The Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 21, 2023
10:00 A.M.
Today we celebrate a special service at 10:00 am, as we close out Sunday School for the summer. We’ve invited our Sunday School students to help lead us in our worship today! They will serve as readers, ushers, and other roles. We’re so proud of them! To help them out, some of the prayers and readings are simplified. It’s also a good time to refresh our understanding of what we pray.
Opening Hymn #WLP 778: We all are one in mission
Priest Alleluia. Christ is risen.
People The Lord is risen indeed. Alleluia.
God, you know all that we think, do, and say.
Help us to focus our thoughts on you today.
Help us to do what is right today.
Help us to say what is true today.
Help us worship you and love you, now and forever. Amen.
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest O God, the King of glory, you have exalted your only Son Jesus Christ with great triumph to your kingdom in heaven: Do not leave us comfortless, but send us your Holy Spirit to strengthen us, and exalt us to that place where our Savior Christ has gone before; who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.
A reading from the Acts of the Apostles, Chapter 1, Verses 6 – 14
The disciples were together with Jesus and they asked him, “So, Jesus, are you going to rescue Israel from Roman occupation now?” Jesus said, “You know what? You don’t need to know everything God is doing. God has a special time line. You will receive special power when the Holy Spirit comes on you. And then, you will speak for me wherever you go.”
Just as he said this, they saw him lifted up into a cloud above them, and he was gone. As they stood there with their mouths open, still looking up, two men dressed in white said to them, “Why are you just standing there looking up? Jesus has gone into heaven, and he’ll come back the same way.”
Then the disciples went back to Jerusalem, to the upstairs room where they were staying. If you want to know the disciples names, here they are: Peter, John, James, Andrew, Philip, Thomas, Bartholomew, Matthew, James, Simon, and Judas son of James. There were some women there, too. Mary, Jesus’ mother, was there, as were his brothers. And they spent their time praying constantly.
The Word of the Lord / Thanks be to God!
From Psalm 68
Everyone on earth, no matter who you are, or where you live…sing God’s praises!
Sing good and loud to God whose name is the Lord. Shout it wherever you go!
God is on the side of those who have no parents or spouses to care for them.
God gives those without families a home and sets prisoners free.
But those who resist God will find themselves in a pretty lonely place.
Everyone on earth, no matter who you are, or where you live…sing God’s praises!
God, you led your people through the desert. The earth shook like crazy, and the skies opened up and rained hard because you were there.
Then you sent good and gentle rain where it was needed. And the dry, tired land came back to life.
Everyone on earth, no matter who you are, or where you live…sing God’s praises!
Your people found themselves in your goodness. And in you they were home.
You make sure the poor are cared for.
Everyone on earth, no matter who you are, or where you live…sing God’s praises!
Your home is in the ancient heavens, and your powerful voice is heard throughout the world.
Your strength in in the skies and his holy places.
Everyone on earth, no matter who you are, or where you live…sing God’s praises!
A reading from the first letter of Peter, Chapter 4, Verses 12 – 14 and Chapter 5, Verses 6 – 11
My dear friends, don’t be surprised at how difficult life can be as a follower of Jesus. Think of it as sharing your suffering with Jesus, and then you can shout for joy when his glory is finally revealed. God’s Spirit is resting on you, even when people make fun of you because you believe in Jesus. It’s not so bad to be humble now, because God will life you up later.
Let God carry your burden of worries for you, because God really cares about you. Don’t let yourselves lose control. Pay attention to what you’re doing and what’s going on around you. You could easily be caught up in something that’s wrong, or could hurt you. Don’t do things that hurt people. Be steady in the faith you have. There are plenty of brothers and sisters of faith throughout the world who know what you’re going through and suffer for Jesus’ sake themselves.
Your troubles won’t last forever. God’s grace will support you, strengthen you, and lift you up and finally take you to be with God and Jesus forever.
The Word of the Lord / Thanks be to God!
Sequence Hymn #460: Alleluia! Sing to Jesus
Priest The Holy Gospel of Our Lord Jesus Christ according to John (17:1-11)
People Glory to you, Lord Christ!
Jesus looked up to heaven and prayed to God:
I know my time has come. Give me your glory so that I may show your glory to everyone who sees me. I ache to give these people eternal life – that means know you deeply. I’m done now with the work you gave me. I’ve made your name known, and people know that you and I have been working together. Take me again to yourself. And when I leave them soon, I ask you to please, please protect them. Help them to work together just as you and I work together.
The Gospel of the Lord / Praise to you, Lord Christ.
Sermon
The people may be seated for the sermon.
The Apostle’s Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit
and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven,
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic Church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
The Prayers of the People
Intercessor Let us pray for the world.
People God loves the world, and we love the world, too.
Intercessor We pray for the Church. We pray for our bishops, priests, deacons, and all the people that they may do what is right.
People God, hear our prayer for the Church.
Intercessor We pray for our nation and the leaders throughout the world that they be wise and good.
People God, hear our prayer for world leaders.
Intercessor We pray for our community. We pray for peace, safety, and justice in our community.
People God, hear our prayer for our community.
Intercessor We pray for those who hurt in body, mind, or heart. We pray for all who are in pain.
People God, hear our prayer for those who hurt.
Intercessor We pray for those who have died. We pray for them to rest in peace.
