Sunday, May 16, 2021
Seventh Sunday of Easter/Ascension Sunday
PRELUDE
“Blessed Assurance”
[#369, Tune: Assurance, arr. by John Carter]
Rebecca Nelson, Organist
WELCOME AND CENTERING MOMENTS
Jan Everhart Hartliff, Pastor
CALL TO WORSHIP
David Campero, Liturgist
Leader: Holy Spirit, be with us in our worship this day.
People: Draw us ever closer to you.
Leader: Draw us ever closer to your word.
People: Draw us ever closer to your world.
Leader: Help us to serve and love as you guide us.
People: In your holy name we pray, AMEN.
HYMN
“Blessed Assurance” verses 1 and 3
United Methodist Hymnal #369
[Fanny Crosby; Phoebe Knapp]
Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of the Spirit, washed in his love.
This is my story, this is my song.
Praising my savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my savior all the day long.
Perfect submission, all is at rest;
I in my savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above,
filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
This is my story, this is my song.
Praising my savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
praising my savior all the day long.
CHILDREN’S TIME
Jennifer Robles
[recorded service]
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE….THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our God in heaven, your name is holy. Your kindom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our wrongs, as we forgive those who have harmed us. Lead us not into temptation and deliver us from evil. For yours is the kindom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER RESPONSE
“Make Us One”
The Faith We Sing #2224
[Carol Cymbala]
Make us one, Lord, make us one;
Holy Spirit, make us one.
Let your love flow so the world will know
we are one in you.
SCRIPTURE READING
David Campero
Acts 1:1-11 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. While staying with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”
So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 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.” When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Leader: The word of life.
PEOPLE: Thanks be to God.
SERMON
“Wait for the Promise”
Jan Everhart Hartliff, Pastor
HYMN
“Standing on the Promises” verses 1 and 4
United Methodist Hymnal #374
[R. Kelso Carter]
Standing on the promises of Christ my King,
through eternal ages let his praises ring:
glory in the highest, I will shout and sing,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior,
standing, standing – I’m standing on the promises of God.
Standing on the promises I cannot fall,
listening every moment to the Spirit’s call,
resting in my Savior as my all in all,
standing on the promises of God.
Standing, standing, standing on the promises of God my Savior,
standing, standing – I’m standing on the promises of God.
WORSHIP WITH TITHES AND OFFERINGS
[During outside worship, a basket near the park entrance is available to place tithes and offerings. We also have on-line giving available through our website, cumcstockton.org.]
OFFERTORY
“Serenity”
[Sharon Buckley Cumbie]
Rebecca Nelson, Organ
PRAYER OF DEDICATION AND BENEDICTION
SONG OF SENDING FORTH
“Go Now in Peace”
United Methodist Hymnal #665
[Natalie Sleeth]
Go now in peace, go now in peace,
may the love of God surround you everywhere,
everywhere, you may go.
POSTLUDE
“Shout to the Lord”
[Darlene Zschech, setting by John Carter]
Rebecca Nelson, Organ