Fifth Sunday of Easter

So that Good morning, St. Jones. >> Good morning. >> Well, today's the day for your classic uh to the to uh the classic restaurant uh in Denton for you all after church today. We definitely want to congratulate Riley. Congratulations, Riley. Um, this is a uh would be fascinating these tickets to the Cannonballers. Make sure that u there's a group of 20 tickets available. Make sure you sign up for that. And here's a have breakfast with the pastor. Now, he doesn't say in here who's paying for it. So, take your chances, but uh just to to open lines of communication and all. He just spent the hour with us in our Sunday school class. And I think this is pretty awesome. Uh, make sure you read about the North Carolina Senate gathering. It's pretty much open and that, uh, the length of time it be at Lenor Ry University. And I think today would be about the last day for the virtual Mother's Day bouques. Uh, for that to remember our mothers that are here and the ones that have passed on before us. and graduation recognition on May 17th, senior recognition Sunday. Uh if you're high school or college senior, please let the church office know. And uh I am going to mention that we need to keep Melinda in our prayers again. She's had a setback, been back in the hospital. So please keep Melinda in your prayers because she's who keeps Pastor Matt straight. So anyway, is there anything that anyone else there are some others? Karen Miller, would you please come up? Thank you. >> Grace and peace to all of you. Patty Fletcher and I have a wonderful story to share today. Patty, you're out there somewhere in the nursery. It begins with a 12-year-old paper boy from Harrington, Maine who wins a trip to Washington DC. It was his first visit to our nation's capital and one that would change his life and the lives of millions of others across the country. He visited the tomb of the unknown and Arlington National Cemetery. The hundreds of thousands of graves are left an indelible impression on him. If you haven't visit there, Arlington is a remarkable tribute to America's veterans. For moral Wararchchester, his visit was an experience that would follow him throughout his life. It reminded him of the good fortune and the values of his nation and the veterans who fought and many who died for their country. By 1992, Merryill's company, Warchester Wreath, found themselves with a surplus of re and it was near the end of the season and so he realized there was an opportunity for him to donate these to Arlington. And so he took these remaining surplus ree re is a very hard word to repeat a lot but he took these rees to a to an old part of Arlington. He felt like fewer and fewer visitors were going there and they really needed some attention. And then what strangely, remarkably, miraculously happened was people started getting involved. They saw pictures on the internet. They realized that this was remembering our veterans in a very, very special way. And so the the tribute to veterans at Arlington continued for 13 years. And then many others from around the c country started visiting as well and joining in as volunteers. Patty Fletcher herself has traveled with the group to Arlington and at some point I hope she'll share her remarkable personal experience with you. But the annual trip grew and grew and grew and the movement had grown far be beyond Arlington and bigger than one single company in Maine. By 1907, I mean by 1907, by 2007, Merrill's family with the support of veterans I'm having trouble. Everything's falling off. Uh anyway, by 190 by 2007, they had formed a nonprofit uh to support others from the country who wanted to do the same thing by setting up their own ree across America sites. and they chose a simple mission for their organization. Remember, honor, teach. But let's jump forward another 17 years to December of 2005 when there were 30 300 locations in across the United States and more than a 100,000 reefs were donated and set for veterans along uh the lines of ree across America day which has been designated ated by the United States Congress as one day every December to honor our veterans. So by December of 2025, that's just last December, over 3.1 million sponsored veterans reefs were placed on headsets on headsets headstones of our nation's veterans at 56 participating locations. Millions of volunteers, 30% of whom were children, helped place re 7,800 sponsorship groups supported with contributions, in kind donations, and the annual pilgrimage from Maine with re w ree all across the country is now considered the world's largest veterans parade. So the wreath lane that started more than 34 years ago is still held annually on one day in December at every site in every state and international locations are the second or third Sunday of December. So it Patty and I have been talking about this for a while with others in the congregation who also participate in Race Across America. And it just seemed perfect for us and appropriate too that Patty and I would lead a how do I say it? our passion work to bring Reesecross America to our historic cemetery. So after some discussion, after a with family and church friends, you know who you are, we sent an application this past January and