People God, hear our prayer for those who have died.
Intercessor We pray for those people on our hearts. You know what they need, God.
People God, hear our prayer for everyone.
Priest God, you hear our prayers. You love us, and you help us to help others. Help those for whom we pray.
People Amen.
Confession
Priest Jesus said, “The first commandment is this: Hear, O Israel: The Lord your God is the only Lord. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this: Love your neighbor as yourself. There is no commandment greater than these.” Mark 12:29-31
Priest Let us confess our sins against God and our neighbor.
All God, we confess to you that we have not done what we should have done; we have not loved you with our whole hearts, and we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves. We also confess to you that we have done what we should not have done. Forgive us, and help us to do what is right.
Priest God forgives your sins and blesses you. Amen.
The peace of the Lord be with you always.
People And also with you.
The peace is briefly shared. After the peace, a time for sharing and celebrating blessings and birthdays will follow.
Priest Offer to God a sacrifice of thanksgiving, and make good your vows to the Most High. Psalm 50:14
Offertory Anthem: This is the day!
Priest Yours, Lord, is the greatness, the power, the glory, the splendor, and the majesty; for everything in heaven and on earth is yours. 1 Chron. 29:11
People All things come from you, and of your own do we give you. 1 Chron. 29:14
Eucharistic Prayer
The people remain standing.
Priest The Lord be with you.
People And also with you.
Priest Lift up your hearts!
People We lift them up to the Lord!
Priest Let us give thanks to the Lord our God!
People It is right to give God thanks and praise!
Priest God, thank you for making the earth and all that is in it.
Thank you for revealing the truth about you to your people.
Thank you for every good thing we see and know and touch—for the big sky above us and the ground beneath us, for our families and for every person we meet.
And thank you, God, for everything that we cannot see—the realms of heaven and all the angels and heavenly messengers.
People We are in awe of you, God!
Priest And so we join our voices with those angel voices, who even now are singing with the saints
Priest You made the universe and you made people;
you gave the universe the gift of chance
people the gift of free will.
Then you saw how we have ignored what is good and true,
and how we forget your rules and your love.
And so sin and pain entered the world.
And so you decided to give us another gift.
You came to visit us in a very special way, and you sent us Jesus Christ, who was fully God and fully human. Even when Jesus was born, he saved us. In all parts of his life, he showed us how to live. And when Jesus gave his life up freely on the cross, he saved us all.
That was on Good Friday, a sad day. Some people hated Jesus because Jesus told them the truth about God and the world. They killed him.
And then, on the third day, Jesus rose again, alive in a different way. Jesus defeated death. Thank you, God, for that first Easter Day, when his friends learned that Jesus is with us always, and nothing can take him away from us.
But on the night he was handed over to suffering and death,
our Lord Jesus Christ took bread; and when he had given thanks to you, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, and said, “Take, eat: This is my Body, which is given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me.”
After supper he took the cup of wine; and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them, and said, “Drink this, all of you: This is my Blood of the new Covenant, which is shed for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this for the remembrance of me.”
Recalling now his suffering and death, and celebrating his resurrection and ascension, we await his coming in glory.
People Accept, O Lord, our sacrifice of praise, this memorial of our redemption.
Priest Send your Holy Spirit upon these gifts.
Let them be for us the Body and Blood of your Son.
And send your Holy Spirit upon us,
to gather us by this Holy Communion into one body
in your Son Jesus Christ. Make us a living sacrifice of praise.
All this we ask through your Son Jesus Christ. By him, and with him, and in him, in the unity of the Holy Spirit all honor and glory is yours, Almighty Father, now and for ever. AMEN. Amen! Amen!
Priest Now let’s say together the prayer that Jesus taught us.
All Our Father in heaven,
hallowed be your Name,
your kingdom come,
your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins
as we forgive those
who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial,
and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power,
and the glory are yours,
now and for ever. Amen.
Priest The bread we break is the communion of the Body of Christ.
People We are one body, for though we are many, we share one bread, one cup. Alleluia!
Priest The gifts of God for the people of God.
Communion Hymn:
Priest Let us pray.
All God, we thank you for the gift of Jesus
And the gift of our holy meal together.
Bless us,
Bless those who are on our hearts,
And bless the world through your love working in us.
Amen.
Priest The blessing of God Almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you now and remain with you always. Amen.
Priest Go in peace to love and serve the Lord!
People Thanks be to God!
Closing Hymn #494: Crown Him with many crowns
The Altar Flowers are given by Sue & Duncan Nims, to the Glory of God
and in celebration of the wedding of Jonathan Nims and Megan Schultz.
Serving today:
8:00 A.M.
Celebrant: Fr. Joseph Farnes
Preaching: Mary Ellen Gallagher
Lectors: Dee Ann Goulet & Duncan Nims
Eucharistic Minister: Duncan Nims
Altar Guild: ElsieLee McKlveen
10:00 A.M.
Celebrant: Fr. Joseph Farnes
Preaching: Mary Ellen Gallagher
Lectors: Dean Hagerman & Pat Webb
Eucharistic Minister: Pat Webb
Altar Guild: Linda Stark & Robin Finch
Usher: Kelsey Bullinger
Music Director: Shauna Emara
Camera: Mike Ritthaler
Coffee Hour Host: Ray Stark