St. Peter s Union Church of Mantzville

Transcription

1 St. Peter s Union Church of Mantzville... where worship and service don t stop with the final hymn. The Reverend Kenneth L. Buckwalter, Interim Pastor Kristine K, Betz, Director of Music The Reverend Kenneth T. Melber Jr., Visitation Pastor April 22, 2018 Fourth Sunday of Easter Good Shepherd Sunday 9:00am Welcome to Worship this Day! At one time the six Sundays of Easter after Resurrection Sunday all had their own special names and each had an introit ( Invocation of sorts) that emphasized that day s meaning. The Fourth Sunday was Jubilate Sunday, a word meaning rejoice; the introit for that day began, Make a joyful noise unto the Lord! The Third Sunday was Misericordia Sunday, a word meaning mercy or goodness; the introit for that day began, The earth is full of the goodness of the Lord. Oddly, in the days when these names were used, there was no Good Shepherd Sunday. NOW, we have only one Sunday of Easter that is remembered for its special name and that is today: Sunday of the Good Shepherd. Whatever the many reasons for this big shift may be, one seems abundantly clear: we want our risen Lord to be with us a gentle, reliable, strong and deeply caring protector in a dark and dangerous world. In a world where the harbingers of death are all around us, nothing says he is risen here and now quite like Shepherd. Some things to know as we begin... We begin with words of welcome because you are welcome here! Who is saying what and when? You are the congregation (C). C Congregation A Assisting Minister P Presiding Minister L Lector M Minister from the Congregation Please do not use cell phones during this service. Standing is always an invitation, not a requirement!

2 Gathering Worship begins with the prelude. Please prepare your hearts with silence. Light faced type leaders Bold-faced type assembly WORDS of WELCOME PRELUDE To God Be the Glory ~ T. Birchwood The assembly stands at the direction of the presiding minister. INVOCATION Psalm 100 (NRSV/ed) Call upon the name of the Lord! P Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth. C Worship the Lord with gladness; come into his presence with singing. P Know that the Lord is God. C It is he that made us, and we are his; we are his people, and the sheep of his pasture. P Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and come into his courts with praise. C Give thanks to him, bless his name. ALL For the Lord is good; his steadfast love endures forever, and his faithfulness to all generations.

3 CONFESSION and FORGIVENESS God understands our human frailties and welcomes both us and them. P By our baptism into the death and resurrection of Christ, God has raised us to new life. Let us confess to God our sins, and all that waits for resurrection in our lives. Silence for reflection and self-examination. P God of love C we find it hard to believe the witness of the resurrection: we resist your unfailing love for us and for others, and we turn our backs on the gift of new life, choosing instead the old way of sin, the way that takes us away from you and leads us back toward death. Free us from this power of sin, guide us by your Spirit, and help us in our weakness, that we may live as your children, restored to new and everlasting life. Amen P By God's grace + you are forgiven and born anew. May you be strengthened daily with the power to walk in God's light and love. C Amen. GATHERING HYMN We marvel together at the caring love of the Lord. Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us Celebration Hymnal # 688 APOSTOLIC GREETING and KYRIE God greets us; we humble ourselves in prayer. P Alleluia. Christ is risen! C Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia. P The grace of our Risen Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. C And also with you.

4 P In peace, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For the peace from above and for our salvation, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For the peace of the whole world, for the well-being of the church of God, and for the unity of all, let us pray to the Lord: C Lord, have mercy. P For this holy house and for all who offer here their worship and praise, let us pray to the Lord. C Lord, have mercy. P Help, save, comfort and defend us, gracious Lord: C Amen. PRAYER OF THE DAY We seek God s help to live in the power of the resurrection. P God has put the music of the resurrection into our hearts. C The name of Jesus, the Good Shepherd, is music to our ears. P Let us pray. Shepherd us, Lord Jesus Christ, pilgrims on our way, through the sorrows and the pains of our everyday; for wherever you are, your presence brings goodness and your love heals all wounds. In your holy and blessed name do we pray. C Amen. The assembly may be seated. ANTHEM --Senior Choir

5 Word FIRST READING: Acts 4:5-12 Peter and John are arrested when the healing of a lame man becomes an occasion for preaching in public about Jesus. When questioned by religious leaders, Peter attributes the healing to the power of the risen Christ. L A reading from the Acts of the Apostles. The text of this reading is printed on the back cover of this worship folder. After the reading the following is said, L The Word of the Lord. C Thanks be to God. THE PSALM: Psalm 23 Goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life. (Ps. 23:6a) SECOND READING: 1 John 3:16-24 The First Letter of John speaks of the great gift of God's love bestowed on all people in Christ. Here John notes that love is a social gift, something to be shared. L A reading from First Peter. The text of this reading is printed on the back cover of this worship folder. After the reading the following is said. L C The Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God.

