ORDER OF WORSHIP
Sunday, April 18, 2021
Third Sunday of Easter
Native American Ministries Sunday
PRELUDE
“God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens”
[#150, Tune: Holy Manna, arr. by Dale Wood.]
Rebecca Nelson, Organ
WELCOME FROM THE PULPIT/CENTERING MOMENTS
Jan Everhart Hartliff
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Holy God, you often reveal yourself to be different from our expectations.
People: When we long for the love we have known in the past, our eyes are dimmed to the beauty you reveal to us now.
Leader: As your first followers struggled to see how a suffering savior could be the messiah, we strain to recognize you today.
People: Come, Spirit, make yourself known in the study of Scripture, in our songs of praise, and especially in the grace and love we offer one another. Amen.
HYMN
“Gather Us In” Verses 1 and 4
The Faith We Sing #2236
[Marty Haugen]
Here in this place new light is streaming,
now is the darkness vanished away,
see in this space our fears and our dreamings,
brought here to you in the light of the day.
Gather us in the lost and forsaken,
gather us in the blind and the lame;
call to us now, and we shall awaken,
we shall arise at the sound of our name.
Not in the dark of buildings confining,
not in some heaven, light years away,
but here in this place the new light is shining,
now is the Kingdom, now is the day.
Gather us in and hold us forever,
gather us in and make us your own;
gather us in all peoples together,
fire of love in our flesh and our bone.
CHILDREN’S TIME
Alan Cook
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE…PASTORAL PRAYER…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 today the bread we need, and forgive us where we have harmed others by action or inaction, as we forgive those who have harmed us. Lead us away from temptation, and deliver us from evil, for yours is the kindom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
PRAYER RESPONSE
“Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus”
UMH #349
[Helen H. Lemmel]
Turn your eyes upon Jesus, look full in his wonderful face,
and the things of earth will grow strangely dim
in the light of his glory and grace.
SCRIPTURE READING
Luke 24:36b-48…Jesus himself stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” they were startled and terrified, and thought they were seeing a ghost. He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as I have.” And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said, “Have you anything here to eat?” They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate in their presence.
Then he said to them, “These are my words I spoke to you while I was still with you – that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.”
SERMON
“Ancestry Beyond Biology”
Jan Everhart Hartliff, Pastor
WORSHIP WITH TITHES AND OFFERINGS
During our outdoor service, an offering basket near the entrance to the park is available.
OFFERTORY
“In This Very Room”
[by Ron & Carol Harris, arr. by Fred Bock]
Rebecca Nelson, Piano
PRAYER AND DEDICATION AND BENEDICTION
SONG OF SENDING FORTH
“Shalom to You”
UMH #666
[Elise Eslinger; Carlton R. Young]
Shalom to you, now, shalom my friends
may God’s full mercies, bless you my friends.
In all your living, and through your loving,
Christ be your shalom, Christ be your shalom.
POSTLUDE
“A Gaelic Blessing”
[by John Rutter Text: William Sharp, 1895]
Rebecca Nelson, Piano
Deep peace of the running wave to you,
Deep peace of the flowing air to you,
Deep peace of the quiet earth to you,
Deep peace of the shining stars to you,
Deep peace of the gentle night to you,
Moon and stars pour their healing light on you,
Deep peace of Christ, the light of the world to you.