayer begins and ends in you. We ask that you be in our hands, our feet, and in our hearts, as we follow, and you lead us. In the name of your Son, Jesus, we pray, “Our Father… Amen.”
*Closing Hymn VU 586 We Shall Go Out with Hope of Resurrection
We shall go out with hope of resurrection;
we shall go out, from strength to strength go on;
we shall go out and tell our stories boldly;
tales of a love that will not let us go.
We'll sing our songs of wrongs that can be righted;
we'll dream our dream of hurts that can be healed;
we'll weave a cloth of all the world united
within the vision of new life who sets us free.
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We'll give a voice to those who have not spoken;
we'll find the words for those whose lips are sealed;
we'll make the tunes for those who sing no longer,
expressive love alive in every heart.
We'll share our joy with those who are still weeping,
raise hymns of strength for hearts that break in grief,
we'll leap and dance the resurrection story
including all in circles of our love.
Commissioning
May God of sunshine warm you with love and acceptance.
May God of the rain showers nourish you with strength and renewal.
May God of rainbows embrace you with inspiration and encouragement,
Go now to be caretakers of God’s good earth!
Stay safe. Stay well. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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WEEKLY MESSAGE MAY 22, 2022
Greeting
God the Sender, send us. God the Sent, come with us. God the Strengthener of those who go, empower us, that we may go with you and find those who will call you Father, Son, and holy Spirit.
Lighting the Christ Candle
We light this candle as a people who know Jesus the Christ, as the source of grace revealing the way and empowering us to follow.
Call to Worship
We gather in the presence of God as disciples of the one whose love healed those the world scorned.
We gather as disciples of Jesus to rejoice in what God has done.
The God whose power and presence shone in Jesus is with us still, to help us seek justice, resist evil, and find the path to more abundant life.
We are a blessed people, called to bless the world that God so loves.
All honour and glory and praise, be to our God. Let us join in worship.
Opening Prayer
Gracious and Loving God, hear us as we come in worship. May our prayer and praise be from our hearts; may our ears be open to your Word. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
*Opening Hymn VU 211 Crown Him with Many Crowns
Crown him with many crowns,
the Lamb upon his throne;
hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns
all music but its own!
Awake, my soul, and sing
of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King
through all eternity.
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Crown him the Lord of life,
who triumphed o'er the grave,
and rose victorious in the strife
for those he came to save.
His glories now we sing,
who died and rose on high,
who died eternal life to bring,
and lives that death may die.
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Crown him the Lord of peace,
whose power a sceptre sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease,
absorbed in prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end;
and round his piercèd feet
fair flowers of Paradise extend
their fragrance ever sweet.
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Crown him the Lord of love;
behold his hands and side,
rich wounds yet visible above,
in beauty glorified.
All hail, Redeemer, hail!
for thou hast died for me:
thy praise shall never, never fail
throughout eternity.
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Prayer of Confession
Creator God, you offer healing from old wounds, renewed strength, and a spirit that enables us to forgive others and ourselves so that we might start anew. Too often we reject your invitation to be free, to put aside our burdens and start again. Sometimes it simply seems easier to remain in the misery that we know, than to embrace the new life that is unknown. Forgive us. Help us to see new opportunities for growth and healing as invitations from you, and to accept those invitations with an open and willing heart. Amen.
Assurance of Grace
Hear the Good News: in Jesus we are no longer slaves to fear. We have been embraced as dearly loved children of God. God’s Spirit has set us free!
*Hymn VU 567 Will You Come and Follow Me
Will you come and follow me
If I but call your name?
Will you go where you don't know
And never be the same?
Will you let my love be shown?
Will you let my name be known
Will you let my life be grown in you
And you in me?
Will you leave yourself behind
If I but call your name?
Will you care for cruel and kind
And never be the same?
Will you risk the hostile stare
Should your life attract or scare?
Will you let me answer prayer in you
And you in me?
Will you let the blinded see
If I but call your name?
Will you set the prisoners free
And never be the same?
Will you kiss the leper clean
And do such as this unseen
And admit to what I mean in you
And you in me?
Will you love the "you" you hide
If I but call your name?
Will you quell the fear inside
And never be the same?
Will you use the faith you’ve found
To reshape the world around
Through my sight and touch and sound in you
And you in me?
Christ, your summons echoes true
When you but call my name
Let me turn and follow you
And never be the same
In Your company I'll go
Where Your love and footsteps show
Thus I'll move and live and grow in you
And you in me
Scripture Readings
Act of the Apostles Acts1:1-11
Responsive Reading Psalm 47
Hear what the scriptures are saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
Gospel Reading Luke 24:45-53
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
*Hymn VU 356 Seek Ye First the Kingdom
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God and God’s righteousness,
and all these things shall be added unto you.
hallelu, hallelujah
Ask, and it shall be given unto you; seek and ye shall find;
knock and the door shall be opened unto you.
hallelu, hallelujah.
We do not live by bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God.
hallelu, hallelujah
Prayer of Illumination
Living God, Eternal Spirit, let your bright intoxicating energy which fired-up those first disciples, fall on us to turn the world again.
Message Just a Wandering Teacher—No!
Today we celebrate the Ascension of Jesus the Christ. This is the time of Jesus’ final act on earth, by which he ascended into heaven. In several creeds it is declared, “he sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty.” The doctrine of the ascension is often ignored in Christian theology and is sometimes observed simply, as Jesus’ exit from earth.
Three crucial points come to mind. 1st it is the ascended Christ who is our advocate before the throne of God. 2nd, by his ascension and his sitting in heaven, Christ has taken humanity into heaven for he draws us as the body of which he is the Head. And 3rd, it is Christ sitting in heaven who sends the Holy Spirit, so that the Spirit is now present among us.