miraculously the Ree Across America organization accepted our application and designated St. John's as an official location site for December 2026. We are currently named NC St. Joe. NC S TJ O. We tried for John's. They wouldn't give it to us. So, Saturday, December 19th, 26, beginning at noon, our first opening ceremony will be followed by Wreath Lane and St. John's Historic Cemetery in association with REE across America. Patty and I will share site responsibilities as location coordinators and will work directly with WA headquarters and all of their regional liaison. And we'd appreciate anybody who is interested in this mission um to join us. Dean Moorehead has participated as a WDA WA volunteer with the D laying reeves at Oakwood for many years. Perhaps some of you have volunteered as well. Dean believes among the nearly 1500 graves in St. John Cemetery. There are easily more than 500 veterans from the American Revolution, World War I, World War II, Korea, Vietnam, as well as many veterans who served in time of peace. As a result, Patty and I have placed our wreath goal in 2026 at 350 wreaths at St. John's Veteran Graves. This number is very flexible based on the interest and our sponsors and committed partners within Cabaris County. We get many tools from the organization and there is a builtin merchandise and mechanism to provide funds coming through our own NC State Joe and this simplifies much of the organizational structure. Donations will not be ours alone. This is not intended for a funding effort by St. John's, but we believe that there will be people who are very interested in sport supporting this effort. And each 30inch red ribboned wreath costs $17 to sponsor. This includes delivery and the big red bow that is the signature of all of the WA ree. For me, a field of fresh green ree with large red bows will be the measure of our success. We'll have more information coming within the next six months. We have a long way here. And um as Chief Tuscarora said, they are not dead who live in the hearts they leave behind. Thank you. >> Thank you, Karen. That's it was very exciting that St. John's will will host reads across across America this year. One other brief announcement. So, there has been a bit of a uh of a scam that's circulating, especially through the church staff, but I hope not through through more of the members where uh an email is sent seemingly from me, but it's not from me. It's a it's a weird message saying, "Hey, do you have a few minutes to chat or uh can we talk now?" And then the follow-up message will be uh something about gift cards. I will never email any of any of you uh to request gift cards no matter the uh the time or place. It it will not happen. So please do pay uh special attention to the from line on your email uh because these emails are not coming from me. But I just want to want you to be aware. Also, if people are asking for a PDF of the directory, that's another sign to uh to be cautious of because they they're doing that so they can get contact information and pose as members and staff. So, no one will ask for gift cards. All right. Let us now prepare our hearts and minds for worship with the music of the prelude. We give thanks uh for Carol and her music leadership today. I invite you to stand as you're able. Allelujah. Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Allelujah. Salvation belongs to our God who is seated on the throne and to the lamb. Amen. Let us give thanks for the gifts of baptism. Merciful God, you are the one who was, who is, and who is to come. You lead us beside still waters. We thank you for the waters of creation, morning dew, gentle rain, roaring waves. We thank you for the waters that nourish us. For Dutch Buffalo Creek, Cold Water Creek, and the Rocky River. Blessed are you. You guide us to springs of the water of life. Jesus Christ, you are the faithful witness who accompanies us on our journeys. We give you thanks for your lifegiving death and resurrection. We praise you for joining us in joy and sorrow. Blessed are you. You guide us to springs of the water of life. Holy Spirit, you anoint our head with oil and our cup overflows. Break down barriers that divide us. Fill us with the breath of peace. Blessed are you. You guide us to springs of the water of life. Holy one, we thank you for the gifts and grace of baptism and for making us a new creation. We join with saints and angels giving you honor and praise now and forever. Amen. Lord, we praise you. Now the night is over and standing here for you. Sing we adore you. Lord of all your health and bring us to heaven with us. Holy Father, Sonless your sales is the glory through all. >> The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. And also with you. the throne and all their joys are worth to be exed. worthy for he was for us. Jesus is worthy to receive and bless the King of the Lord to adore. Let us pray. Almighty God, your son Jesus Christ is the way, the truth, and the life. Give us grace to love one another, to follow in the way of his commandments, and to share his risen life with all the world. for he lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. You may be seated. And at this time, I invite our youngest disciples to come forward. Well, good