The Celebration of the Gospel

May 3, 2015 — Fifth Sunday of Easter

I am the vine and you are the branches.
— John 15.5

_______ We Gather as The Body of Christ_______

GREETING
PRELUDE
8:15: Brother James’ Air     Traditional English Melody, arr: Fred Bock
10:30:   Praeludium, from Partita No. 1, BWV 825  J. S. Bach  (Julie Spring, harp)

CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Christ, you are the vine and we are your branches.
All:    Our life flows from you, and we give you thanks.
You are the vine and we are your branches.
Your love flows through us, and we praise you.
You are the vine and we are your branches.
We are one in you, and as one we worship you. Alleluia!

* SONG   Christ Is Risen   Blue hymnal #307

(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME

___________ We Attend to the Word___________

(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG      Ubi Caritas      Maurice Durufle

PRAYER OF THE DAY
Christ, you are the living vine. May your presence give us life, your Word give us wisdom, and your grace flow through us that we may bear fruit in the Spirit of your love. Amen.

NEW TESTAMENT   1 John 4.7-21

Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent God’s only Begotten into the world so that we might live through Christ. In this is love, not that we loved God but that God loved us and sent God’s Only Begotten to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another.

No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and God’s love is perfected in us. By this we know that we abide in God and God in us, because God has given us of God’s Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that God has sent the Only Begotten as the Savior of the world.

God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. So we have known and believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as God is, so are we in this world.

There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. We love because God first loved us. Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. The commandment we have from God is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
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GOSPEL   John 15.1-8

“I am the true vine, and my Abba God is the vinegrower. God removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit God prunes to make it bear more fruit. You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me.

I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. God is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
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SERMON

SONG   Vine and Branches    Steve G-H

You are the vine and we are your branches,
one with your life, and rooted in your heart.
Flowing with grace, with life you fill us,
strengthened, that nothing can break us apart.

You are the vine and we are your branches.
Deep in our hearts your life is flowing through.
Rooted in you, we grow and flourish.
You live within us and we live in you.

You are the vine and we are your branches.
One common blood flows through all of our veins.
We all are part of one another.
We all are branches of one living vine.                                                                                                                                    

You are the vine and we are your branches,
flowing with power greater than our own,
bearing your fruit to all Creation,
‘til all the seeds of your love have been sown.

THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
RESPONSE: This is my prayer. All: This is our prayer.

PASSING THE PEACE

__________We Share at Christ’s Table__________

OFFERING OUR GIFTS Open My Eyes, That I May See  Clara Scott, arr: Teresa Wilhelmi

* COMMUNION SONG   Bind Us Together   Black hymnal #2226

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 good to give God thanks and praise.

Christ, you are the vine and we are your branches.
Eternal Love, we spring from you.
Nothing can separate us from your love, for we are part of you.
You hold us when we stray and when we falter.
As the scattered seeds are made into one loaf,
the many branches grow from the one vine:
we are one with you and with all your beloved.
Therefore in one voice with all Creation we sing your praise.

Holy , holy Holy Lord, God of power and love,
heave and earth are full of your goodness.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is one who comes in your name.
Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed are all who come in your name, and blessed is Jesus your Christ.
He loved and taught, he acted for justice and reconciliation,
he gathered the outcast into a new community of love and forgiveness.
He was crucified and buried; the vine was cut down.
But you raised him to new life, and the vine lives on in us.

[The Blessing and Covenant.]

We remember these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ.
We offer ourselves, in praise and thanksgiving, as a living and holy sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us, as we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again.

Pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts, O God,
that they may be for us the Body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Pour out your Spirit on us, that we may be renewed as your people.
You are the grapevine and we are your fruit.
May your spirit flow through us as sap through the vine,
that we may bear the fruit of your love in this world.
By your Spirit in us may we be perfected in your love.
Make us one with you, one with each other and one with all Creation,
for the sake of the healing of the world,
in the name and the Spirit of Christ. Amen.

THE PRAYER OF JESUS
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy Name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

SHARING THE HOLY MEAL          [Everyone is welcome at the table of Christ’s self-giving love.
The bread is wheat-, soy- and dairy free. We dip the bread in the juice.]

PRAYER OF BLESSING
Gracious God, we thank you for this mystery in which you have given yourself to us. You love us perfectly and cast out all fear. May we then love one another and all the world without fear, in the name of Christ and the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____

THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD

* SONG   Make Us One   Black hymnal #2224

* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE   We stand and sing to our neighbors:
May the grace and peace of Christ be with you my friends.
Go and share the love of God, love that never ends.

POSTLUDE
8:15: Finale from Violin Sonata César Franck, arr: Homer Whitford

10:30: Gigue, from Partita No. 1, BWV 825 J. S. Bach

[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.
Following worship please join us for fellowship and refreshments.]