Easter 5

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Gathering

God Will See Us Through Ceurvels/SirchioUsed by permission. © Convergence Music Project, 2020 Emma Ceurvels and Bryan Sirchio

Gathering Music

You Are Mine Haas/Kim

The Gift of Love Trad. English

adapted by Hopson

Gathering Music

You Raise Me Up Lovland/Graham

Megan McCormick, flutist

Gathering Music

Welcome

Gathering in Celebration of Mothers

Mothering God,

on this day set aside in our nation to praise mothers and motherhood,

help us to give thanks to you for our mothers

and for those who have been like mothers to us.

Rejoice with us for all those, male and female, older and younger,

who have shown us your tender grace, mercy, and parental love.

Support all who have entered into the joyous calling of motherhood and parenting,

especially those who raise children alone or in the face of great trial.

Gathering

Do not let us forget about those who may feel left out on this day:

those who do not know their mothers,

those whose mothers are far away or have died,

those mothers whose children are far away or have died,

those who do not or cannot know the joy of children and motherhood.

Help all your people to know the gift of a mother’s love

and continue to show us your love

through all who are mothers and fathers to us.

Gathering Song: Here I Am to Worship

Verse 1: Light of the world, You stepped down into darkness,

opened my eyes let me see. Beauty that made this heart adore You,

hope of a life spent with You.

Chorus: So here I am to worship, here I am to bow down,

here I am to say that You're my God.

And You're altogether lovely, altogether worthy,

altogether wonderful to me.

Greeting

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia!

Confession

To prepare our hearts to receive God’s word,

let us confess our sin in the presence of God. Most merciful God,

we confess that we are captive to sin and cannot free ourselves.

We have sinned against you in thought, word, and deed,

by what we have done and by what we have left undone.

We have not loved you with our whole heart;

we have not loved our neighbors as ourselves.

For the sake of your Son, Jesus Christ, have mercy on us.

Forgive us, renew us, and lead us, so that we may delight in your will

and walk in your ways, to the glory of your holy name. Amen.

Forgiveness

In the mercy of almighty God, Jesus Christ was given to die for us,

and for his sake God forgives us all our sins.

As a called and ordained minister of the church of Christ,

and by God’s authority,

I announce to you the entire forgiveness of all your sins,

in the name of the Father, and of the + Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen

Prayer of the Day

Let us pray together.

Almighty God, your Son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life.

Give us grace to follow in God’s way of love,

and to share the life changing truth of Jesus with all the world,

for Christ lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen.

Word

Reading: 1 Peter 2:2-10 NIV Bible

A reading from 1 Peter.

Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in

your salvation, now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.

As you come to him, the living Stone — rejected by humans but chosen by God and

precious to him — you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house

to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through

Jesus Christ. For in Scripture it says:

“See, I lay a stone in Zion, a chosen and precious cornerstone,

and the one who trusts in him will never be put to shame.”

Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,

“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” and,

“A stone that causes people to stumble and a rock that makes them fall.”

They stumble because they disobey the message —

which is also what they were destined for.

But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special

possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness

into his wonderful light. Once you were not a people, but now you are the people

of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God!

Gospel: John 14:1-14 NIV Bible

The good news from John 14. Open our hearts, Lord.

“Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.

My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you

that I am going there to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare

a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also

may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going.”

Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going,

so how can we know the way?”

Gospel

Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you really know me, you will know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”

Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”

Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you

such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves.

Gospel

Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works

I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these,

because I am going to the Father.

And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified

in the Son. You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

This is the Good News!

Thanks be to God! Hallelujah!

Sermon

Word in Song: Jesu, Jesu, Fill Us With Your Love

ELW Hymn 708

Chorus: Jesu, Jesu, fill us with Your love

Show us how to serve the neighbors we have from You.

Verse 1: These are the ones we should serve, these are the ones we should love;

All these are neighbors to us and You. Chorus

Verse 2: Loving puts us on our knees, serving as though we are slaves;

This is the way we should live, with You. Chorus

Easter Affirmation

Let us affirm our faith as resurrection people.

I believe in the resurrection.

I believe that the unbelievable story of the women was true,

just as the angel said: “He is not here; he has risen, just as he said.”

I believe in the resurrection.

