The Celebration of the Gospel
May 28, 2017 — Ascension Sunday
“Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up
toward Heaven?” Acts 1: 11
_______We Gather as the Body of Christ_______
GREETING
PRELUDE Adagio César Franck
[As we listen to the music we quiet our minds and bodies,
listen for our hearts’ deepest desires,
and become present to the Holy One who is lovingly present for us.]
* CALL TO WORSHIP
(Psalm 47, adapted from Psalms Anew, Schreck and Leach, OSF)
Leader: All people clap your hands!
All: Raise a joyful shout to God!
For the Most High is awesome
glorious over all the Earth!
The God of love chooses us for our inheritance.
Sing praise to God, sing praise!
* SONG Praise My Soul, the King of Heaven Blue hymnal # 66
PRAYER OF THE DAY
Lord Jesus, you call us to be your witnesses just as you called the disciples. Send your Holy Spirit to us so that we, like them, may share your Good News with all the nations. Amen.
__________ We Attend to the Word__________
THE WORD IN SONG
Then Shall the Righteous Shine, from “Elijah” Felix Mendelssohn
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
FIRST READING Acts 1:1-14
[Jesus is raised from the dead and then after 40 days “ascends to heaven” —a highly symbolic image.]
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 God. “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 God has set by God’s 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 people in white robes stood by them. They said, “People of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”
Then they returned to Jerusalem from the mount called Olivet, which is near Jerusalem, a sabbath day’s journey away. When they had entered the city, they went to the room upstairs where they were staying, Peter, and John, and James, and Andrew, Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew, James son of Alphaeus, and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. All these were constantly devoting themselves to prayer, together with certain women, including Mary the mother of Jesus, as well as his brothers.
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GOSPEL Luke 24: 44-52
[ A briefer version of the ascension.]
Then he said to them, “These are my words that 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. And see, I am sending upon you what my Father promised; so stay here in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and, lifting up his hands, he blessed them. While he was blessing them, he withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And they worshiped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they were continually in the temple blessing God.
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SERMON
SONG Christ for the World We Sing Blue hymnal # 568
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
THE PRAYER OF JESUS
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 forever. Amen.
SHARING THE PEACE OF CHRIST
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
Come, Holy Spirit Wm. & Gloria Gaither, arr: Fred Bock
* OFFERING SONG
Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow Blue hymnal #94
_____We Are Sent in Ministry to the World____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG All Hail the Power of Jesus Name Blue hymnal #154
* THE BLESSING AND SENDING FORTH
RESPONSE Please stand and sing to your 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
Deck Thyself, My Soul, With Gladness Johann Cruger, arr: Robert Lau
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Our Director of Faith Formation, Elizabeth Windsor, is our preacher today. She has served in both Episcopal and United Methodist congregations in her 30 year career. In addition to her work at St. Matthew’s, Elizabeth is also the Christian Formation Specialist for the New England Conference of the United Methodist Church.