morning. >> Good morning. >> How's it going? >> Good. >> Good day. Yeah. Well, I got a question for you this morning. Have you ever been maybe a little nervous, maybe a little afraid of what might happen tomorrow? Let's say you have something you have to >> at night time. >> You've been afraid at nighttime. Yeah, that makes sense. That it can when it's dark outside, right, it can be a little scary. Yeah. Well, you know, we hear in our gospel story today about Jesus's disciples who were a little afraid. They were a little afraid because Jesus had told them that that he was he had to go. He he had to go to the cross and they didn't know what to do without him because they had dropped their nets. They had dropped their their day-to-day jobs and they become they became his disciples. They were following him around everywhere. And it was pretty amazing what he was doing. He was healing and he was teaching and they they got to be so close to all of Jesus's miracles. And then Jesus said, "Well, pretty soon you're going to have to figure out how to do this without me here." And so the first thing that he says is do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not let your hearts be troubled. The thing is, I think it's easy sometimes for you and me to let our hearts be troubled. But Jesus gives us a promise today. Jesus reminds us that even if we can't see him right in front of us, that Jesus is always with us, is always watching over us, and always loves us. So we can maybe we can actually listen to him and and we can try but we have to remind ourselves we can try not to let our hearts be troubled because Jesus is here for us. So let us pray. >> Dear God, >> Dear God, >> thank you for the gift of Jesus. >> Thank you for the gift of Jesus >> who lets our hearts not be troubled. >> In his name we pray. Amen. Thank you so much. Thank you for coming up. The first reading is from Acts 7th chapter the 55th verse. Filled with the Holy Spirit, Stephen gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God and Jesus standing at the right hand of God. "Look," he said, "I see the heavens open and the Son of Man standing the right hand at the right hand of God." But they covered their ears with a loud shout. All rushed together against him. Then they dragged him out of the city and began to stone him. And the witnesses laid their coats at the feet of a young man named Saul. When they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." Then he knelt down and cried in a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them." When he had said this, he died. Christ is risen. This is the word of God. Allelujah. Thanks be to God. >> We will read a portion of Psalm 31 responsively. >> In you, O Lord, I seek revenge. Do not let me ever be put to shame. In your righteousness, deliver me. You are indeed my rock and my fortress. For your name's sake, lead me and guide me. >> Into your hand I commit my spirit. You have redeemed me, oh Lord, faithful God. >> Let your sh your face shine upon your servant. Save me in your steadfast love. The second reading is from first Peter the 2 chapter beginning with the second verse. Like newborn infants, long for their per pure spiritual milk, so that by you you may grow into salvation. If indeed you have test tasted that the Lord is good, come to him a living stone, though rejected by mortals, yet chosen and precious in God's sight. And like living stones by let yourself be built into a spiritual house. be a holy priesthood to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands in s in scripture. See, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame. This honor then is for you who believe. For those who do not believe, the stone that the builders rejected has become the very head of the corner. And a stone that marks them stumble and a stone a rock that makes them fall. They stumble because they disobey the word as they were destined to do. But you are cho a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God's own people, in order that you may proclaim the excellence of him who called you out of the darkness into his marvelous light. Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people. Once you have not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. God is risen. This is the word of God. alive. Thanks be to God. Lord and Savior will now your saving word. Let it burn like fire within us till our hearts are stirred. Halleluord. >> The Holy Gospel according to John. Glory to you, Lord. >> Jesus said to the disciples, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. Believe in God. Believe also in me. In my father's house, there are many dwelling places. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, so that where I am, there you may be also." and you know the way to the place where I'm going. Thomas said to him,"Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?" Jesus said to him, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. If you know me, you will know my Father also. From now on, you do know him and have seen him." Philip said to him,"Lord, show us the Father, and we will be satisfied." Jesus said to him, "Have I been with you all this time, Philillip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the Father? How can you say, show us the Father?" Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in me? The words that I say to you, I do not speak on my own, but the Father who dwells in me does his works. Believe me that I am in the Father and the Father is in me. But if you do not, then believe because of the works themselves. Very truly I tell you, the one who believes in me will also do the works that I do and in fact will do greater works than these because I am going to the Father. I will do whatever you ask in my name so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If in my name you ask me for anything, I will do it. The Gospel of the Lord. >> Praise to you, Christ. >> In the name of God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Do not let your hearts be troubled. I must say it is much easier said than done. Troubled hearts are things that I encounter often as a pastor. I think that we carry these troubled hearts into hospital rooms. We carry them into funeral homes. We carry our troubled hearts into late night doom scrolling into uh an inability to to quiet our minds and to to focus on all the good gifts that God keeps giving us. And sometimes we even come right here. We come to church and we carry our troubled hearts here even if we try to to mask them with our Sunday best. And today we hear these words from Jesus. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Yes, this is indeed most certainly easier said than done. But I believe if we step back and we try to notice why and when Jesus said these particular words to his disciples, perhaps these things can be a little bit more applicable to us and to our lives here today. Jesus says these words to his troubled and frightened disciples the night before he heads to the cross. This is not Jesus speaking from a safe distance. This is not Jesus speaking removed from reality or for trouble. This is someone who's about to undergo great suffering for the whole world. Peter is about to deny him. Of course, Judas is already wandering out. The disciples are confused and afraid. And perhaps to some it may seem at this moment that things are beginning to just fall apart. And it is right here, right in the middle of this uncertainty, right in the middle of this mess and muck, that we hear when we when we human beings think that everything is unraveling, that we hear Jesus speak these words of peace, these words of comfort. Last Sunday night, I don't know if you caught it, but it was on 60 Minutes, and it was an absolutely incredible interview with Ben Sass. And Ben Sass is a former senator who in December was diagnosed with very late stage cancer that uh essentially there's there's really there's nothing but a short window of his life left. There's nothing that they can very that they can seriously do to to cure him. And he's been doing the interview rounds and they've been each one of these conversations has been truly incredible. Uh, I've watched as many as I can just because I'm struck by his deep sense of faith and his deep peace despite what he's facing. His he's he he will soon leave behind a a wife uh but also two older daughters and a teenage son. And the clarity that he speaks with his faith is it's just incredible in a world that spends an enormous amount of energy. There's there's whole industries based on this avoiding death pro, you know, pushing it, delaying death, uh distracting ourselves about the fact that we all will die or even the fact that sometimes we like to pretend that it doesn't exist. It is amazing to see a conversation like this on live TV. The disciples in our text this morning are staring death into the face headon as well. Though they don't fully understand it yet. There's no way they could. Jesus keeps talking about how he must go away. But this really can't be an easy thing for them to grasp. The people who have become closest to Jesus, who their entire world is, you know, is based around following Jesus, they drop their nets. They dropped their livelihoods so they could go and follow him. What happens if he leaves? What what could you possibly do after that? After this person and this God who they put all their trust in, if he leaves, and I think a question like that may be phrased a little bit differently might resonate with some of us. What happens when the future that we imagined changes? What happens when the church changes? What happens when our health declines and then our day-to-day reality changes? What happens when the ground beneath us, it suddenly starts to feel unstable and what has anchored us for so long, this familiar thing, when that no longer feels or looks the same. What happens? Jesus in our gospel text today doesn't gloss over this kind of stuff. Jesus understands. God understands. God in flesh understands the human experience, the human tendency to to worry and to be fearful and to be anxious. These are very real things. And Jesus understanding all of this responds with assurance. Jesus responds with promise. In my father's house there are many dwelling places. It's important to know that Christian hope is not just uh uh imaginary thinking. It is rooted in the person of Jesus Christ himself in the presence of Jesus Christ, God in the flesh. And then we've got