I believe that there is no force in the universe that could stop, hinder, contain,

or successfully oppose the risen Savior, my Lord, Jesus Christ.

Jesus said he would lay down his life and take it up again.

And Christ did.

I believe in the resurrection.

I believe that Jesus appeared to eleven discouraged, defeated,

demoralized disciples in a room where all hope was lost.

I believe that when he showed them his nail-pierced hands and

his spear-pierced side, they fell at his feet and cried out,

“My Lord and my God!”

I believe that in the days that followed, hundreds saw him alive.

All their doubt was removed; their fear was gone.

What could the world do to them?

Jesus was alive!

I believe in the resurrection.

I believe that Jesus lives today as powerfully

and as alive as he was 2,000 years ago.

I believe Christ empowers us to follow in his footsteps.

I believe that Jesus calls women, men, and children to change the world,

one doubting heart and life at a time.

I believe Christ will resurrect me.

Prayers of the People

Separated physically but with our hearts united as one,

we pray for the church, the earth, the world, and all who are in need.

Build us up, mothering God, like living stones that we may embody the strength

that only you can give. Nurse all the baptized with the milk of your word. As you

provided the early church with the apostle Matthias, fill now the churches’ needs

for leaders to serve your holy people. May God’s love flow through us.

Form us to be humble participants in your complex creation. We praise your power

in evolving a magnificent earth, from flowering trees to tropical rainstorms,

from black holes to beloved pets. Lead us to respect your wondrous world.

May God’s love flow through us.

Assist the leaders of nations to find and follow your ways of justice. Guide their way

through the challenges of pandemic and poverty. Protect governors and legislators

from sickness and burn-out. Despite our own considerable needs, keep us mindful of

the needs of others, especially refugees and prisoners. May God’s love flow

through us.

Comfort our shut in and homebound especially Tom, Bill, Carol, Phyllis, Deb, Jim,

Doris, Ray, Joan, Margaret, Christopher, Kathy, Jean, Midge, Glenn and Norine,

Jean, Bob, Billie, and Trevor. May God’s love flow through us.

Always loving God, we beg you to protect us and those who serve on the frontline

from the coronavirus, and we pray for those we name in our hearts before you

especially Jennifer, Bethann, Eric, Theresa, Lauren, Nicole, Dean, Becky, Faye, Edna,

Tom, Joel, Joyce, Heather, Anne, Jim, Joann, Josh, Kelsie, Elizabeth, Jolene, David,

Sherri, Emily, Sarah, Phil, Chip, Heather, Scott, David, Nathan, Jocelyn, Mary,

George, Marty, Victoria, Shannon, Mathai, Elizabeth, Sue, Jeff, Carina, Erin, Chuck,

Ksenia, James, Jenna, Joe, Nate, Tony, Taylor family, Deepti, Vikam, and Brett. Keep

safe all frontline employees at hospitals, first responders, grocery store workers,

warehouse workers, delivery drivers, postal workers, teachers and students, seniors

who will not experience graduation, residents and workers in nursing homes, senior

residences and life care facilities, residents in special needs homes and hospitals,

those expecting a child, those on the adoption journey, our pastors, staff, Eucharistic

Ministers, Stephen Ministers, those who are sick in our community, nation, and world.

May God’s love flow through us.

Accompany those who are sick, sorrowful, or confused. Comfort them in suffering,

ease their distress and carry their burdens. Bring healing and hope especially to

Lois, Louise, Stephanie, Louise, Janet, Lea, Kathy, Abby, Ollie and Sue, Jace, Helen,

Jim, Hank, Eleanor and Chick, Kevin, Linda, Alma, Dottie, Linda, Dorothy, Mark, Jan,

Scott, Eric, Carol, Becky, Glenn, Denise, Dillon, Fran, Lisa, Linda, Dick and Doris,

Patricia and Reinhold, Johnathan, Susan, Hiram, George, Joan, Andrew, Jim, Fred,

Wilbur, Rosie, Kevin, Wade, Grace, Paul and Irene, Jeannette, Kari, Donna and

Jimmy, Lester, Chris, Jeff, Brad, Holma, Jess, Ruth, Louise, Gary, Bob, Nick, Jen, Don,

Ross, Patty, Randy, Thomas, Jim and Sylvia, Jim and Shirley, Elizabeth, John, Bob and

Diane, Wilma, Tori, Melanie, Visili, Mike, Bob, Bill and Doris, the Wimmer family, and

McKenna. May God’s love flow through us.