Many stained-glass windows depict Jesus coming from heaven amid the clouds. The clouds seem almost to disappear into the background and Jesus’ peers through them looking directly at us. This moves us to set our eyes to heaven and the second coming of Christ. Yet, the two men in white robes who suddenly appear in the first chapter of Acts ask, “Why do you stand looking up toward heaven?” Indeed, why do we sit in our pews each week looking up toward the heavens?
The beginning of the book of Acts is, of course, not the beginning of the story. But, kind of like – “a Previously on ER” plot summary, Acts1:1-9 recaps Jesus’ ascension. While Luke trail blazes through the unchartered territory of the 1st century, he relies on the first book of his Gospel to tell how this crew of eleven, arrived at this moment staring into heaven. Luke provides the reader, Theophilus with an update. Luke ends his Gospel with Jesus’ blessing the 11 disciples and then being carried up into heaven (Luke 24:51).
The ascension is not like a farewell party; it does not lament Jesus’ going away. Instead of the disciples’ minds being opened ‘to understand the scriptures’ (Luke 24:45) they receive the promise of the Holy Spirit. Jesus’ disciples return to the city and each day go to the temple to give God thanks. The disciples have discovered that, while they originally thought they were following a wandering teacher, Jesus has turned out to be far more than that. They are learning what it means to call him Christ.
In the Acts account of the ascension, the disciples hope that the bad news of Jesus leaving them to cope hopelessly will not come. It was only 40 days earlier that they were lost and dismayed with Jesus’ torturous departure, and---they are still anticipating the promised kingdom.
In Acts 1:3 Jesus is referring to teaching for forty days about the kingdom of God, but in verse 6, we understand that the disciples thought it was the kingdom of Israel— that Jesus had been referring to. For when waiting in Jerusalem they ask each other, “has Jesus not been speaking of the Kingdom?”
Sitting in our pews our focus is often like the disciples, fixed on a preconceived notion. Are we perhaps looking for the kingdom of survival? As an aging congregation we need the young to help our congregation to survive. Or are we a congregation anticipating activity or consumption, in our thinking of the future. For when will we be restored to the good old days with the humungous Sunday School that overflows our walls? For us that’s how Church ought to be, maybe. Jesus points not to the future, but, to the power of the Holy Spirit in the PRESENT.
The opening of the book of Acts is a two-layered transition. The top layer moves from the Gospel of Luke to the Acts of the Apostles. Underneath, we move from passively waiting for Jesus to come and fix things in the end times, to actively participating, including the whole body of the congregation, in the work of the Holy Spirit NOW.
Acts 1:8 tells us, if we sit staring up into the heavens looking for Jesus, then we cannot be God’s witnesses ‘to the ends of the earth.’ Perhaps our stained-glass window should be plain clouds, so our attention is turned to those around us who are in need of knowing the good news of the gospel.
Jesus’ life began in God and returns to God, taking all of us with him. He is no longer limited by time and space. We, who are part of his Body, have also started this eternal relationship. Hope isn’t wishful thinking or optimism. Hope is new life in Christ, which has already begun, and it is lived in the PRESENT in the certainty of resurrection.
Let us take time to reflect.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 401 Worship the Lord
Refrain:
Worship the Lord
worship the Father, the Spirit, the Son,
raising our hands
in devotion to God who is one!
Raising our hands as a sign of rejoicing,
and with our lips our togetherness voicing,
giving ourselves to a life of creativeness,
worship and work must be one! [Refrain]
Praying and training that we be a blessing,
and by our workmanship daily confessing:
we are committed to serving humanity,
worship and work must be one! [Refrain]
Called to be partners with God in creation,
honouring Christ as the Lord of the nation,
we must be ready for risk and for sacrifice,
worship and work must be one! [Refrain]
Bringing the bread and the wine to the table,
asking that we may be led and enabled,
truly united to build new communities,
worship and work must be one! [Refrain]
Now in response to the life you are giving,
help us, O Father, to offer our living,
seeking a just and a healing society,
worship and work must be one! [Refrain]
*A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
God calls us to respond in faith, to be stewards of great resources, to live responsibly and responsively, to share love and grace. Let us present our offering today including the offerings of hands, hearts and lives.
*Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication
O God, in this offering of time, talent, and treasure, may these humble gifts be used with justice and wisdom in our church, and throughout the world. Amen.
Prayers of the People
God of all times, God of all seasons, God of mystery and miracles, your love is like this spring day, with new shoots and bursting buds. So it is with the springtime of our lives. New life is born, and hope surges through us, and you are with us caring, waiting, and loving. For this we give thanks.
God of creation we pray for the land and the seed that by your hand there may be abundant crops; and make us good stewards of these resources you entrust to us.
God of all the earth, we pray for our brothers and sisters who are in special need of your touch this day. We remember people in places of drought and famine. We remember hungry people surrounded by food they cannot afford to buy. We bring before you those with hearts heavy from grief or illness, those stressed and overburdened.
Sustain these people, O God, and those we name in the silence of our hearts…
We say these prayers before you in the quiet confidence that you will answer according to your will.
And now we join in the prayer that Jesus taught us to say, “Our Father,,,Amen.”
*Closing Hymn VU 635 All the Way My Saviour Leads Me
All the way my Saviour leads me;
what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy
who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
here by faith in him to dwell,
for I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
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All the way my Saviour leads me,
cheers each winding path I tread,
gives me grace for every trial,
feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
and my soul athirst may be,
gushing from the Rock before me,
lo, a spring of joy I see!
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All the way my Saviour leads me;
O the fullness of his love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
in my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
wings its flight to realms of day,
this my song through endless ages,
"Jesus led me all the way."
*Commissioning/Benediction
May God open our eyes to the vibrancy of life around us. May God renew hope within us, reawaken our dreams of what is and just, dreams that were meant to be. May the well-being and gentle peace of God be in our hearts.
