WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcome to Grace Church’s home worship resources for the sixth Sunday of Easter. Every week brings us a little closer to the time when we will be together again. In the meantime, take care of yourselves and each other. Make sure you’re on the church newsletter mailing list. Check in with our public Facebook page. If you’re a member at Grace Church you can also join the private Members Group for Grace Church members on Facebook. Email Kathy to get connected there. She can also put you in touch with Jim, the church’s newsletter editor, if you need to be added to that mailing list.
This week’s worship is led by our lay leader, John Watkins, along with a major assist by his son, Alex Watkins, who read the sermon this week. We also have wonderful music from Rhonda Stanton and Zoë Pouliot, and our readings this week come to us from members of the congregation and members of the Young Artists of KPAC. We extend a special thanks to these young readers who have done such a fine job.
Children’s Resources
Activities for Children
Children of the World Coloring Page
Word Search of Vocabulary in today’s Gospel Reading
Godly Play: the story offered in this video by a Godly Play storyteller from another church is titled “The Good Shepherd and World Communion” and has been a favorite of children in our congregation. This story harks back to the gospel reading and psalm two weeks ago when it was “Good Shepherd Sunday.” Like the Godly Play story we had last week, it evokes liturgical connections between familiar bible themes and our worship practices. Won’t it be wonderful when we can all come together for communion again!
Opening Hymn: Blessed Assurance
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine!
Oh, what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God,
Born of His Spirit, washed in His blood.- Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long;
This is my story, this is my song,
Praising my Savior all the day long.
- Refrain:
- Perfect submission, perfect delight,
Visions of rapture now burst on my sight;
Angels, descending, bring from above
Echoes of mercy, whispers of love. - Perfect submission, all is at rest,
I in my Savior am happy and blest,
Watching and waiting, looking above,
Filled with His goodness, lost in His love.
Collect of the Day
First Reading: Acts 17:22-31
Psalm 66:7-18
Second Reading: 1 Peter 3:13-22
Gospel Hymn: #691 My Faith Looks Up to Thee
1 My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine:
now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away,
O let me from this day
be wholly thine.
2 May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire;
as thou hast died for me,
O may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire.
3 While life’s dark maze I tread,
and griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.
Gospel Reading: John 14:15-21
Sermon
Nicene Creed
We believe in one God,
the Father, the Almighty,
maker of heaven and earth,
of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ,
the only Son of God,
eternally begotten of the Father,
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made,
of one Being with the Father.
Through him all things were made.
For us and for our salvation
he came down from heaven:
by the power of the Holy Spirit
he became incarnate from the Virgin Mary,
and was made man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate;
he suffered death and was buried.
On the third day he rose again
in accordance with the Scriptures;
he ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead,
and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life,
who proceeds from the Father and the Son.
With the Father and the Son he is worshiped and glorified.
He has spoken through the Prophets.
We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church.
We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins.
We look for the resurrection of the dead,
and the life of the world to come. Amen.
Special Music
Prayers of the People
Closing Song: I the Lord of Sea and Sky
I, the Lord of sea and sky
I have heard my people cry
All who dwell in dark and sin
My hand will save
I, who made the stars of night
I will make their darkness bright
Who will bear my light to them?
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
I, the Lord of snow and rain
I have borne my people’s pain
I have wept for love of them
They turn away
I will break their hearts of stone
Give them hearts for love alone
Who will speak my word to them
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
I, the Lord of wind and flame
I will tend the poor and lame
I will set a feast for them
My hand will save
Finest bread I will provide
‘Til their hearts be satisfied
I will give my life to them
Whom shall I send?
Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord?
I have heard you calling in the night
I will go, Lord, if you lead me
I will hold your people in my heart
Dismissal
Let us go forth into the world rejoicing in the power of the Spirit!
