May 28, 2017

Sunday May 28, 2017

Year A, Seventh Sunday of Easter

Seventh Sunday of Easter :: White ::

Acts 1:6-14  ::Psalm 68:1-10, 32-35  ::  1 Peter 4:12-14; 5:6-11  :: John 17:1-11

Call to Worship (Responsive)    

Adapted from Psalm 68

L: Let the righteous be joyful;

P: We will exult before our God with joy.

L: Sing to God, Sing praises to God’s name;

P: We will lift up a song to the one who rides upon the clouds.

L: Sing to God, all the earth; sing praises to the LORD,

P: Listen, God speaks with a mighty voice.

L: Ascribe power to God,

P: Awesome is God, who gives power and strength to the people. Blessed be God!

Invocation: 

Wonderful God, you have made us, and you have made us your own. You have given us the gift of your Son, and we know it is all from you. We come to worship you, because we know you are the giver of all good gifts. You bring us the power and strength to face another day, another week, another moment. We come to glorify your name, O God, and ask your blessing. Guide and revel in our worship, as we praise you and the one whom you have sent, Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Stewardship Moment:

Why do we give? Some would be quick to say “It is because the church has  bills and commitments.” While that may be true, it is a survival mindset around giving. I believe we should give because we recognize just how much God gives us. When we start to look at the abundance of God’s giving to us and understand it, I think we should be motivated to give even more.

When we do that, the church is able not just to “pay the bills” but reach out to new people; Serve others; Give more to the community. When we strive to match the generosity of God, more people come to know God’s extravagant and abundant love. And all of our ministries thrive.

We will now receive the tithes and offerings which make all of our ministries possible.

Offertory Prayer: 

Bless these gifts O God, and use them in your service. Help them to change lives, and grow the numbers of believers from our doorsteps to the ends of the earth.

Communion Meditation:

There is an old saying “you are what you eat”. And yes, when we take the bread and cup of Christ, I believe a part of Christ is renewed in each one of us. When we celebrate communion together, when we all become a little bit of Christ, then I think we also fulfill Christ’s prayer: “That they may be one, as we are one.”  Come to the table, and be made one with the body of believers in Christ, our Lord.

 

All material copyright 2017 The Jubilee Fund, Inc., and appears on this site via a partnership agreement with the Center for Faith and Giving.  Permission granted to reproduce and use any of the above for Churches and Congregations to the glory of God without requirement of compensation or notification.

Scripture Quotations from the New Revised Standard Version. Online Scripture links a service of the Jean and Alexander Heard Divinity Library, of Vanderbilt University, Nashville, TN. Check out all of the awesome resources there at http://lectionary.library.vanderbilt.edu

 

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