Sung ‘Amen’ VU 967
Stay well. Stay safe. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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WEEKLY MESSAGE MAY 15, 2022
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Greeting
The turning earth carries us on a great voyage through space. The turning seasons make our hearts rejoice. The turning of our night into day causes us to give thanks to God. Let us—turn to God in this time of worship, loved, strengthened, and free.
Lighting the Christ Candle
Each new day reminds us of the light that dwells within us—the light God has placed within our hearts. We light the Christ candle, remembering that we are made of light and love, remembering that we are called to bring light and love to others and the world. Thanks be! (Bob Root, Peterborough ON)
Call to Worship
Leader: Change is a’ comin’!
Women: Like a flash of lightening.
Men: Like the moving tides.
All: Change is a ‘comin’!
Leader: Spirit is a movin’!
Women: Making us close our eyes….
Men: Until our hearts are ready to SEE
All: Spirit is a movin’!
Leader: Life is a growin’!
Women: In all the corners of the world!
Men: Deep in our souls!
All: Life is a growin’!
Leader: In the comin,’ in the movin,’ in the growin’…
All: God is with us.
God is with all creation.
Alleluia! Alleluia! ALLELUIA!
(Richard Bott, St. Andrew’s U.C. Maple Ridge B.C.)
Opening Prayer
Creator God, all people of the human race belong to your family. All of creation has been made by you. You have given us creative spirits like your own, to live in partnership with one another and the earth. In awe and wonder we draw near to worship, amazed that you name us to your family and trust us to live in your world. We thank you and praise you. In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen.
*Hymn of Praise VU 240 Praise, My Soul, God of Heaven
Praise, my soul, the God of heaven;
glad of heart your carols raise;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven
who, like me, should sing God's praise?
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise the Maker all your days!
Praise God for the grace and favour
shown our forebears in distress;
God is still the same forever,
slow to chide, and swift to bless:
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Sing our Maker's faithfulness!
Like a loving parent caring,
God knows well our feeble frame;
gladly all our burdens bearing,
still to countless years the same.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
All within me, praise God's name!
Frail as summer's flower we flourish,
blows the wind and it is gone;
but, while mortals rise and perish,
God endures unchanging on.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
Praise the high eternal one.
Angels, teach us adoration,
you behold God face to face;
sun and moon and all creation,
dwellers all in time and space.
Hallelujah! Hallelujah!
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Scripture Readings
New Testament Acts 11:1-18
Psalm 48
New Testament Revelation 21:1-6
Hear what the scripture is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 226 For the Beauty of the Earth
For the beauty of the earth,
for the glory of the skies,
for the love which from our birth
over and around us lies,
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[Refrain:]
God of all, to you we raise
this our hymn of grateful praise.
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For the beauty of each hour
of the day and of the night,
hill and vale, and tree and flower,
sun and moon, and stars of light, [Refrain]
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For the joy of human love,
brother, sister, parent, child,
friends on earth and friends above,
for all gentle thoughts and mild, [Refrain]
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For each perfect gift sublime
to our race so freely given;
graces human and divine,
flowers of earth and buds of heaven. [Refrain]
Gospel Reading John 13:31-35
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Confession
God of creating and all imagining, in a moment of your divine energy and cosmic fire, we are begun. In your water world, we were allowed to take root. In your spacious land, many have thrived.
We confess—that spaciousness has been abused, that stewardship has been ignored, that your imaging has been obscured. We confess—that we have failed as co-creators of this living world.
Rain your Spirit down and flow through our lives. Open our eyes to the universal plenty of creation.
Inflame our hearts with love, that being born of fire, water, and divine imagining, we may live in the spaciousness of being a people of God.
Assurance of Grace
Had the original fireball of creation been one degree hotter or colder, or one second faster or slower, we would not be here. We have been loved from the beginning.
In God’s love we are forgiven.
*Hymn VU 703 In the Bulb There is a Flower
In the bulb there is a flower;
in the seed, an apple tree;
in cocoons, a hidden promise:
butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter
there's a spring that waits to be,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
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There's a song in every silence,
seeking word and melody;
there's a dawn in every darkness,
bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future;
what it holds, a mystery,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
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In our end is our beginning;
in our time, infinity;
in our doubt there is believing;
in our life, eternity.
In our death, a resurrection;
at the last, a victory,
unrevealed until its season,
something God alone can see.
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Prayer of Illumination
God, your message comes to us through the scriptures. Each time we hear them they seem so very fresh and new. Help us reflect on them through the lens of history and contemporary experience. May they inspire and provoke. We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
Message
The love command that Jesus gives here to his disciples is typically understood as both the center of Jesus’ teaching and the center of the Christian life.
Christian ethics is commonly described as a love ethic, in a large part because of this passage. Many readers of this gospel also see this passage as pivotal to both the structure and the theology of this Gospel.
The literary context of the passage is crucial to its meaning. As a transition from Jesus’ public ministry to the farewell conversations with the disciples, this passage reveals the identity and characterization of the glory and love of the Jesus community. The immediate context is that of betrayal and this changes the character, of glory and love.
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Judas had set out and Jesus new what this meant. The betrayal was set in motion and could not be stopped.
Jesus also knows that the disciples will not understand the implications of what has happened. With the resistance of the disciples Jesus addresses them with intimacy conveying what a special moment this is. “Little children,” he says to these grown men, “listen to me now. I am getting ready to go where you cannot go, so it is important that we have this time together.”
Many of us have experienced a similar situation---a final conversation with a loved one. This is truly a sacred time that we remember the rest of our lives. Jesus does not speak in his usual manner using parables or paradoxes. He simply gives an order, “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.” This is not so difficult to understand that even a toddler might memorize. It is profound enough that the most mature believers, are repeatedly embarrassed, at how poorly they comprehend it, and put it in to practice.
