PRESERVICE MUSIC
WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS
GATHERING HYMN: 379 Now the Green Blade Rises
Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, Wheat that in the dark earth many years has lain; Love lives again, that with the dead has been: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.
In the grave they laid Him, Love Whom we had slain, Thinking that He'd never wake again, Laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.
Up He sprang at Easter, like the risen grain, He that for three days in the grave had lain; Raised from the dead my living Lord is seen: Love is come again, like wheat that springs up green.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
P: You are the God of love; the Giver of love; the one whose love sent Jesus Christ to live, die and rise from the dead. Because you love us, we can confidently confess our sin.
C: You love us, choose us, and call us to live in love for others. We admit we cannot love you, love one another, or love our neighbors as we should. Forgive us, and by the power of your Holy Spirit, give us new life that only comes from you. Teach us to trust in your love and not our own. Call us into your deeper purposes for the sake of your kingdom.
P: Your love for us is most evident in sacrificial life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. We are Easter people who live in the promise of resurrection living.
C: Because of your love for us we can live in peace. (Silence for reflection & prayer)
P: You change our mourning into dancing. You bring light into the middle of our darkness. you bring joy where there is only sadness. You give new life to those who are dead in sin. Because of you, we can live into your deeper purposes for us and for your kingdom.
C: We praise you! We worship you! Amen!
PRAYER of the DAY
P: O God,
C: you give us your Son as the vine apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his resurrection, that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
READINGS
Acts 8:26-40
26An angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) 27So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worship 28and was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29Then the Spirit said to Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join it.” 30So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do you understand what you are reading?” 31He replied, “How can I, unless someone guides me?” And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. 32Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: “Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. 33In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth.” 34The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?” 35Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 36As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?” 38He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing. 40But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
1 John 4:7-21
7Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us. 13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16So 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. 17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There 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. 19We love because he first loved us. 20Those 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. 21The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
HOLY GOSPEL: John 15:1-8
P: The Holy Gospel of John Chapter 15 and I read in Jesus name.
C: Glory to you O Lord.
[Jesus said:] 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide 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. 5I 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. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
P: The Gospel of the Lord
C: Praise to You, O Christ.
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE
SERMON
HYMN OF THE DAY: 377 Alleluia! Jesus Is Risen!
1. Alleluia! Jesus is risen! Trumpets resounding in glorious light! Splendor, the Lamb, heaven forever! Oh, what a miracle God has in sight! Jesus is risen and we shall arise. Give God the glory! Alleluia!
2. Walking the way, Christ in the center telling the story to open our eyes; breaking the bread, giving us glory: Jesus our blessing, our constant surprise. Jesus is risen and we shall arise. Give God the glory! Alleluia!
3. Jesus the vine, we are the branches; life in the Spirit the fruit of the tree; Cherubim sing: O grave, be open! Clothe us in wonder, adorn us in light. Jesus is risen and we shall arise. Give God the glory! Alleluia!
STATEMENT OF FAITH: THE APOSTLES’ CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty, Creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, 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, and he will come 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 life everlasting. Amen.
P: . . . Hear us, O God.
C: Your mercy is great.
OFFERING
We join Christians all over the world in worshipping God through our giving of financial resources. For members and friends, the mission and ministry of this congregation is completely dependent upon your generous giving. Our offering is a significant act of worship, and we now worship God through our giving. If you have brought your offering with you today, please place it in the basket in the back as you leave. You may send your giving to the church office or give through the link on our website. Thank you for supporting our ministry.
LORD’S PRAYER
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 and ever. Amen.
SENDING HYMN: 821 Shout to the Lord
My Jesus, my Savior Lord there is none like You All of my days I want to praise The wonders of Your mighty love
My comfort, my shelter Tower of refuge and strength Let every breath, all that I am Never cease to worship You
Shout to the Lord all the Earth, let us sing Power and majesty, praise to the King Mountains bow down and the seas will roar At the sound of Your name
I sing for joy at the work of Your hands Forever I'll love You, forever I'll stand Nothing compares to the promise I have In You
BENEDICTION
Alleluia! Christ is risen.
Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!
Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia!
Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
We thank Sharon Halverson and Wayne Olson for leading us in worship at Fountain today and for giving the message that will also be shared at Grace!
Please considering leading and sharing a message yourself; contact the parish office to volunteer.
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