Sorry about the lateness of this Focus on Spirit. The worship service this week was a service of readings and hymns taking us from Advent to Easter. It just seemed to me that since the church was closed during this time period due to COVID restrictions we really missed the importance of the story of Jesus for us as Christians.
The story of Jesus is really a unique story of the way of God working in the world in a different way.
The God out there became God with us- Emmanuel, God in truly human form. It is an amazing story that we live within every year. This service celebrates that story
The story of Jesus is really a unique story of the way of God working in the world in a different way.
The God out there became God with us- Emmanuel, God in truly human form. It is an amazing story that we live within every year. This service celebrates that story
Advent Call to Worship
O God, our deliverer:
You cast down the mighty and lift up all,
You lifted up Elizabeth and Mary,
Who embraced one another
With songs of liberation.
May we be pregnant with your Spirit,
And affirm one another in our hope for the world,
In the name of Jesus.
Amen
Hymn: VU #7 Hope is a Star
Advent Prayer of Approach
Christmas Hymn: VU #43 Go Tell It On the Mountain
Christmas Prayer of Confession (unison)
God of stable, stars and surprises,
Of light and hope and new life:
Open our eyes and hearts to your presence in our world;
Forgive our obsession with property and possessions;
Forgive our compromises and narrowness of vision.
Open us to your grace,
That we might hear again the song of angels,
And respond with a song in our hearts,
And in our lives. Amen.
Time of Silence
Assurance
Christmas Hymn: VU #60 O Come All Ye Faithful (v.1,3,5)
Epiphany Prayer
Epiphany Hymn: VU #87 I am the Light of the World
Reading: Mark 1:9-11 (NIV) Jesus’ Baptism
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Hymn: VU #375 Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
Reading: Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration
28 About a week after he had said these things, Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up a hill to pray.
29 While he was praying, his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white.
30 Suddenly two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in heavenly glory and talked with Jesus about the way in which he would soon fulfill God's purpose by dying in Jerusalem
32 Peter and his companions were sound asleep, but they woke up and saw Jesus' glory and the two men who were standing with him.
33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
34 While he was still speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow; and the disciples were afraid as the cloud came over them.
35 A voice said from the cloud, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen—listen to him!”
36 When the voice stopped, there was Jesus all alone. The disciples kept quiet about all this and told no one at that time anything they had seen.
Lenten Hymn: VU #120 O Jesus, I Have Promised
Lenten Offering;
Offertory and Dedication VU #540
Grant us, God, the grace of giving,
With a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living
we may offer faithfully.
Palm Sunday Reading :Matthew 21:1-4, 6-11 (NIV)
1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Good Friday Hymn: VU #144 Were You There?
Easter Morning Reading: Mark 16:1-7 (NRSV)
1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary; the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.
5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”
(Responsive Easter verse at end of reading)
He is Risen
He is risen indeed!
Hallelujah!
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Easter Hymn: VU #155 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
The New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone
Commissioning and Benediction
Sung Benediction
O God, our deliverer:
You cast down the mighty and lift up all,
You lifted up Elizabeth and Mary,
Who embraced one another
With songs of liberation.
May we be pregnant with your Spirit,
And affirm one another in our hope for the world,
In the name of Jesus.
Amen
Hymn: VU #7 Hope is a Star
Advent Prayer of Approach
Christmas Hymn: VU #43 Go Tell It On the Mountain
Christmas Prayer of Confession (unison)
God of stable, stars and surprises,
Of light and hope and new life:
Open our eyes and hearts to your presence in our world;
Forgive our obsession with property and possessions;
Forgive our compromises and narrowness of vision.
Open us to your grace,
That we might hear again the song of angels,
And respond with a song in our hearts,
And in our lives. Amen.
Time of Silence
Assurance
Christmas Hymn: VU #60 O Come All Ye Faithful (v.1,3,5)
Epiphany Prayer
Epiphany Hymn: VU #87 I am the Light of the World
Reading: Mark 1:9-11 (NIV) Jesus’ Baptism
9 At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptized by John in the Jordan.
10 Just as Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove.
11 And a voice came from heaven: “You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased.”
Hymn: VU #375 Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness
Reading: Luke 9:28-36 The Transfiguration
28 About a week after he had said these things, Jesus took Peter, John, and James with him and went up a hill to pray.
29 While he was praying, his face changed its appearance, and his clothes became dazzling white.
30 Suddenly two men were there talking with him. They were Moses and Elijah,
31 who appeared in heavenly glory and talked with Jesus about the way in which he would soon fulfill God's purpose by dying in Jerusalem
32 Peter and his companions were sound asleep, but they woke up and saw Jesus' glory and the two men who were standing with him.
33 As the men were leaving Jesus, Peter said to him, “Master, how good it is that we are here! We will make three tents, one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah.
34 While he was still speaking, a cloud appeared and covered them with its shadow; and the disciples were afraid as the cloud came over them.
35 A voice said from the cloud, “This is my Son, whom I have chosen—listen to him!”
36 When the voice stopped, there was Jesus all alone. The disciples kept quiet about all this and told no one at that time anything they had seen.
Lenten Hymn: VU #120 O Jesus, I Have Promised
Lenten Offering;
Offertory and Dedication VU #540
Grant us, God, the grace of giving,
With a spirit large and free,
That ourselves and all our living
we may offer faithfully.
Palm Sunday Reading :Matthew 21:1-4, 6-11 (NIV)
1As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples,
2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me.
3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.”
6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them.
7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on.
8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.
9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?”
11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
Good Friday Hymn: VU #144 Were You There?
Easter Morning Reading: Mark 16:1-7 (NRSV)
1 When the sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary; the mother of James, and Salome bought spices, so that they might go and anoint him.
2 And very early on the first day of the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb.
3 They had been saying to one another, “Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the tomb?”
4 When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had already been rolled back.
5 As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man, dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.
6 But he said to them, “Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they laid him.
7 But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.”
(Responsive Easter verse at end of reading)
He is Risen
He is risen indeed!
Hallelujah!
Prayers of the People
The Lord’s Prayer
Easter Hymn: VU #155 Jesus Christ Is Risen Today
The New Creed
We are not alone,
we live in God's world.
We believe in God:
who has created and is creating,
who has come in Jesus,
the Word made flesh,
to reconcile and make new,
who works in us and others
by the Spirit.
We trust in God.
We are called to be the Church:
to celebrate God's presence,
to live with respect in Creation,
to love and serve others,
to seek justice and resist evil,
to proclaim Jesus, crucified and risen,
our judge and our hope.
In life, in death, in life beyond death,
God is with us.
We are not alone
Commissioning and Benediction
Sung Benediction
