Welcome:

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

Opening Litany[1]:

Mysterious God,

You reveal yourself in Jesus, your Beloved Son

who gives us a glimpse of your glory

and invites us to share in the unity of all that is Holy:

the holiness that is You, your creation, your people,

united in the Spirit that breaks through all boundaries of fear and injustice.

 

Meet us here today, O God, and teach us to be one:

One in love for each other

One in understanding with all who find in Jesus the Way to You

One in peace with all who find other paths to your Truth.

We ask all this in the name of Jesus, whose fervent prayer was ever:

“May they all be one.”

 

Confession and Forgiveness[2]:

In the name of the Father,

and of the + Son,

and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.

 

God of all mercy and consolation,

come to the help of your people,

turning us from our sin to live for you alone.

Give us the power and unity of your Holy Spirit

that we may confess our sin,

receive your forgiveness,

and grow into the fullness

of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord.

Amen.

 

Let us confess our sin in the presence of God and of one another.

Silence for personal reflection.

 

Most merciful God,

you have called us to unity, 

but often we have isolated ourselves from others; forgive us for the times we have turned our backs on those who are different.

 

You have called us to live together as one body; forgive us for the times we have created division within your worldwide church.

 

You ask us to look, listen, and learn from others; forgive us for the times we have ridiculed and attacked those with different viewpoints.

 

You ask us to accept and seek to understand 

all who are called by your name; forgive us for the times we have offended you by failing to love others as we do ourselves.

 

You call us to be one even as you are one; forgive us for the disunity we have harbored 

and make us one.

 

God, who is rich in mercy, loved us even when we were dead in sin, and made us alive together with Christ.  By grace you have been saved.

In the name of + Jesus Christ, your sins are forgiven.

Almighty God strengthen you with power through the Holy Spirit, that Christ may live in your hearts through faith.

Amen.

 

Prayer of the Day:

Let us pray.

O God of glory, your Son Jesus Christ suffered for us and ascended to your right hand. Unite us with Christ and each other in suffering and in joy, that all the world may be drawn into your bountiful presence, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

 

First Reading: Acts 1:6-14

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” ⁷ He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” ⁹ When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. ¹⁰ While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

 

¹² Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. ¹³ When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. ¹⁴ All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.

 

The word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God.

 

This is the Holy Gospel according to John, the 17^th chapter.

Glory to you, O Lord.

 

Gospel: John 17:1-11

¹ After Jesus had spoken these words, he looked up to heaven and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son so that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all people, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life, that they may know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth by finishing the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ So now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had in your presence before the world existed.

 

⁶ “I have made your name known to those whom you gave me from the world. They were yours, and you gave them to me, and they have kept your word. ⁷ Now they know that everything you have given me is from you; ⁸ for the words that you gave to me I have given to them, and they have received them and know in truth that I came from you; and they have believed that you sent me. ⁹ I am asking on their behalf; I am not asking on behalf of the world, but on behalf of those whom you gave me, because they are yours. ¹⁰ All mine are yours, and yours are mine; and I have been glorified in them. ¹¹ And now I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them in your name that you have given me, so that they may be one, as we are one.

 

This is the Gospel of the Lord.

Praise to you, O Christ.

 

Children’s Sermon

 

Sermon

 

Hymn of the Day: Blest be the Tie that Binds

 

 Apostle’s Creed:

I believe in God, the Father almighty,

       creator of heaven and earth.

 

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,

       who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,

       born of the virgin Mary,

       suffered under Pontius Pilate,

       was crucified, died, and was buried;

       he descended to the dead.*

On the third day he rose again;

       he ascended into heaven,

       he is seated at the right hand of the Father,

       and he will come 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.

 

 Prayers of Intercession:

http://www.pilgrimpaths.co.uk/Finger%20Labyrinth%20and%20Prayer%20Guide%20Leaflet.pdf

 

Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the people of God in all times and places in praying for the church, the world, and all who are in need.

 

. . .  Lord, in your mercy

hear our prayer.

 

With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord.

Amen.

 

Sharing of the Peace

 

Announcements

 

Offering

https://tithe.ly/give_new/www/#/tithely/give-one-time/468062

 

 

Sending Prayer[3] & Lord’s Prayer:

Too often, Lord God, we are hesitant in our proclamation; seeking safe and suitable opportunities to speak of our faith.

 

Too often, Lord God, we are half-hearted in our service; reluctant to stand out from the crowd or to attract criticism.

 

Too often, Lord God, we live as if dependent wholly on our own resources; relying on our perceived skills and modest insights.

 

Too often, Lord God, we look to the clouds for our inspiration, in the vain hope of finding you there.

 

Forgive the poverty of our efforts and the frailty of our faith. As you send us out, open wide our hearts and minds to the immanent presence of our Risen, Living and Ascended Lord Jesus Christ .

 

Gather us into one by your Holy Spirit and teach us to pray:

 

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 trespasses,

           as we forgive those who trespass 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 and ever. Amen.

 

Benediction[4]:

May the blessing of the God of peace and justice

be with us;

 

May the blessing of the Son who weeps the tears of the world’s suffering be with us;

 

And may the blessing of the Spirit who inspires us to reconciliation and hope be with us from now into eternity.

 

May the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit, be with you and remain with you forever.

Amen.

 

Dismissal:

Alleluia, Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 

Christ is risen, just as he said.

Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!

 

Prayer Requests:

Frank Danowsky, Marie Tanner, Sonja Noll, Irene Stark, Peg Swinehart, Alice Snyder, Greg Seibert, Harold Snyder, family and friends of Bill Krause, Colette Richards, Carlie Shaffer and baby Abi, Pat Thomas, family and friends of George Guffey, Gladys Guffey, Terry Funk, Darv Krouse, Rosemary Fernsler, Rob Lockwood, Kevin Hosey, Terry Smith, Rodney Heckert, Barbara Neilson, and Rebecca Otuszewski.

 

Portions reprinted from Evangelical Lutheran Worship, copyright 2006.  Used by permission of Augsburg Fortress, license #SBL09796L.  Music reprinted from the ELW, by permission of OneLicense, license #A712349.  Scripture quotations are from the 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.

 

[1] from One in Love and Mission, written by Rev. Susan A. Blain (adapted).  Posted on the United Church of Christ’s Worship Ways archive.

 

[2] Adapted from from the Lenten series Journey into Wholeness written by Christine Sine. Published in 2009 by Mustard Seed Associates.

 

[3] Adapted from  Rev. Malcolm Macdougall, and posted on the Church of Scotland’s Starters for Sunday website. http://www.churchofscotland.org.uk/

 

[4] Posted on the World Council of Churches website.  http://www.oikoumene.org/en/home.html