6 WELCOMING the GOSPEL We welcome the good news of a Lord who knows what sheep are like. As the Deer (st. 1) Celebration Hymnal #548 GOSPEL: John 10:11-18 In language that recalls the twenty-third psalm, Jesus describes himself as the shepherd who cares for his sheep. He is willing to die for them, and he is able to overcome death for them. P The Holy Gospel according to St. John, the 10 th chapter. C Glory to you, O Lord. The text of this reading is printed on the back cover of this worship folder. After the reading the following is said. P C The Gospel of our Risen Lord. Praise to you, O Christ. Please be seated at the direction of the presiding minister. GOOD NEWS! Children s Time Would your mother like a sheep? Prayer We trust Jesus to lead us. P Let us pray. Dear Jesus: You are our shepherd and we are your sheep. Help us to follow you, because wherever you lead us we will always be safe. C Amen. Anthem --Junior Choir

7 Sermon After the sermon the assembly stands for the Hymn of the Day. HYMN of the DAY We welcome the good news of a Lord who knows what sheep are like. The Lord s My Shepherd Celebration Hymnal #694 CONFESSION of FAITH Together with saints on earth and saints in heaven, we profess a living God! P We are God s people through our baptism into Christ; living together in trust and hope, let us confess our faith. C I believe in God the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord. He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried. He descended into hell. On the third day he rose again. He ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

8 SIGNS OF PEACE The peace that Christ has given to us we share with others. P The peace of the Lord be with you always. C And also with you. Congregation members are invited to share words of peace with each other. The assembly may be seated. OFFERING We offer our time, talents and treasures to God. Musical Offertory The Little Brown Church in the Vale --R. Hughes Please stand for the congregational offertory. Congregational Offertory The Doxology Traditional ~ Celebration Hymnal #815 Offertory Prayer P Compassionate God, C in Christ's resurrection you raised up new life for the world. Receive what we offer, that others might know that life through the gifts you give us to use and to share. Amen. PRAYERS of INTERCESSION We pray for God s world and God s people. P Standing in the glorious light of the resurrection, let us pray for Christ's church, the world, and all who wait for the Spirit's revealing power. A brief silence.

9 P Watchful God, give to your church faithful bishops and pastors who will shepherd their synods and congregations with vision and compassion. We pray to the Lord: C Lord, hear our prayer. P Abundant God, help the people of the world to find ways to share their resources and thus to care for one another in their need. We pray to the Lord: C Lord, hear our prayer. P Knowing God, assure all who are sick (especially) that you will not forsake them, and that you are present with them in their pain and discomfort. We pray to the Lord: C Lord, hear our prayer. Here other intercessions may be offered. P Let us pray that the joy of the resurrection would sustain all who have been newly baptized and those who will renew their baptism through Confirmation in the Christian faith. May inquirers continue to be drawn to the joy of St. Peter s. We pray to the Lord: C Lord, hear our prayer. Here other intercessions may be offered. P Abiding God, sustain the dying and those who watch with them, comfort those who grieve (especially), and keep us united with all our brothers and sisters who have died in your arms. We pray to the Lord: C Lord, hear our prayer. P Gracious God, hear our prayers and receive them for the sake of the crucified and risen one, our Savior Jesus Christ. C Amen.

10 LORD S PRAYER We pray as Christ taught us. P Gathered with all the saints around the table of the Lord, let us pray as Jesus taught us: C 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 sins, as we forgive those who sin against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen. Sending COMMISSIONING and BLESSING We hear the call to serve and are blessed with power to do so. P Go out into God s pastures; they are everywhere. There is food enough for all to share. C A table is prepared for us and all people; we will invite others to God s feast. P Let the still waters run deep within you. God has promised and abiding presence. C We will listen for the Shepherd s voice. We will trust God to guide us. P Go out to live courageously and give abundantly; Christ s life and love empower you. C Surely goodness and mercy will follow us; we will dwell with God even as we serve humanity. Amen.