Verse 35 says---“By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
As Christians how embarrassing that Jesus wanted to make it simple for us and give us just one commandment on which to focus. Yet we have found so many other ways to identify true believers and often have a hard time putting this commandment into practice even in our own family lives.
Jesus does not talk about the importance of the Bible or a carefully constructed creed. The New Testament was not written until two generations after Jesus’ death and it was about 350 years of discussions by theologians before the Nicene Creed was written. The Bible and the creed became terribly important to human beings over the years, but the one thing important to Jesus would get lost as Christians wrestled with power and orthodoxy.
Jesus wanted us to know that people would fight wars over who held correct beliefs.
This was not Jesus primary concern, but that Jesus’ way was the way of little children, not the way of theologians or politicians or educated leaders.
“Little children”, he said “I give you a new commandment, that you love one another.”
This commandment is not about what we believe, it is about how we live. Karen Armstrong wrote in her autobiography, “The Spiral Staircase,” that in most religious traditions, faith is not about belief, but about practice, “about doing things that change you.”
Muslims for example are required to perform certain ritual actions such as the hajj pilgrimage and the fast of the Ramadan as well as many other activities designed to change them. These repeated actions are meant to lead to a personal transformation.
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The Christian religion, has its own share of ancient practices and rituals that shape our lives in the image of Christ. Today Christians seem concerned about who is orthodox and who is revisionist in faith, but more importantly should be concerned with who most effectively lives with the love of Christ in their lives. After all Jesus did not say, ‘they’ will know you are my disciples if you believe the right things. But instead, he said---“Little children, love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples.” In another book, “Out of Africa” by Isak Dinesen, there is a story about a young boy, named Kitau. Kitau arrived at the door of this author, applying for a job as a domestic and she hired him. After three months he asked for a letter of recommendation to Sheik al bin Salim, a Muslim who lived in a nearby town. Isak offered to raise Kitau’s pay, but money was not the issue. The boy had decided to become either a Christian or a Muslim. He had worked and lived with a Christian, Isak, and now, he wanted to see up close how it would be to live with a Muslim. How would Sheik al bin Salim behave? The author, Isak wished she had been told this by the boy before he came to live with her. Had she lived by this commandment alone would she have behaved differently?
Judas had gone out. This was Jesus’ last opportunity to get his point across to the disciples. No more parables or paradoxes, just a simple commandment that today’s Christian churches might use for a base when doing theology and ‘being church.’ “Little children, love each other. This is how everyone will know that you are my disciples.”
Thanks be to God
Let us take time to reflect.
Thanks be to God.
*Hymn VU 333 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling
Love divine, all loves excelling,.
joy of heaven, to earth come down,
fix in us thy humble dwelling,
all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
pure, unbounded love thou art;
visit us with thy salvation,
enter every trembling heart.
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Come, almighty to deliver,
let us all thy life receive;
suddenly return, and never,
nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
serve thee as thy hosts above,
pray, and praise thee, without ceasing,
glory in thy perfect love.
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Finish then thy new creation;
pure and spotless let us be;
let us see thy great salvation
perfectly restored in thee,
changed from glory into glory,
till in heaven we take our place,
till we cast our crowns before thee,
lost in wonder, love, and praise.
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*A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
Almost anywhere else, when you go to an event, there’s someone at a desk taking your money for a ticket to enter. And that’s if you don’t use a ticketing agency or your favourite scalper. The church is almost unique in that there is no fee to enter, and you can even leave without one. Indeed, the invitation is not so much to pay what it seems to be worth, but to contribute what you can to the mission movement. We give our offering out of passion that God’s dream for this planet might come a little a closer.
*Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication
In spite of what we waste, we live in an age where we hate to waste anything---our time, our energy, our talents, or our lives as a whole. We look for value in what we have and in what we do. Our worship focuses on the value of God’s love in our lives. May we not waste that love. The love of God revealed in Christ Jesus renews our mission and guides our ministry. We gather to generously invest our time, our money, and our dreams in that adventure. We invest our offering out of passion that God’s dream for this planet might come a little closer. Amen.
Prayers of the People
God whose name is above all names, you have made this world as well as each of us. Just as you know our hearts, you know what is happening throughout the ends of the earth. We seek to have your eyes and your concerns, for we are called to love and to serve those who cannot see because of their tears and who cannot hear because of the noise.
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Holy Spirit, hear our prayers…
For the lost and forgotten, may they be found and remembered. (silence)
For the victims of violence, abuse, and neglect, may they find peace, justice, and love. (silence)
For the sick, may you bring comfort and healing. (silence)
For those who oppress and tear down, may they experience such grace that they will in turn liberate and build up. (silence)
For the rich and the poor, may you bring them to each other’s ends and then to the middle so they will take better care of each other. (silence)
For all those at war, may they be kept safe, brought home, and one day beat their weapons into tools for peace. (silence)
For this polluted and broken world, may its beauty be restored and its wounds be healed. (silence)
For our politicians and leaders, may they be guided by a passion for justice and not be swayed by the seductions of power and wealth. (silence)
For the children, may they learn from our mistakes, right our wrongs, and lead this world toward your future. (silence)
And for your church, may we find the hope and strength in the songs you sing over us to carry out your work. (silence)
We ask that we never forget that the cries of your world are a sign of the mission of your church.
Come Holy Spirit, come. Hear our prayers, and all those who pray in the beautiful name of Jesus the Christ who taught us to pray, “Our Father…Amen.”
*Closing Hymn VU 371 Open My Eyes, That I May See
Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me, Spirit divine!
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Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wave-notes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit divine!
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Open my mouth, and let me bear
gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready, my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me, Spirit divine!
*Commissioning
Go into a world too often profane and too often violent.
Go in caring love, for it is still God’s world.
May the name of the Most High give you strength and hope as you go.
