Fourth Sunday in Easter

Responsive Call to Worship

Let us worship God in the name of Jesus Christ, the good shepherd,
who offers us abundant life.
Let us worship God in the name of the One who leads us by still waters,
and restores our souls.
Let us worship God in the name of the One who prepares a banquet for us,
and fills our cups to overflowing.

Hymn: You Are Mine

I will come to you in the silence
I will lift you from all your fear
You will hear My voice
I claim you as My choice
Be still, and know I am near

[Chorus] Do not be afraid, I am with you
I have called you each by name
Come and follow Me
I will bring you home
I love you and you are mine

I am hope for all who are hopeless
I am eyes for all who long to see
In the shadows of the night
I will be your light
Come and rest in Me
(Chorus)

I am strength for all the despairing
Healing for the ones who dwell in shame
All the blind will see, the lame will all run free
And all will know My name
(Chorus)

Prayer of Adoration

Generous and loving God,
Your steadfast love endures throughout the ages.
Generation after generation, you offer renewal and rest
to all who are lost or carry heavy burdens.
However far we have strayed,
you seek us out and guide us beside still waters.
You lead us in path of righteousness,
and walk with us even through the darkest valleys.
You are our hope and our source of life.
Today we worship you for your endless love,
as you embrace us once again, v our Creator, Redeemer and Guide.

Prayer of Confession

Hear us now as we confess the sins we have committed against you and one another:
Ever-patient God, endless in love and abundant in mercy,
we confess that too often we forget your love
and withhold forgiveness, kindness and friendship from one another.
You have called us to be compassionate,
but too often we are cold and full of judgment towards each other.
You have called us to follow Christ,
but too often we are distracted by our own desires and plans.
Forgive us for all the ways we fall short of your hopes for us
and renew a right spirit within us.

Assurance of Pardon

Dear friends in Christ, while it is true that we have all sinned,
it is a greater truth that we are forgiven through God’s love in Jesus Christ.
To all who humbly seek the mercy of God, I say, In Jesus Christ our sin is forgiven!
Be at peace with God, with yourself and with one another.
Thanks be to God

Prayer for Understanding

God of rest and renewal, still our hearts and minds with your Spirit. Open us to receive your Word so that we may come to know you more fully, and follow you more faithfully. Amen.

First Reading Acts 2:42-47

⁴²They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers.
⁴³Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. ⁴⁴All who believed were together and had all things in common; ⁴⁵they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. ⁴⁶Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, ⁴⁷praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Hymn: In the Garden

I come to the garden alone,
While the dew is still on the roses,
And the voice I hear, falling on my ear,
The Son of God discloses.

[chorus]And He walks with me, and He talks with me,
And He tells me I am His own,
And the joy we share as we tarry there,
None other has ever known.

He speaks, and the sound of His voice,
Is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
And the melody that He gave to me,
Within my heart is ringing.
(chorus)

I'd stay in the garden with Him,
Tho' the night around me be falling,
But He bids me go, thro' the voice of woe,
His voice to me is calling.
(chorus)

Second Scripture Reading John 10:1-10

¹“Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. ²The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. ³The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. ⁴When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. ⁵They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.” ⁶Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

⁷So again Jesus said to them, “Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. ⁸All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. ⁹I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly.”

Prayers of the People

Holy and Gracious God
we come to you with thanksgiving for you are our provider and sustainer.
You transform our weary souls with your grace, wisdom and love.
You bless us each day with glimpses of resurrection and the promise of new life,
in signs of spring, in stories of kindness and perseverance during crisis.
Touch our hearts in surprising ways with we have in Christ Jesus.

Listening God, shepherd of the world, we bring you now our prayers for others. Hear them in your tender mercy:

We pray for people who are struggling with illness, loneliness, grief or sadness,
thinking especially of those whose lives have been redefined by COVID-19.
And we pray for those whose working life has been changed drastically by this pandemic, thinking of health care workers, those in the food supply chain, and all those whose jobs have disappeared.
May each life be touched by the power of resurrection and new hope.

We pray for countries and communities where it is not safe for people to live out their faith openly.
May all people of faith be granted the freedom to praise without fear.

We pray for people in the world who are victims of discrimination and acts of hatred, and remember those unjustly blamed for the outbreak of the pandemic.
May your desire for justice be made known and lived out.

We pray for our congregation and all people who make up your Church, forced now to consider how to be faithful in difficult times.
May we discover new ways to be your Easter people in the world.

We pray for our families, our friends and for ourselves.
May each of us know the power of your compassion and promise.

Especially we lift up to You the prayers of this community...
We ask these things in the name of the Risen Lord who taught us to pray…

The Lord’s Prayer

Prayer of Dedication

Generous God, we thank you for all we have received from you which brings us hope and joy. Bless the gifts we bring. May they help to establish your reign in the world you love. In the name of your greatest gift, Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Hymn: #324 Open My Eyes that I May See

Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth you have for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unlock and set me free.
Silently now, on bended knee,
ready I wait your will to see;
open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth you send so clear;
and while the message sounds in my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now, on bended knee,
ready I wait your will to see;
open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Open my mouth, and let me bear
gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart, and let me prepare
love with your children thus to share.
Silently now, on bended knee,
ready I wait your will to see;
open my heart, illumine me,
Spirit divine!

Charge and Benediction