11 P The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord s face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord look upon you with favor and give you peace. In the name of the Father and of the + Son and of the Holy Spirit. C (Threefold Amen/sung) SENDING HYMN Our voices blend to rejoice in God. Leaning on the Everlasting Arms Celebration Hymnal #575 QUIET MEDITATION CHORAL BENEDICTION We leave declaring our confidence in God s blessings. Mercy Has Found Us TUNE: Bunessan Jesus is risen, mercy has found us! We are forgiven, fearless and free. We will now show all people God loves them, Our lives proclaiming God s victory! POSTLUDE Legions for Christ --R. C. Wilson New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.

12 THE ALTAR FLOWERS are presented to the glory of God by the Adult Sunday School Class. TODAY S BULLETIN is sponsored in celebration of the 2nd birthday of granddaughter, Brynley Kistler by her Grammy. GREETERS: Mark and Lisa Eberts. LECTORS: Marsha Thomas and Marissa Miller. ACOLYTES: Ashlyn Houser and Marissa Miller. BELL RINGER: Jayden Rex. SOUND SYSTEM: Aaron Frantz. BIRTHDAY OFFERING FOR THIS WEEK: Received from Charlene Miller. APRIL SHUTIN BIRTHDAYS: Buddy Arner (April 2), Berlyn Hoppes (April 10) and Richard Breiner (April 24). We are honored to be able to share in worship with visitors. Cards to note your presence with us are found in the communion cup/card rack holders, along with prayer request cards, blank offering envelopes, and communion cards. Members who are not certain of their number, just put your name on the envelope. Please HAND your prayer request cards to an usher when the offering is being received. Visitor cards, envelopes, and communion cards may be placed in the offering plate. CONGREGATIONAL MEETING A meeting to vote on acceptance of the Constitution and Bylaws has been scheduled for TODAY, Sunday, April 22, 2018 at 10:15 a.m., following worship. A quorum of twenty-five percent of active/voting members will be required and a majority vote is needed.

13 A love offering for Glenn and Sarah Rarick will be held TODAY, Sunday, April 22, Glenn has been ill and unable to work for a few months and could use some assistance during this difficult time. Senior Sunday We are continuing our tradition at St. Peter s by celebrating Senior Sunday on June 10th. During morning worship on that day we are planning a special service that will honor our graduating seniors, both from preschool, high school and college or technical school. We would like to include a power point presentation that highlights the lives of our graduates and includes their accomplishments as well as plans for the future. Letters and surveys have been mailed to those graduates that we are aware of ~ if you are graduating, or know of a graduate, and did not received a letter, please notify the church office as soon as possible. All information should be submitted by May 10th to both Pastor Buckwalter and Megan Frantz. We are also seeking participants in the worship service from the pool of graduates. If you or someone you know will be graduating this spring, please notify the church office immediately. And, we hope the entire congregation will join in our worship celebration of these incredible young people with whom God has gifted us. A time of fellowship will follow the service. Hunger Walk The Tamaqua Area Faith Fellowship Network will be holding their annual Hunger Walk on Sunday, May 6, 2018 (rain Date: May 20). In support of the project, we will be collecting food and monetary donations during the month of April. All donations received toward this project will be distributed to the three Tamaqua food banks. We are also looking for individuals who would like to participate in the walk as part of team "St. Peter's. A sign-up sheet is on the table in the church parlor. If you have questions or are interested in participating, please see Kim Kistler.

14 PRAYERS FOR OUR MILITARY Deployed to Afghanistan: Jonathan Liggitt Michael Zeigenfuss Deployed to Germany: Sean Steigerwalt Deployed to Japan: John McGuire Active Duty, Not Deployed: Patrick Donahue Katie Forgey Tyler Forgey James Frederickson Mark Habel Dustin Hoppes LeRoy E. Kromer II Timothy Kromer Sean Kurtz Michelle Liggitt Quynntin Long Dominic Lorenzo Amanda Miller Lisa Miller Daryl Neff Bill Nordai Andy Snyder Emily Snyder Dakota Vadimsky Chad Wehr Mark West Scott West PRAYERS FOR OUR SHUTINS The Village at Palmerton: Edna Mertz-Frey Gracedale Nursing Home: Lynn Gerber Seton Manor, Orwigsburg: Phyllis Wehr At Home: Buddy Arner Arlene Breiner Richard Breiner Oliver Coombe Kathryn Delano Olga Faust Bobby Fritz Shirley Haberman Berlyn & Mildred Hoppes Ruth Houser June Williams Doris Wolfe George Wolfe PRAYERS FOR OUR MISSIONARIES Michael, Kay, Mikayla, Leilani, & Michael Killar in Thailand Maude, Valera, Zarina, Alexander, & Nicolas Motovilov in South Africa