Peter Wyatt
*Sung ‘Amen’ VU 967
Stay safe. Stay well. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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WEEKLY SERVICE May 8, 2022 Mother’s Day/Christian Family Sunday
Welcome/Greeting
As children of the household of God, given life by the Spirit divine, as disciples of Jesus the Christ told to, “Pick up your life and walk!” we gather in Christ’s love!
May the love of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
Lighting the Christ Candle
Today on Mother’s Day and Christian Family Sunday we remember that Jesus called us family: siblings, mothers and children. We light the Christ candle, claiming the promise that where two or three are gathered together, Christ is in our midst. We gather today as the family of Christ.
Call to Worship
Today we celebrate the mothering gifts that women and all people have to share:
nurturing and encouraging, nourishing and healing, enabling and teaching, sustaining and letting go. Let us lift our voices together in worship, remembering the mothering Christ who bore us to eternal life. (Kate Crawford)
*Hymn of Praise VU 331 The Church’s One Foundation
The church's one foundation
Is Jesus Christ our Lord;
we are his new creation
by water and the Word.
from heaven he came and sought us
that we might ever be
his living servant people
by his own death set free.
Called forth from every nation,
yet one o'er all the earth;
one charter of salvation,
one Lord, one faith, one birth;
One holy name professing,
and at one table fed
to one hope always pressing
by Christ’s own Spirit led.
Though with a scornful wonder
the world sees us oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder,
by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping;
their cry goes up, "How long?
But soon the night of weeping
shall be the morn of song.
Mid toil and tribulation,
and tumult of our war,
we wait the consummation
of peace forevermore;
till, with the vision glorious,
our longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious
shall be the church at rest.
We now on earth hath union
with God the Three in One,
and share through faith communion
with those whose rest is won.
O happy ones and holy!
Lord, give us grace that we
like them, the meek and lowly,
on high may dwell with thee.
Scripture
New Testament Acts 7:55-60
Responsive Reading Psalm 23
New Testament 1 Peter 2:2-10
Hear what the scripture is saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 334 All Hail the Power of Jesus’ Name (vs 1,4,5)
All hail the power of Jesus' name!
Let angels prostrate fall;
bring forth the royal diadem,
[Refrain:]
and crown him, crown him, crown him,
Let every tongue and every tribe,
responsive to the call,
to him all majesty ascribe, [Refrain]
O that, with all the sacred throng,
we at his feet may fall;
join in the everlasting song, [Refrain]
Gospel Reading John 14:23-29
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Confession
You call us to passionate care for young people in our families;
You call us to respond with enthusiasm to the questions of the growing ones;
You call us to respond with sensitivity to the troubled ones in our circle of caring;
You call us to break down the barriers that keep us from whole-hearted relationships;
You call us to give generously to the powerless and distressed members of the human family;
Where our apathy is obvious, chasten us.
Where our passion is lacking, renew us!
Assurance of Grace
God is like a parent who says, “I don’t like what you did, but I still love you.” And then God gives us the opportunity to make changes.
Thank you, God! Thank you for a fresh start!
*Hymn VU 337 Blessed Assurance
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
born of the Spirit, washed in Christ's blood.
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[Refrain:]
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my Saviour all the day long.
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Perfect submission, perfect delight!
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
angels descending bring from above
echoes of mercy, whispers of love. [Refrain]
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Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my Saviour am happy and blessed;
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with God's goodness, lost in Christ's love. [Refrain]
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Prayer of Illumination
Challenge us with your message. Open us to the living Word alive in the world, just as the disciples learned to welcome the risen Christ into their lives. We pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
Message
The opening imperative of the Farewell Discourse in John’s text is not just an effective command. “Do not let your hearts be troubled,” is a direction to the disciples will. It is a command to stand firm even when their hearts abandon them. Their theology of a messianic military strongman, will be replaced with the revolution, that only ‘engaged compassion’ can bring.
The disciples who gather with Jesus for the farewell meal ‘almost certainly have’ a measure of heartburn.
Their hearts are torn and disquieted as they hear Jesus say a long good-bye. They have been following Jesus since he began his public ministry, but they are at best, adolescent in their understanding of his message, vision, and mission. They are not able to comprehend that their lived theology is about to radically change.
In February this year our oldest grandson, T J turned 16. At this time, TJ reminded John that it didn’t seem so long ago that he was a tweeny helping a geezer (John) fix a motor. Now he is prepping to get his driver’s permit. When I heard these words a few hours later I realized that our oldest grandson was growing up. Tweens and teens need companions, someone to guide them, someone who will help them navigate the loss of infancy and facilitate a safe crossing to the land of adulthood.
For the adolescent disciples in our scripture today, that someone will soon be the Holy Spirit. The Comforter will come to cure their diseased hearts and help them stand firm in the coming transformation.
We can see how the disciples want to cling to the perceived safety of location—they want to know where Jesus is going and they want to go there with him. Throughout the Gospel of John, however, location is used as a metaphor for the intimacy of a close relationship. The sheep are kept close to the shepherd; Jesus is kept proximal to the heart of God. As they are sitting in the room sharing the feast of loss, John’s Jesus attempts to assure them that there will be a place with plenty of rooms for them; the relationship is going to continue even as it changes. They will not be forgotten.
How does the heart feast at the banquet table of disappointment and defeat? They do not know it yet, but the passion of Christ will mean the farewell of how they understand the messianic message and mission as they knew it. And will be a long time moving from adolescent to adulthood to realize that the messianic message is eternal, even if the Messiah is not immortal. Death will have neither the last or the lasting word.
Jesus commissions his followers by saying, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life.” This text was spoken to Jesus’ closest disciples, adherents of a minority faith in a world filled with people of other faiths. The challenge for us is how to live as people of the Christian faith in our world today. Through the words spoken to his followers, we are being asked to live this way as God would have us live, love this way as God would have us love, and act this way as God would have us act. Then we will experience a life transformed, enriched, and enlightened. We are assured that we will see the way, know the way, and feel the way to Christ-like living and life everlasting. It will be in our nature, so much a part of us. This text states that faithfully taking the way of Jesus is done by following Jesus, and that this is true.
