Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

May 5, 2024

Sixth Sunday of Easter

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greetings:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Special Music: “Stronger” Stefanie

Centering Words:

The Holy One’s steadfast love and faithfulness are shared with all. We are called to the greatest commandment: to abide in God’s love and to love one another as God has loved us-not as servants, but as friends.

*Call to Worship:

Leader:    Sing to our God a new song,

People:   for God has done wondrous things.

Leader:    The Holy One’s might is not found in destruction,

People:   but in steadfast love and constant faithfulness.

Leader:    These gifts are not for us alone,

People:   they are for one and all.

Leader:    Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth.

People:   Break forth into songs of praise.

Leader:    Let all creation praise the Lord, as we pray.

ALL: God of Love, let your Holy Spirit come upon us– into our hearts, into our minds, and into our souls. Let your presence speak within us– in the languages we speak, in the ways we live and have our being. For we long to hear you, Gracious One, and to understand. We pray that you would abide in us, that we may abide in you, this day and all days. Amen.

Hymn: “My Life Flows On”

My life flows on in endless song;

above earth’s lamentation

I hear the clear though far off hymn

that hails a new creation.

No storm can shake my inmost calm

while to that Rock I'm clinging.

Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,

how can I keep from singing?

Through all the tumult and the strife,

I hear that music ringing.

It finds an echo in my soul.

How can I keep from singing?

No storm can shake my inmost calm

while to that Rock I'm clinging.

Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,

how can I keep from singing?

What though my joys and comforts die?

I know my Savior liveth.

What though the darkness gather round?

Songs in the night He giveth.

No storm can shake my inmost calm

while to that Rock I'm clinging.

Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,

how can I keep from singing?

The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,

a fountain ever springing!

All things are mine since I am his!

How can I keep from singing?

No storm can shake my inmost calm

while to that Rock I'm clinging.

Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,

how can I keep from singing?

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

The God of mercy speaks every language. When we open our ears, we hear and receive God’s grace. Whenever we are afraid or overwhelmed, we have only to remember these truths.

God’s love is the greatest power of all. God’s mercy is there for every one of us. God’s grace is present every moment of our lives.

Amen!

*New Testament Reading: 1 John 5:1-6

¹ Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. ² By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. ³ For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, ⁴ for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. ⁵ Who is it that conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?

⁶ This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.

Leader:    This is the Word of God for the people of God

People:   Thanks be to God.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “Fruit of Love”

Hymn: “I Know Whom I Have Believed”

I know not why God’s wondrous grace

to me he hath made known,

nor why, unworthy, Christ in love

redeemed me for his own.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

I know not how this saving faith

to me he did impart,

nor how believing in his word

wrought peace within my heart.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

I know not how the Spirit moves,

convincing us of sin,

revealing Jesus through the word,

creating faith in him.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

I know not when my Lord may come,

at night or noonday fair,

nor if I walk the vale with him,

or meet him in the air.

But I know whom I have believed,

and am persuaded that he is able

to keep that which I’ve committed

unto him against that day.

Sermon: “We Love One Another” John 15:9-17

⁹ As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. ¹⁰ If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. ¹¹ I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete.

¹² “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. ¹³ No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. ¹⁴ You are my friends if you do what I command you. ¹⁵ I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. ¹⁶ You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. ¹⁷ I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.

 RESPONSE TO THE WORD  

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns

   Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer

THE SACRAMENTS OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation, Prayer of Confession and Pardon:

Christ our Lord invites to his table

       all who love him,

who earnestly repent of their sin

and seek to live in peace with one another.

Therefore, let us confess our sin before God

and one another.

Merciful God,

we confess that we have not loved you

with our whole hearts.

We have failed to be an obedient church.

We have not done your will,

we have broken your law,

we have rebelled against your love,

we have not loved our neighbors,

and we have not heard the

cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray.

Free us for joyful obedience,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Hear the good news:

Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;

that proves God's love toward us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Glory to God. Amen

 The Great Thanksgiving  

    The Lord be with you

And also with you.

Lift up your hearts

We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

It is right, and a good and joyful thing,

always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of

heaven and earth.

You formed us in your image and

breathed into us the breath of life.

When we turned away, and our love failed,

your love remained steadfast.

You delivered us from captivity,

made covenant to be our sovereign God,

and spoke to us through your prophets.

And so, with your people on earth

and all the company of heaven

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Holy, Holy, Holy Lord,

God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory.

Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna in the highest.

Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.

Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.

He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.

By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.

When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Take, eat; this my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."

When the supper was over, he took the cup,

gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

"Drink from this all of you;

this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many

for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it

in remembrance of me."

And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ, we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ's offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of faith

Christ has died;

Christ is risen;

Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.

By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever.   Amen

And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

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.

Amen

Sharing of the Cup and Loaf

Moment of Prayer and Meditation

Prayer of Thanks

Eternal God, we give you thanks

for this holy mystery

in which you have given yourself to us.

Grant that we may go into the world

in the strength of your Spirit,

to give ourselves to others,

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “Since Jesus Came Into My Heart” 

What a wonderful change in my life has been wrought

since Jesus came into my heart!

I have light in my soul for which long I had sought,

since Jesus came into my heart!

Since Jesus came into my heart,

since Jesus came into my heart,

floods of joy o’er my soul

like the sea billows roll,

since Jesus came into my heart.

I have ceased from my wandering and going astray,

since Jesus came into my heart!

And my sins, which were many, are all washed away,

since Jesus came into my heart!

Since Jesus came into my heart,

since Jesus came into my heart,

floods of joy o’er my soul

like the sea billows roll,

since Jesus came into my heart.

I’m possessed of a hope that is steadfast and sure,

since Jesus came into my heart!

And no dark clouds of doubt now my pathway obscure,

since Jesus came into my heart!

Since Jesus came into my heart,

since Jesus came into my heart,

floods of joy o’er my soul

like the sea billows roll,

since Jesus came into my heart.

There’s a light in the valley of death now for me,

since Jesus came into my heart!

And the gates of the City beyond I can see,

since Jesus came into my heart!

Since Jesus came into my heart,

since Jesus came into my heart,

floods of joy o’er my soul

like the sea billows roll,

since Jesus came into my heart.

I shall go there to dwell in that City, I know,

since Jesus came into my heart!

And I’m happy, so happy, as onward I go,

since Jesus came into my heart!

Since Jesus came into my heart,

since Jesus came into my heart,

floods of joy o’er my soul

like the sea billows roll,

since Jesus came into my heart.

Benediction