The Celebration of the Gospel
April 3, 2016 —Second Sunday of Easter
“Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands,
and put my finger in the mark of the nails
and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
—John 20.25
________We Gather as the Body of Christ______
GREETING
PRELUDE The King Of Love My Shepherd Is Tune: ST. COLUMBIA, arr: David Cherwin
[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
Leader: God of Love, you have passed through our sin and sorrow,
died of our wounds, lain in our grave.
All: And you have risen, full of life.
You have entered our darkness,
and you have made the darkness one with the light.
Now even the darkness shines with your glory.
All of life is raised, new, and we with it,
praising you with new voices, new hearts, new lives. Alleluia!
* SONG Do Not Look Among the Dead Steve G-H
1. Women came early to the tomb to mourn. The stone was rolled away!
“Where shall we look now for our Lord?” they asked,
and still we ask the same today.
Refrain:
Do not look among the dead for Christ is risen,
God’s living word of love that cannot die.
Where the Word of God is given flesh and made alive,
there Christ shall be and so shall I!
2. When we are wounded or afraid or sad,
the grave looms dark and deep.
But, see, the grave is empty; death has lost!
It cannot hold; it cannot keep.
3. When we have turned away, our trust has failed,
we reach for God in vain.
Love rolls away the stone that guards our hearts
and brings us back to life again!
(10:30) CHILDREN’S TIME
___________ We Attend to the Word___________
(10:30) THE WORD IN SONG Ye Watchers and Ye Holy Ones Setting by Bryceson Treharne.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of new life, your grace is always beyond our grasp. Open the eyes of our hearts to see you, present for us. Open the ears of our hearts to hear you speak your Word to us, now and always, through the living Christ. Amen.
NEW TESTAMENT Acts 5.27-32
[During the Easter season a reading from the book of Acts replaces the Old Testament reading. In Acts 5. 27-32 the authorities try to stop Jesus’ followers from preaching in his name, but they reply, “We obey God, not human authority,” and they keep right on preaching. ]
When the temple police had brought the apostles, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
+
GOSPEL John 21.19-31
[The risen Jesus comes to the disciples and breathes his spirit into them (“spirit” and “breath” being the same word in Greek). Thomas misses this, and wants to see the crucified and risen Lord—wounds and all. When he does see Jesus he is overwhelmed, not by the physical proof but by Jesus’ presence.]
It was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the people. Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As God has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas (who was called the Twin ), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.” A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”
Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
+
SERMON
* SONG Now the Green Blade Riseth Blue hymnal # 311
* CANTICLE Revelation 1.4-8
[John’s greeting to the churches at the beginning of his book. It opens with a greeting from God and from Christ—who has set us free and made us a nation of priests who serve God— and who is coming again.]
Leader: Grace to you and peace from the One who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of all earthly rulers.
All: To Christ who loves us and in his dying freed us from our sins and made us to be a nation of priests serving our God and Creator, to Christ be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! Christ is coming with the clouds; every eye will see, even those who pierced Jesus on the cross; and for Christ all the tribes of the earth will mourn . So it is to be. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says God,
who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
[Anyone who wishes may share a prayer concern at the microphone.]
PASSING THE PEACE
_________We Share at Christ’s Table _________
OFFERING OUR GIFTS
O For A Thousand Tongues To Sing Carl Glazier, arr: Teresa Wilhelmi
* COMMUNION SONG The Feast of Resurrection Steve G-H
Christ is risen! Alleluia! God, with grateful hearts we sing.
You invite us to your table. To the feast our gifts we bring.
Bread is broken; hearts are mended; truth is spoken; wine is poured.
In our love and joyful sharing we behold you, living Lord.
Holy Spirit, life eternal, gift of grace, all praise to you!
In this feast of resurrection raise us up to lives anew:
free, forgiving, deeply loving, gently living without fear,
Christ in us, alive, forever! Christ in us, your presence here!
THE GREAT THANKSGIVING Black hymnal # 2257
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. In our hunger for you, you come to us. You touch us with your presence and feed us with your flesh. Now throw open the doors we have locked around us, and send us, for the sake of others who hunger for you, as the Body of Christ. Amen.
______ We Are Sent in Ministry to the World_____
THE LIFE OF THE CHURCH IN THE WORLD
* SONG Easter People, Raise Your Voices Blue hymnal #304
* 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 Morning Has Broken Traditional Gaelic Melody, arr: Fred Bock
[During the postlude there are people ready to pray with you at the candles in the corners.]