Sometimes children or adolescents, struggling with leaving childhood, and are not quite ready for adulthood. There might be a day when they feel bad about something. Perhaps it was a time when they had done something wrong or at least they thought they had done something wrong. This is a time when they need that someone to guide them, to give them assurance that they are loved—that they are loved and forgiven by God. They will make mistakes, but hopefully, they will learn from them. God is always with and for us, despite our failure (or what we may perceive to be our failure).
What is the bottom line, the foundation for all our decision-making? In the complexities of daily living we need to discern the way, the truth, and the life. The stone in the hand of a mob versus the stone in the hand of God as the foundation of faithful living is a sharp contrast. Choosing between the stones of persecution and the strong foundation stones for the church in the world in the 21st century is a challenge, ‘in our me focused world.’
Jesus is our cornerstone or keystone. We are the living stones. Because we have Jesus, we can be strong and courageous in sharing love in this world. To follow the way of Jesus the Christ, is to be the cornerstone for our families, our communities, and the world. Thanks be to God!
Let us take time to reflect.
Thanks be to God!
*Hymn VU 356 Seek Ye First the Kingdom
Seek ye first the Kingdom of God
and God’s righteousness,
and all these things
shall be added unto you.
hallelu, hallelujah
Ask, and it shall be given unto you;
seek and ye shall find;
knock and the door shall be opened unto you.
hallelu, hallelujah.
We do not live by bread alone,
but by every word
that proceeds from the mouth of God.
hallelu, hallelujah
*A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
Today we remember we are brought together through God’s grace and Jesus’ love. Wow! We are the beneficiaries of abundant blessings. In grateful response, we gather our offering.
*Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
*Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, you have poured out your Spirit upon us, like a mother nursing her infant. Let us return these gifts we offer to you, with gratitude for all you have done for us. May they become the means by which others are also fed and nourished. In Jesus’ name we pray, Amen.
*Hymn VU 635 All the Way My Saviour Leads Me
All the way my Saviour leads me;
what have I to ask beside?
Can I doubt his tender mercy
who through life has been my guide?
Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,
here by faith in him to dwell,
for I know, whate’er befall me,
Jesus doeth all things well.
All the way my Saviour leads me,
cheers each winding path I tread,
gives me grace for every trial,
feeds me with the living bread.
Though my weary steps may falter,
and my soul athirst may be,
gushing from the Rock before me,
lo, a spring of joy I see!
All the way my Saviour leads me;
O the fullness of his love!
Perfect rest to me is promised
in my Father’s house above.
When my spirit, clothed immortal,
wings its flight to realms of day,
this my song through endless ages,
"Jesus led me all the way."
Prayers of the People
O God who is with us still, we thank you for visions:
for a vision of family and relationships that can sustain us even when members of our families are away or ill or no longer living…
for a vision of peace that can encourage us even in the midst of anger, violence, and war…
for a vision of love, demonstrated in the life and teachings of Jesus, whose coming and coming again we celebrate today.
We lift up to you the seniors in our pews as well as Liz, Dean, Sherrie, and Laura, and others that we now name before you in silence.
We thank you for the young children who were welcomed into our family of God, at Ravenswood UC.
We thank you for all children and the childlike part in each of us; for wonder, for spontaneity, and for trust.
We pray in the name of Jesus the Christ, who taught us to pray “Our Father… Amen.”
*Closing Hymn VU 686 God of Grace and God of Glory (vs 1,4)
God of grace and God of glory,
on your people pour your power;
now fulfil your church’s story;
bring its bud to glorious flower.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
for the facing of this hour.
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Set our feet on lofty places;
gird our lives that they may be
armoured with all Christ-like graces,
pledged to set all captives free.
Grant us wisdom, grant us courage,
that we fail not them nor thee.
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Commissioning
We remember those who have shown us the way and invited us to live as part of the family of God each new day.
We depart to share the truth we have received and to live with the hope that we cherish as part of the family of God.
Benediction
Go with joy. God’s hope in you. God’s peace spread through you. God’s laughter ringing in your heart.
*Sung ‘Amen’ VU 967
Amen, amen, amen
Postlude
Stay well. Stay safe. Keep a song in your heart.
God Bless
Rev. Janet
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Weekly Worship May 1, 2022
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Greeting
The grace of our saviour, Jesus the Christ, the love of God,
and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.
And also with you.
Lighting the Christ Candle
The spirit of God is stirring in you.
And also in you.
Let the lit Christ candle mark our readiness to welcome our God.
Let the candle be a beacon to all.
Call to Worship
Sing praises to the Lord, you faithful;
We will give thanks to God's holy name.
Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning.
We will give thanks to God's holy name.
God has turned our mourning into dancing! Let us praise and not be silent!
Lord our God, we will give thanks to your holy name, now and always!
Opening Prayer
God of the Risen Christ and the rising earth,
we come before you this day
giving thanks for all the wonder in your creation:
for the tiny perfection revealed in a baby’s fingers grasping ours,
in each daffodil unzipping its jacket to greet the spring,
and each rock face worn by wind and water,
bearing its rugged beauty with your praise.
These details lift our hearts to praise you, too.
So let the details of the story the Risen Christ lift our hearts this day,
that we may greet a new week
as an occasion to discover him in our midst,
making all things new with the springtime of your Spirit.
Receive our heartfelt worship, O God,
Creator, Christ and Spirit,
ever Three and ever One,
now and evermore. Amen.
Opening Hymn VU 409 Morning Has Broken
Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the Word!
Sweet the rains new fall, sunlit from Heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where His feet pass
Mine is the sunlight, mine is the morning
Born of the one light, Eden saw play!
