Worship Guide
May 22, 2022
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:
Centering Words:
Those who devote their love to God receive unending love and devotion.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Jesus dwells among us, teaching us to believe in his name.
People: Let us offer God our thanks.
Leader: The Holy Spirit dwells among us, guiding us down the paths of life.
People: Let us offer God our praise.
Leader: God dwells among us, beckoning us to worship.
People: Let us offer God our worship.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Loving companion, you give your people visions, allowing us to believe in your words. We come to you today to keep our word, profess our love, and proclaim our faith. Nurture our hearts with your teachings, and nurture our minds with your grace. Amen.
Hymn: “Shall We Gather at the River”
Shall we gather at the river,
where bright angel feet have trod,
with its crystal tide forever
flowing by the throne of God?
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
On the margin of the river,
washing up its silver spray,
we will talk and worship ever,
all the happy golden day.
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
Ere we reach the shining river,
lay we every burden down;
grace our spirits will deliver,
and provide a robe and crown.
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
Soon we’ll reach the silver river,
soon our pilgrimage will cease;
soon our happy hearts will quiver
with the melody of peace.
Yes, we’ll gather at the river,
the beautiful, the beautiful river;
gather with the saints at the river
that flows by the throne of God.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Holy One, you have left your peace with us, that we may hear you and never become troubled by the world around us.
Amen
*Gospel Reading: John 14:23-29
23 Jesus answered him, “Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me.
25 “I have said these things to you while I am still with you. 26 But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled, and do not let them be afraid. 28 You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I am coming to you.’ If you loved me, you would rejoice that I am going to the Father, because the Father is greater than I. 29 And now I have told you this before it occurs, so that when it does occur, you may believe.
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: “Lydia Accepts Jesus”
Hymn: “He Has Made Me Glad”
I will enter his gates
with thanksgiving in my heart,
I will enter his courts with praise.
I will say, "This is the day
that the Lord has made."
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
I will enter his gates
with thanksgiving in my heart,
I will enter his courts with praise.
I will say, "This is the day
that the Lord has made."
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
He has made me glad, he has made me glad.
I will rejoice, for he has made me glad.
Sermon: “Opened the Heart” Acts 16:9-15
9 During the night Paul had a vision: there stood a man of Macedonia pleading with him and saying, “Come over to Macedonia and help us.” 10 When he had seen the vision, we immediately tried to cross over to Macedonia, being convinced that God had called us to proclaim the good news to them.
11 We set sail from Troas and took a straight course to Samothrace, the following day to Neapolis, 12 and from there to Philippi, which is a leading city of the district of Macedonia and a Roman colony. We remained in this city for some days. 13 On the sabbath day we went outside the gate by the river, where we supposed there was a place of prayer; and we sat down and spoke to the women who had gathered there. 14 A certain woman named Lydia, a worshiper of God, was listening to us; she was from the city of Thyatira and a dealer in purple cloth. The Lord opened her heart to listen eagerly to what was said by Paul. 15 When she and her household were baptized, she urged us, saying, “If you have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come and stay at my home.” And she prevailed upon us.
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 stand and sing the Lord’s Prayer:
Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
hallowed be thy name.
On earth as it is in heaven.
hallowed be thy name.
Give us this day our daily bread.
hallowed be thy name.
Forgive us our trespasses
hallowed be thy name.
As we forgive those
who trespass against us.
hallowed be thy name.
And lead us not into temptation
hallowed be thy name.
But deliver us from all that is evil.
hallowed be thy name.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory
hallowed be thy name.
For thine is the kingdom,
the power and the glory
hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, it shall be so
hallowed be thy name.
Amen, amen, it shall be so
hallowed be thy name.
As we share in the bread of life,
is it not a sharing in the body of Christ.
And as we share in the cup of Salvation,
Is it not a sharing in the blood of Christ.
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: “When We All Get to Heaven”
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
Lord, the light of your is shining
in the midst of the darkness shining;
Jesus, Light of the Word, shine upon us,
set us free by the truth you now bring us.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
Lord, I come to your awesome presence
from the shadows into your radiance;
by the blood I may enter your brightness,
search me, try me,
consume all my darkness.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
As we gaze on your kingly brightness,
so our faces display your likeness;
ever changing from glory to glory,
mirrored here may our lives tell your story.
Shine on me, shine on me.
Shine, Jesus, shine,
fill this land with the Father's glory,
blaze, Spirit, blaze, set our hearts on fire;
flow, river, flow,
flood the nations with grace and mercy,
send forth your word, Lord,
and let there be light.
Benediction