despite this wonderful thing, we've got very real and human questions from someone like say Thomas. We can always count on Thomas who might be the the saint of all human skeptics and doubters to follow up with the question. Lord, we do not know where you are going. How how can we know the way? I love Thomas for this. Thomas refuses to just nod along despite being in the presence of Jesus when Thomas can't fully understand what he's saying. He Thomas is not going to perform a faith that he does not yet possess or understand. And the best thing is Jesus Jesus doesn't rebuke him or make him feel bad for for asking this question. Jesus answers Thomas directly and Jesus answers him personally saying, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the father except through me." But I want to spend just a little bit of time on this. It's an important caveat because what you just heard is perhaps one of the most I think mischaracterized pieces of scripture in the whole Bible. It's misused in so many times. Entire centuries of violence have been perpetrated because of misinterpretations on texts like this on those words. It has been yielded we wielded rather as a weapon as a a gatekeeping device as a as a theological sword of sorts. And I say this all the time when people come to me or they ask me a question about something maybe in the Bible that's puzzling them or there's a theological quandry. I say look at the context. Look at the context. In today's text, Jesus is not giving a lecture on the exclusivity of salvation. Jesus is speaking to his frightened friends. Jesus is speaking to the frightened disciples on the worst night of their lives. Jesus is saying, "Bad stuff, it's it's yet to happen. It's coming up around the corner. But but take comfort because you know me. I am the path. Stay close to me in the chaos that is coming. And it is most certainly chaos. The betrayal, the arrest, the cross, the death. Stay close to me and you will not be lost. They want a route, but they don't realize that the route is right in front of front of them. The route is Jesus himself. The way is not a doctrine. It's not a how-to. It's most certainly not something that's meant to be judgy or exclusive. The way, thanks be to God, the way is a person. It's Jesus, the one who the disciples dropped everything for. They now know him and we now know him. For what it's worth, former Senator Sass is a as a reformed Christian, a Presbyterian. And in that faith, you are very much shaped by the tradition that takes seriously the sovereignty of God, the power that God alone has. And so in this interview, SAS recently said that there are no maverick molecules in the universe. And he's reflecting that that it's a trust in the all powerfulness of God, that nothing falls beyond the sight of God. that God knows each and every one of us down to the molecules. Psalm 139 is great for that. That all of this is within God's providence, God's vision. And yet, SAS is not a man who has found this faith and this assurance easy. Most certainly not. Especially if you just look if you look at him and and the effects that this treatment that he's undergoing is is taking on his very body. SAS is a man despite all of this who has found it to be true the words and the and and the assurance of Jesus and the providence of God. And that's a very different thing. That's a difficult thing. And then he even said in the interview when the interviewer was telling him that this, you know, you've got this young family, this wonderful family, how do you feel about the future that you now know is coming much sooner than you anticipated that you will be leaving them? How do you feel? He says, I don't feel ready, but to whom would I go? To whom would I go? Later on in the text this morning, Philip asks for something a little bit more. He says,"Lord, show us the father, and then we will be satisfied." And Jesus sounds a little kind of weary at this point. Jesus says, "Have I been with you all this time, Philillip, and you still do not know me? Whoever has seen me has seen the father?" You see, Philip wants this clear vision, this grand thing to happen, a God-given road map, something that's undeniable, that's spectacular, that is conclusive proof for what will happen. Show us, God, please show us, show us, Jesus, while you're here, and then then we won't be troubled anymore." And Jesus says back to him, "You've already seen him. You've been eating with him. You've been watching him touch lepers and argue with the Pharisees and weep alongside you when Lazarus died. You've seen him. You've seen me. This is exactly what God looks like. And this is really this is kind of a scandal. This is the scandal of the incarnation that we are able to know what God is like. That we are able to interact with God. Sit around a table with God. God does not appear on a mountain or in a fire anymore just through thunder or things like that. God appears to these scared disciples in a human face at a dinner table ultimately on a cross and for us in bread and wine. The way straight to the father it is running through the son. A life lived, a death endured, and a love that would not let his disciples go and doesn't let us go. And this is what I want us to feel this morning to for