Praise with elation, praise every morning
God's recreation of the new day
Prayers of Confession
God of each and every life,
week by week we lay our lives before you,
acknowledging ways in which we fall short of your hope for us.
Today we confess we sometimes find it hard to forgive ourselves.
Things done long ago still haunt us.
We hear your forgiveness proclaimed,
yet your promise of a fresh start can ring hollow.
Forgive us if we think we are the one sinner who cannot be forgiven.
Forgive us when we cannot find the peace you offer.
Assurance of Pardon
Friends in Christ, while it is true we have all fallen short of God’s intentions,
it is a greater truth that we are forgiven through God’s love in Jesus Christ.
To all who humbly seek the mercy of God, Jesus offers forgiveness and new life.
So be at peace with God, with yourself, and with one another.
Scripture Readings
New Testament - Acts 9:1-6, (7-20)
Responsive Reading - Psalm 30;
New Testament - Revelation 5:11-14;
Hear what the scriptures are saying to the church.
Thanks be to God!
Hymn VU 120 O Jesus, I Have Promised
O Jesus, I have promised
to serve you to the end;
remain for ever near me,
my Saviour and my friend:
I shall not fear the journey
if you are by my side,
nor wander from the pathway
if you will be my guide.
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O let me feel you near me:
the world is ever near;
I see the sights that dazzle,
the tempting sounds I hear;
my foes are ever near me,
around me and within;
but, Jesus, then draw nearer
and shield my soul from sin.
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O let me hear you speaking
in accents clear and still,
above the storms of passion,
the murmurs of self-will;
O speak to reassure me,
to hasten or control;
now speak, and make me listen,
O guardian of my soul.
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O Jesus, you have promised
to all who follow you,
that where you are in glory
your servant shall be too.
And, Jesus, I have promised
to serve you to the end:
O give me grace to follow,
my Saviour and my friend.
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Gospel Reading John 21:1-19
This is the Good News of Jesus the Christ.
Praise be to God!
Prayer of Illumination
O God of sight and insight,
Send your Holy Spirit to remove the scales from our eyes,
so that we might see your truth and grasp your wisdom.
Grant us fresh understanding of your Word
and your will for our lives. Amen.
Message - Circles and the Sea written by The Rev. Kathleen Walker
“The world is a circle without a beginning and nobody knows where it really ends.” Those are the opening lines of a song sung by Liv Ullman in the movie Lost Horizon. That song seems like a perfect metaphor for today’s gospel; Jesus’ third and final visit with his friends before the Ascension begins, where everything started, near the Sea of Tiberias.
When Jesus began his ministry, he was walking along the Sea of Galilee where he encountered two men: “Simon and his brother Andrew casting a net into the sea – for they were fishermen.” Jesus encouraged them to put down their nets and to become fishers of people. Shortly thereafter, he discovered James and John, the sons of Zebedee, working in the same sea. He called them as well to follow him. The fishermen gave up their families, communities, and their employment to join Jesus on an incredible journey. They traveled throughout the countryside and watched Jesus cure the sick and heal the lame. Jesus returned sight to the blind. All the while, he was instructing those four and others who joined his ministry on how to invite people into a different way of life.
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Jesus appealed to them to inspire people to a way of love. Through his modeling, the teacher, the Rabbi, showed them how to care for those who were marginalized in some fashion in their communities.
At this moment, contemporary disciples are in the lifelong process of learning and modeling a way of life that is fully inclusive and filled with compassion. The war in Ukraine has been a stark example of the tension of barbarism and indecent bloodshed juxtaposed with grace and mercy, as neighboring countries open their borders and their hearts to millions of suddenly displaced people. The horror of watching the ravages of war is unmatched by those who are living through it and being forced out of their homes and away from family members. But Jesus has placed many disciples on their paths. Those Christ-like figures are setting up pop-up eateries and medical stations to assist those with the greatest need. They are opening their homes and offering shelter to women and children who have nowhere to go and are experiencing profound grief. It is the way the world is responding to those in crisis that is most pleasing to the Lord, who taught us that we are to love our neighbors as ourselves.
While many people around the world are watching and feeling helpless, God is offering an opportunity for everyone to look around and shed a light on those places in the world where other such atrocities are occurring. Sadly, millions of humans are experiencing horrific acts of violence worldwide, and the response to them has been slow or absent. Just as Jesus came back to visit his disciples to remind them of their purpose in life, so he reminds each of you that there is no greater calling than to tend to those in need.
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Simon Peter, Andrew, James, and John returned to something familiar following the death and resurrection of the beloved Jesus. They knew and were comfortable with the sea. They knew how to navigate those waters, even if sometimes their nets came up empty. There is a tendency in the human experience to return to the familiar after an overwhelming event. These disciples had witnessed the terrible death of Jesus. Some of them had gone to the tomb only to discover that Jesus was no longer there. They had gone into hiding for fear someone would come looking for them and execute them as well.
The good news is that God never abandons God’s people. Jesus visits his fearful disciples in an upper room right after his resurrection to offer them comfort. He appears to them and says, “Peace be with you,” and he tells them to go forth. He returns several days later to show Thomas, the doubting and missing disciple, his wounds and to prove that he was risen indeed. It is during this pivotal visit that Jesus delivers a message for all future generations. After allowing Thomas to feel his wounds, he chastises him and says, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Your faith must guide and inform the work that you will do in the world. Christians worldwide are standing in a pivotal moment in history. Do you have the faith even of a mustard seed to follow the teachings of Jesus? Can you offer the peace and love of Christ to all earthly companions? If the answer is yes, go forth and work hard to meet the needs of all who are in desperate situations or despair. Organize ways to reach out to your neighbors who find themselves trying to escape the dangers and violence in their homelands.
