Worship Guide
May 25, 2025
Sixth Sunday of Easter
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greeting:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: Charles
Centering Words:
Let the peoples praise you, O God. Let all the peoples praise you. For you bless your people with peace and hope.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: Sing and shout for joy.
People: God’s light shines upon us.
Leader: Sing praises to God, sing praises.
People: Let us worship the Lord.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Guiding Spirit, you come to us in visions and dreams, showing us possibilities beyond our waking reality. Open our hearts this day, that we might understand Christ’s teaching and share his presence with others. Guide our footsteps on our journeys, that we might go where you send us and share your message of love and peace with the world. Amen
Hymn: “Spirit Song”
Oh let the Son of God enfold you
with his Spirit and his love.
Let him fill your heart and satisfy your soul.
Oh let him have the things that hold you,
and his Spirit like a dove
will descend upon your life and make you whole.
Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.
Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.
Oh come and sing the song of gladness
as your hearts are filled with joy.
Lift your hands in sweet surrender to his name.
Oh give him all your tears and sadness;
give him all your years of pain,
and you'll enter into life in Jesus' name
Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.
Jesus, oh Jesus come and fill your lambs.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
The One who is faithful will wipe away every tear and make all things new.
Walk in the light of the Lamb, in whom there is no darkness at all.
Receive grace from the one who brings us peace.
Thanks be to God! 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: “Healing”
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.
Sermon: “The Tree of Live” Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5
10 And in the spirit he carried me away to a great, high mountain and showed me the holy city Jerusalem coming down out of heaven from God.
22 I saw no temple in the city, for its temple is the Lord God the Almighty and the Lamb. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon to shine on it, for the glory of God is its light, and its lamp is the Lamb. 24 The nations will walk by its light, and the kings of the earth will bring their glory into it. 25 Its gates will never be shut by day—and there will be no night there. 26 People will bring into it the glory and the honor of the nations. 27 But nothing unclean will enter it, nor anyone who practices abomination or falsehood, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
22 Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb 2 through the middle of the street of the city. On either side of the river is the tree of life with its twelve kinds of fruit, producing its fruit each month; and the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations. 3 Nothing accursed will be found there any more. But the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him; 4 they will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. 5 And there will be no more night; they need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “I Want to Walk as a Child of the Light”
I want to walk as a child of the light. I want to follow Jesus.
God set the stars to give light to the world.
The star of my life is Jesus.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I want to see the brightness of God. I want to look at Jesus.
Clear Sun of Righteousness, shine on my path,
and show me the way to the Father.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
I'm looking for the coming of Christ. I want to be with Jesus.
When we have run with patience the race,
we shall know the joy of Jesus.
In him there is no darkness at all.
The night and the day are both alike.
The Lamb is the light of the city of God.
Shine in my heart, Lord Jesus.
Psalter: Psalm 67
1 O God, be gracious to us and bless us and make your face to shine upon us,
2 that your way may be known upon earth, your saving power among all nations.
3 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the people praise you!
4 Let the nations be glad and sing for joy, for you judge the peoples with equity and guide the nations upon earth.
5 Let the peoples praise you, O God; let all the peoples praise you!
6 The earth has yielded its increase; God, our God, has blessed us.
7 God has blessed us;
let all the ends of the earth fear God!
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing”
Come thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace;
streams of mercy, never ceasing,
call for songs of loudest praise.
Teach me some melodious sonnet,
sung by flaming tongues above.
Praise the mount! I'm fixed upon it,
mount of thy redeeming love.
Here I raise mine Ebenezer;
hither by thy help I'm come;
And I hope, by thy good pleasure,
safely to arrive at home.
Jesus sought me when a stranger,
wandering from the fold of God;
he, to rescue me from danger,
interposed his precious blood.
O to grace how great a debtor
daily I'm constrained to be!
Let thy goodness like a fetter,
bind my wandering heart to thee.
Prone to wander, Lord, I feel it,
prone to leave the God I love;
here's my heart, O take and seal it,
seal it for thy courts above.
Benediction
Hymn: “Go Now In Peace”
Go now in peace, Never be afraid.
God will go with you each hour of ev-ry day.
Go now in faith, stead-fast, strong and true.
Know He will guide you in all you do.
Go now in love, and show you be-lieve.
Reach out to others so all the world can see.
God will be there watching from above.
God now in peace, in faith, and in love.
Amen! Amen! Amen!