us to learn this morning to get it in our bones that Philip's request, his very real and human request, it's being answered right now here in this place here at St. John's. We we are not waiting to see the father. We're not straining towards some future vision, some mountaintop experience that will finally conclusively put all of our doubts to rest. We are already joined to this promise by the power of Jesus, by the power of the word made flesh. We're joined to this promise week after week here in the most ordinary of ways and yet in really the most extraordinary of ways. when water is poured, when words are spoken over a child or an an adult in the sacrament of holy baptism, who doesn't even fully understand it yet, who doesn't understand what is happening to them, which honestly is all of us. We don't fully understand the goodness that God gives us when he chooses to give us this. And you, we hear this promise spoken over someone when they're baptized that you are sealed by the Holy Spirit and marked with the cross of Christ forever. It's not a metaphor. It is a promise that is spoken over us to us by God with our actual names, with our actual bodies, held by a God who does not forget, who nothing can be outside of his providence. Here at St. John's bread is broken. We hear the about the chalice. We we see the chalice being poured. We hear the words, "This is my body. This is my blood given and shed for you." It's not for the theologically trained. It's not for the spiritually advanced. It's not for us who have completely resolved all of our doubts, whose hearts are no longer troubled. But it is for us, for you, for the troubled hearts, for those of us who can feel like at times we're halfbelieving, barely hanging on. Jesus meets us in the muck, in the middle of our lives. Jesus meets us here week after week just like he did with those disciples in the upper room in the middle of their fear on the worst night of their lives and meets us with food and his very presence. This is what Philillip could not see. This is what Philip could not quite understand. And it's something that I think frankly we forget. This is why I like to remind us so much when I say things like week after week because we do not have to manufacture an encounter with God. We don't have to go off to Sedona. We don't have to achieve a sufficient level of spiritual feeling or that high before we are admitted to the father's presence, God the Father. The encounter comes to us whether we're ready or not. It comes in water and word. It comes in bread and wine. And it comes in the gathered assembly of the people of God. That's us right here, right now. It comes to us. Even if we don't have any business being here, if we don't fully understand it, it comes to us. Thanks be to God. Sass, for one, he most certainly understands this now in this precarious situation he finds himself in. He speaks not of a God who is off in the distance, who's abstract, who's unattainable or ununderstandable, but of a God who is father. He said in this interview that we get to approach the divine and call him daddy, call him aba, father. What a gift that is. That is glorious. And I know that is exactly what I need. That's what we need. Not a vision, not proof. We need a father, God the father. And the claim that we stake our whole worship life on week after week is that that father comes to us here and now again and again. And we receive those very promises a new here week after week. Do not let your hearts be troubled. Philip in our text today wanted a grand plan. Philip wanted that holy route. But Philip was given given something that is far better. The very presence of the living God right in front of him. The very promise of God right in front of him. And we too get that same gift here right in front of us. Thanks be to God. And amen. All the heavens love Christ. He is living angels and clear of glory. Christ has trial. Hallelu Hallelujah. eternal hepture sings Christ. He is now still he comes to give us life and by his presence he all Christ has triall Hallelujah. Hallelujah. Fill us Lord with love. All things above that weer and grace sales we truly save Christ he is with halleluj Hallelu Hallelujah praises now we bless Christlu with the Father and our Lord. To the SP bless all the glory ever. Hallelu Hallelu Hallelujah. With the whole church, we confess our faith. 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, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary, and became truly human. For our sake, he was crucified under Pontious 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, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who 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. Trusting in Christ who is the way, the truth, and the life. Let us pray for the church, the world, and all in need. Gracious God, when our hearts are troubled, draw us to your son who prepares a place for us and gives us his peace. Hear us, oh God. Your >> mercy is great. >> God of the church, we give you thanks for word and sacrament. Continue to form us in your truth and love. Hear us, oh God. >> God of creation, we thank you for the rain that renews the earth. Sustain our crops, gardens, and all living things. Hear us, oh God. >> Your