Bulletin – Sunday, April 14, 2024 – Third Sunday of Easter / Communion
Sunday, April 14, 2024
Third Sunday of Easter / Communion
We Gather as People of Faith
Welcome
Announcements
Lighting the Christ Candle
This candle’s flame reminds us of the light of Christ present in the world. The flame represents the risen Christ and is for us a symbol of life dispelling death.
Call to Worship
One: We need your presence on the long road, Lord.
All: The road between fear and hope, the road between the place where all is lost and the place of resurrection.
One: Like the disciples walking the road to Emmaus, we are in need of your company!
All: Jesus, stand among us, in your risen power, let this time of worship, be a hallowed hour.
Hymn – “Come, Children, Join to Sing” (VU #345)
Come, children, join to sing: Hallelujah!
Praise to our Servant King: Hallelujah!
Let all with heart and voice, saved by God’s gracious choice,
Now in this place rejoice: Hallelujah!
Come, lift your hearts on high: Hallelujah!
Let praises fill the sky: Hallelujah!
Christ calls his people friends, the helpless he defends,
A love that never ends: Hallelujah!
Praise yet our Christ again: Hallelujah!
Raise high the joyous strain: Hallelujah!
The whole creation o’er let all God’s love adore,
Singing forevermore: Hallelujah!
Prayer of Approach
Gracious God, once again you have called us together in this place. Here we open our hearts and live before you, here we seek to hear Your Word. God open our hearts, and minds and souls to receive your challenge, open our wills to accept your instruction. And when our time of worship is ended, lead us back out into the world to share the Good News with the world around us. We pray in the name of the One who brought Your healing love, Jesus of Nazareth. Amen.
Prayer of Confession
O Jesus Christ, sometimes we are so busy talking with each other that we fail to find you beside us. We walk on, so focused on our questions that we do not create the silent spaces which would allow you to speak with us and enlighten our journeying.
Silent reflection
Stay with us, Jesus Christ. Reach out towards us and invite us to pause and meet with you, we pray.
As we look at our lives and that of the world around us, we are sometimes too anxious to share our real questions or our doubts and fears. We keep them within us in troubled silence.
Silent reflection
Stay with us, Jesus Christ. Reach out towards us and invite us to pause and meet with you, we pray. We call your name, O Christ, and hope to discover you here in our community of vulnerable faith. Amen.
Words of Assurance
Sung Response – “Alleluia” (MV #50)
Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!
We Hear God’s Word
Scripture Reading: Luke 24:3
3 but when they went in they did not find the body.
Scripture Reading: Luke 24:13-25
13 Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, 14 and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. 15 While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, 16 but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. 17 And he said to them, “What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?” They stood still, looking sad. 18 Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, “Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?” 19 He asked them, “What things?” They replied, “The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, 20 and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. 21 But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. 22 Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, 23 and when they did not find his body there they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. 24 Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see him.” 25 Then he said to them, “Oh, how foolish you are and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared!
Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church
Thanks be to God!
Hymn – “Open Our Eyes, Lord”
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus,
To reach out and touch Him, and say that we love Him.
Open our ears, Lord, and help us to listen;
Open our eyes, Lord, we want to see Jesus
Meditation – “Heartburn”
Anthem – “Faith”
Believing without seeing,
Hoping in the heart,
Trusting without knowing,
Seeing in the mind;
That’s the faith of a child, a child of God,
That’s the faith of a child of God.
For faith is the substance of things hoped for;
The evidence of things not seen.
We Respond to God’s Word
Invitation to Share
Offering Response – “Grant Us, God, the Grace” (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.
Offering Prayer
Sacrament of Communion
Prayers of the People
We Go Into God’s World
Hymn – “Sing of One who Walks Beside us”
Sing of one who walks beside us and this day is living still,
One who now is closer to us than the thoughts our hearts distill,
One who once upon a hilltop, raised against the power of sin,
Died in love as his own creatures crucified their God and King!
Strangers we have walked beside him the long journey of the day,
And have told him of the darkness that has swept our hope away.
He has offered words of comfort, words of energy and light,
And our hearts have blazed within us as he saved us from the night.
Stay with us, dear Lord, and raise us, once again the night is near.
Dine with us, and share your wisdom, free our hearts from every fear.
In the calm of each new evening, in the freshness of each dawn,
If you hold us fast in friendship we will never be alone.
Benediction
Go now, sent by the one who was sent by God. Walk in the light; testify to the resurrection of Christ, forgive the sins of all, and life at peace with one another. And may God bless you with life forever; may Christ Jesus breathe his Spirit and peace into you; and may the Holy Spirit lead you into the life and light of God. We go in peace to love and serve the Lord, in the name of Christ. Amen.
Response – “Amen! Amen! Hallelujah, Amen!” (VU #974)
Amen! Amen! Hallelujah, amen!
Amen! Amen! Hallelujah, amen!
