Bulletin – Sunday, May 18, 2025 – Fifth Sunday of Easter

Sunday, May 18, 2025
Fifth Sunday of Easter

We Gather as People of Faith

Welcome

Announcements

Candle Lighting

Call to Worship

One:   We gather in God’s love.
All:      God’s got the whole world in God’s hands.

One:   God’s got all of creation in God’s heart.
All:      God’s got you and me and all of God’s people in God’s heart.

One:   We worship God whose love we experience in Jesus the Christ.
All:      Let us worship God in faith, hope, and love. Amen.

Hymn – “He’s Got the Whole World in His Hands”

He’s got the whole world in his hands,
He’s got the big round world in his hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

He’s got the wind and the rain in his hands,
He’s got the sun and the moon in his hands,
He’s got the wind and the rain in his hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

He’s got the tiny little baby in his hands,
He’s got the big round world in his hands,
He’s got the tiny little baby in his hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

He’s got you and me brother, in his hands,
He’s got you and me sister, in his hands,
He’s got you and me brother, in his hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

He’s got everybody in his hands,
He’s got the big round world in his hands,
He’s got everybody in is hands,
He’s got the whole world in his hands.

Prayer of Approach and Confession

God, we come to worship from many places and experiences. We come bringing prayers for many who suffer and struggle. We come also, bearing worries, grudges, and fears. We come unaware of the prejudices that may limit our willingness to love others. God, renew our hearts that we may love as Jesus loved, that we may be agents of Your healing and forgiving power in this world. Bless us to be a blessing to others. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen.

Words of Assurance

Nothing can separate us from the love of God we have encountered in Jesus. God continues to create and to open our hearts, imaginations and minds to new ways of perceiving, new ways of understanding and new depths of loving. Thanks be to God. Amen.

Sung Response – “How Deep the Peace” (MV #95)

How deep the peace, the confidence of those whose wrongs are forgiven.
How deep the peace, the confidence of those whose hearts are healed.

A Story for All

We Hear God’s Word

Scripture Reading:    Acts 11:1-18

¹ Now the apostles and the brothers and sisters who were in Judea heard that the gentiles had also accepted the word of God. ² So when Peter went up to Jerusalem, the circumcised believers criticized him, ³ saying, “Why did you go to uncircumcised men and eat with them?”

⁴ Then Peter began to explain it to them, step by step, saying, ⁵ “I was in the city of Joppa praying, and in a trance I saw a vision. There was something like a large sheet coming down from heaven, being lowered by its four corners, and it came close to me. ⁶ As I looked at it closely I saw four-footed animals, beasts of prey, reptiles, and birds of the air. ⁷ I also heard a voice saying to me, ‘Get up, Peter; kill and eat.’

⁸ But I replied, ‘By no means, Lord, for nothing profane or unclean has ever entered my mouth.’

⁹ But a second time the voice answered from heaven, ‘What God has made clean, you must not call profane.’

¹⁰ This happened three times; then everything was pulled up again to heaven. ¹¹ At that very moment three men, sent to me from Caesarea, arrived at the house where we were. ¹² The Spirit told me to go with them and not to make a distinction between them and us. These six brothers also accompanied me, and we entered the man’s house. ¹³ He told us how he had seen the angel standing in his house and saying, ‘Send to Joppa and bring Simon, who is called Peter; ¹⁴ he will give you a message by which you and your entire household will be saved.’

¹⁵ And as I began to speak, the Holy Spirit fell upon them just as it had upon us at the beginning. 16 And I remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said, ‘John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.’ ¹⁷ If then God gave them the same gift that he gave us when we believed in the Lord Jesus Christ, who was I that I could hinder God?”

¹⁸ When they heard this, they were silenced. And they praised God, saying, “Then God has given even to the gentiles the repentance that leads to life.”

Hymn – “In Christ There is No East or West” (VU #61)”

In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north,
But one great family of love throughout the whole wide earth.

In him shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;
His service is the golden cord close binding humankind.

Join hands, then, people of the faith, whate’er your race may be;
All children of the living God are surely kin to me.

In Christ now meet both east and west, in him meet south and north;
All Christ-like souls are one in him throughout the whole wide earth.

Scripture Reading:    John 13:31-35

³¹ When he had gone out, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. ³² If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once.

³³ Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, ‘Where I am going, you cannot come.’

³⁴ I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another.

³⁵ By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”

May God speak to us through these readings of scripture.
Thanks be to God!

Hymn – “My Love Colours Outside the Lines” (MV #138)

My love colours outside the lines,
Exploring paths that few could ever find;
And takes me into places where I’ve never been before,
And opens doors to worlds outside the lines.

My Lord colours outside the line,
Turns wounds to blessings, water into wine;
And takes me into places where I’ve never been before
And opens doors to worlds outside the lines.

We’ll never walk on water if we’re not prepared to drown,
Body and soul need a soaking from time to time.
And we’ll never move the gravestones if we’re not prepared to die,
And realize there are worlds outside the lines.

My soul longs to colour outside the lines,
Tear back the curtains, sun, come in and shine;
I want to walk beyond the boundaries where I’ve never been before,
Throw open doors to worlds outside the lines.

Meditation

Anthem – “Love One Another”

Love is patient, love is kind
Love is gentle, love diving.
Love forgives, is never rude.
Love rejoices in the truth.

Love one another, as God has also loved you.
Love one another, as God has also loved you.

Love is faithful, love is pure.
Love is hopeful, love endures.
Love is humble, love is strong.
Love is such a joyous song.

Love one another, as God has also loved you.
Love one another, as God has also loved you.

We Respond to God’s Word

Invitation to Share

Offering Sung Response – “Your Work, O God, Needs Many Hands” (VU #537)

Your work, O God, needs many hands to help you everywhere,
And some there are who cannot serve unless our gifts we share.

Because we love you and your work, our offering now we make:
Be please to use it as your own, we ask for Jesus’ sake.

Offering Prayer

Prayers of the People

The Prayer Jesus Taught Us:

Let us pray to God who is like our Mother and 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, the power and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

We Go Into God’s World

Hymn – “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” (VU #333)

Love divine, all loves excelling, joy of heaven to earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble dwelling, all thy faithful mercies crown.
Jesus, thou art all compassion, pure, unbounded love thou art;
Visit us with thy salvation, enter every trembling heart.

Come, almighty to deliver; let us all thy grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never, nevermore thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing, serve thee as thy hosts above,
Pray, and praise thee, without ceasing, glory in they perfect love.

Finish, then, thy new creation; pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation perfectly restored in three,
Changed from glory into glory, till in heave we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee, lost in wonder, love, and praise.

Commissioning / Benediction

Sung Response – “When You Walk from Here” (VU #298)

When you walk from here, when you walk from here,
Walk with justice, walk with mercy, and with God’s humble care.