mercy is great. >> God of provision, guide this congregation as we fill open positions. Call and equip those who will serve your mission here among us. Hear us, oh God. >> Your mercy is great. God of new beginnings, bless those who are graduating. Lead them with wisdom and courage into what comes next. Hear us, oh God. >> Your mercy is great. >> God of compassion, be near to all who are troubled, sick, or grieving, especially those we now name out loud or silently in our hearts. Surround them with your presence and peace. Hear us, oh God. Your mercy is great. >> Into your hands, oh God, we commend all for whom we pray through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen. And now, may the peace of the risen Christ be with you all. >> Please share a sign of God's peace. Right. Hallelujah. Give thanks to the risen Lord. Hallelu Hallelu praise to his nameus earth. He is the king of creation. Hallelu Hallelu. Give thanks to the risen Lord. Halleluah. Hallelu praise to his name. Spread the good news. Hallelu. Hallelu. Give thanks to the risen Lord. Hallelu Hallelu praise to his king forever. Hallelu Hallelu give thanks to the risen Lord. Hallelu Hallelu praise to his name for all people. Hallelu Hallelu to the Lord. Hallelu Hallelu praise to his name. Let us praise the living God. Joyful We sing to our hallelu to the risen Lord. Hallelu Hallelu praise to his name. Praise God. All blessings. Praise him all. Praise him all the host. Praise father, son, and holy ghost. >> Let us pray together. Merciful God, accept the fruits of our labor gathered to give you glory. You have set a table before us, a glimpse of that great day when we will hunger and thirst no more. Nourish us with the body and blood of Jesus that goodness and mercy may follow us and bless the world you love. In the name of Jesus, amen. The Lord be with you. >> And also with you. >> Lift up your hearts. >> We lift them to the Lord. Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. >> It is right to give our thanks and praise. >> It is indeed right, our duty and our joy that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you, almighty and merciful God, for the glorious resurrection of our savior Jesus Christ, the true pascal lamb, who gave himself to take away our sin, who in dying has destroyed death and in rising has brought us to eternal life. And so with Mary Magdalene and Peter and all the witnesses of the resurrection, with earth and sea and all their creatures, and with angels and archangels, cherubam and saraphim, we praise your name and join their unending hymn. Holy, holy, holy Lord God of power and heaven and earth are full of your gloryana in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosana in the highest in the highest. Holy, living, and loving God, we praise you for creating the heavens and the earth. We bless you for bringing Noah and his family through the waters of the flood. For freeing your people Israel from the bonds of slavery, and for sending your son to be our redeemer. We give you thanks for Jesus who living among us, healed the sick, fed the hungry, and with a love stronger than death, gave his life for others. In the night which was handed over, our Lord Jesus took bread, gave thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying, "Take and eat. This is my body given for you. Do this for the remembrance of me. And again, after supper, he took the cup, gave thanks, and gave it for all to drink, saying, "This cup is the new covenant in my blood, shed for you and for all people for the forgiveness of sin. Do this for the remembrance of me. Great is the mystery of faith. Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Remembering therefore his lifegiving death and glorious resurrection. We await your promised life for all this dying world. Breathe your spirit on us and on this bread and cup. Carry us in your arms from death to life that we may live as your chosen ones, clothed in righteousness of Christ. Through him all glory and honor is yours. Almighty Father, with the Holy Spirit in your holy church, both now and forever. Amen. And now, as our savior Christ taught us, we are bold to say, 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 and the power and the glory forever and ever. Amen. Come to the table of new life and receive the living Lord. You may be seated. Blood of Christ. Body of Christ. body. Body Christ. Christ. Christ. body. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Christ. Amazing. And now may the body and blood of our Lord Jesus Christ strengthen you and keep you in his grace. Amen. Let us pray together. Holy God, through this meal, you have made your home among us and are making all things new. Send us now to speak peace to anxious hearts, to love our enemies, and to bring your healing to the nations in the name of Jesus. Amen. And now may almighty God, who is Father, Son, and Holy Spirit bless you now and forever. Amen. Christ is Christian Sing to the sky. The streets and the praes shall never die. Christ is alive to disl and where will be my sufferers still yet and where the spirit hear the and find the way, the life, the truth in Jesus for all my life to bring news to this and age. Earth and shall jo >> peace. Praise the Lord. Allelujah.