This is the beginning of spring and a time when new flowers and other vegetation are waking from the dormant status of winter. The sign of new life is evident everywhere – just ask anyone with allergies. There is, however, grave concern for how the world is caring for God’s creation. The season is about to begin for wildfires, hurricanes, and tsunamis. Those with vast resources appear to have the smallest resolve for employing the critical solutions necessary to avoid catastrophe. Many folks in economically deprived countries and areas of the world are ravaging some of the most important environmental resources like rainforests for survival’s sake.
Our fishermen friends, Simon and his brother and the sons of Zebedee, would have many days of empty nets in some of the seas today because of pollution. My friends in Christ, Jesus was bound to the sea. He did not begin assembling his team by accident. He was drawn to those who understood the waters’ beauty and wonder and had respect for God’s creation. He could feed people from the sea. He could also offer rest in boats in those same waters. Our mission as we continue to care for our siblings who are in harm’s way and are crying out for help is to also care for the rest of creation. The task is large, but by God’s grace, so achievable.
Jesus returns to the Sea of Tiberias to visit with his friends once again. The circle continues as Jesus finds the disciples in the sea, searching for fish and coming up with empty nets. They have come full circle. He tells them to drop the nets on the other side of the boat and the fish are plentiful. He makes breakfast for them and feeds them the same meal he fed the multitudes – fish and bread. This time, they know the Lord when they see him.
Instead of recruiting them for ministry, Jesus has returned to exact promises: “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” “Feed my lambs.” “Simon, son of John, do you love me? “Tend my sheep.” “Do you love me?” he asks. “Feed my sheep.” Peter was exasperated because he knew that his love for Jesus was evident. Jesus makes clear that the mission going forward is to take care of God’s people. Love God’s people. All people are God’s people. During these fifty enlightening days of Easter, may we all form a circle around those seeking God’s love and unhesitatingly offer comfort and a sense of hope for better days ahead. Amen.
A New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God’s world.
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God’s presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone.
Thanks be to God.
Offering Invitation
Our lives overflow with God’s blessings in Christ and in creation. With gratitude for all that we have received, let us present our offering to God, trusting that God can do a new thing with our gifts – and with our lives!
Hymn VU 543 We Give Thee But Thine Own
We give thee but thine own,
whate’er the gift may be:
all that we have is thine alone,
a trust, O God, from thee.
Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, You have given us life and furnished it with much beauty and blessing.
In Christ you have given yourself to us. So we offer to you a portion of what we have received to share in the work of your kingdom. Use our energy and ability for your purposes for the sake of Jesus Christ, our Risen Lord. Amen.
Hymn VU 642 Be Thou My Vision
Be thou my vision, O joy of my heart;
naught be all else to me, save that thou art,
thou my best thought, by day or by night,
waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
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Be thou my wisdom, my calm in all strife;
I ever with thee, and thou in my life;
thou loving parent, thy child may I be,
thou in me dwelling, and I one with thee.
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Be thou my battle shield, sword for the fight;
be thou my dignity, thou my delight,
thou my soul's shelter, thou my high tower;
raise thou my heavenward, O power of my power.
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Riches I heed not, nor vain empty praise,
thou mine inheritance, now and always;
thou and thou only, first in my heart,
great God of heaven, my treasure thou art.
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Great God of heaven, after victory won,
may I reach heaven's joys, O bright heaven's sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
still be my vision, O ruler of all.
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Prayers of the People
Lord Jesus Christ,
We draw near to you in prayer this day,
trusting that your love does change lives
and your resurrection brings renewal and redemption into the world God loves.
As we lay before you the concerns on our hearts today,
we pray that you will draw near to the people and situations we name
and bring each one the gift that is needed:
In your great mercy,
Hear our prayers.
We lay before you, Lord, the concerns we share from the news headlines
and the many world situations where hope and change are desperately needed.
and then keep silence for 15 seconds.
In your great mercy,
Hear our prayers.
We lay before you, Lord, those who are in hospital or care
and all those who struggle with illness, pain or health burdens of any sort;
and we remember those facing grief and loss, bearing burdens of sorrow and worry.
keep silence for 15 seconds.
In your great mercy,
Hear our prayers.
We lay before you, Lord, families under stress, relationships that are strained,
friends and neighbours in need of reconciliation,
and we pray for the healing of divisions in our country.
keep silence for 15 seconds
In your great mercy,
Hear our prayers.
We lay before you, Lord, the earth itself, struggling in so many places to maintain its fruitfulness,
and we pray for all the vulnerable creatures and communities who are finding it harder and harder to live on land, sea or sky.
keep silence for 15 seconds.
In your great mercy,
Hear our prayers.
Lord Jesus,
we believe that you hear our prayers and will be faithful to our requests and concerns.
Use us in every opportunity that presents itself to serve you
by serving our neighbours near and far.
And so we pray together the words you gave us: “Our Father….Amen”
Closing Hymn VU 508 Just As I Am (vs 1, 4)
Just as I am, without one plea,
but that thy blood was shed for me,
and that thou bidd'st me come to thee,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come.
Just as I am, thy love unknown
has broken every barrier down;
now to be thine, yes, thine alone,
O Lamb of God, I come, I come
Commissioning
God is love.
The love of God welcomes me.
God is love.
The love of God surrounds me.
God is love.
The love of God supports me.
God is love.
The love of God reassures me.
God is love.
The love of God inspires me.
God is love.
The love of God empowers me.
Thanks be to God for such boundless love that goes with us from this place.
Amen.
Sung Benediction: VU 964 “Go Now In Peace,”
Go now in peace, go now in peace.
May the love of God surround you everywhere, everywhere you may go.
Postlude
Some material taken from the Presbyterian Church of Canada
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Rev. Kathy graduated from Virginia Theological Seminary in 2018 and shortly thereafter joined the clergy team at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Tallahassee, Fla., as associate rector for pastoral care and parish life. She is originally from South Florida and was an active layperson in that diocese prior to discerning the call to ordained ministry.
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