Sustain those who mother infants and children. Uphold the parents and

grandparents who now must school their children. Provide enough food and

resources for families. Give a safe pregnancy and delivery to expectant parents,

and minister to those who endure infertility and miscarriage. Bless the countless

relatives, medical workers, and hospice volunteers who give to others mothering

care. Embrace all for whom today’s cultural celebration of mothers is difficult.

May God’s love flow through us.

We remember before you for all who have died in the faith, those like Stephen who

was martyred for the faith, those struck down by the coronavirus, and those whom

we name now in our hearts. At the end, bring us all to you, who is our way, our truth,

and our life. May God’s love flow through us.

With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom we pray

into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord. Amen.

Solo: The Way Jeremy Camp

Glenn and Terri Hinderliter, soloists

This song is a reflection on John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth and the life.”

"The Way" is a song by American Contemporary Christian music singer and songwriter Jeremy Camp from his 2010 album, We Cry Out: The Worship Project.

It was released in 2011.

CCLI Song # 7089024, CCLI Annual License # 678084

Respond to God’s Gifts

We respond to the Word of God by gathering an offering for the mission of the church,

including the care of those in need. The music is offered as a gift to the glory of God.

During this period of remote church services, you may give your offering by

(1) using Give by Text (610-981-1312),

(2) enrolling in Simply Giving,

(3) mailing your check to the church office,

(4) navigating to our church's website https://lchsemmaus.org/stewardship/,

then clicking on: Give now on-line,

(5) downloading our mobile giving app by simply searching for “Give+” in either the Apple

App Store or Google Play Store. Once you have downloaded the app, search on “Lutheran

Church of The Holy Spirit”. You can immediately donate or choose to set up an account.

Word in Meal

In this meal, we touch with our hands and taste with our lips

the depth of Christ’s forgiving love.

God of Easter, you sent Jesus to heal our broken creation

and create a new covenant of love.

From the beginning of time,

you have demonstrated that you are faithful, loving, caring, and filled with mercy.

In this digital community, Christ is present with us in water, Word, wheat and wine.

In Jesus rising, God transforms us into Easter people!

We are here because Jesus is the hope for all people.

We are forgiven and new people in Christ.

Word in Meal

Words of Institution

When we eat and drink we celebrate and remember the mystery of Christ’s saving action

on our behalf. Christ has died. Christ is risen! Christ will come again!

Come, Holy Spirit, and fill us with hope, awe, wonder and new life; abundant life. Amen!

Lord’s Prayer

Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us:

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.

Invitation to Communion

Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, gives everyone a place at the welcome table.

Alleluia!

You may prepare your communion table at home now.

CommunionThe body of Christ broken for you.

The blood of Christ shed for you.

To bless a child, “You are a loved child of God.”

Sending

Blessing

May God who raised Jesus from the dead

raise you to new life,

fill you with hope,

and turn your mourning into dancing.

Almighty God, Father, + Son, and Holy Spirit,

bless you now and forever.

Amen.

Sending Song: We Are Called ELW Hymn 720

Verse 1 only

Come! Live in the light!

Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord!

We are called to be light for the kingdom,

to live in the freedom of the city of God.

Refrain: We are called to act with justice,

we are called to love tenderly;

we are called to serve one another,

to walk humbly with God.

Dismissal

Share the Good News. Christ is risen!

Christ is risen, indeed! Alleluia!

Christ is Risen!

CCLI #678084 One License A-701076 HymnPrint.net License #11804. Liturgy from Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2020 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg

Fortress Liturgies Annual License #20593. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America.

Used by Permission. All rights reserved. Some liturgy reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word® Worship Companion. ©2014. Used by permission. Contemporary English

Version (CEV) Copyright © 1995 by American Bible Society. New International Version (NIV) Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by

permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Gathering submitted to liturgylink by Andy James, First Presbyterian Church of Whitestone, Queens, New York, edited by Pr. Ric Elliott, Deacon Jane Elliott. Prayers of the

People: Gail Ramshaw.

Christ is Risen!