Worship for Sunday, May 10, 2020


The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Sunday, May 10, 2020


To view videos on this site, just click on 
the attached blue-colored link!


To give your offering online 
to St. John's, please click
 http://www.stjohnspearlcity.org/giving


OUR WORSHIP FOR TODAY

THE OPENING SENTENCE
Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.       

OPENING HYMN: "You Are the Way" (Video Link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eN2g2qVtVR0

PRAYER OF THE DAY
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.

FIRST READING: Acts 7:55-60
But filled with the Holy Spirit, he 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 opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’ But they covered their ears, and 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. While they were stoning Stephen, he prayed, ‘Lord Jesus, receive my spirit.’ Then he knelt down and cried out in a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not hold this sin against them.’ When he had said this, he died.

PSALM: Psalm 31:1-5, 15-16
   In you, O Lord, have I taken refuge; 
             let me never be put to shame;
  deliver me in your righteousness.
 Incline your ear to me;
  make haste to deliver me.
 Be my strong rock, a castle to keep me safe,
for you are my crag and my stronghold;
  for the sake of your name, lead me and guide me.
 Take me out of the net that they have secretly set for me,
  for you are my tower of strength.
 Into your hands I commend my spirit,
  for you have redeemed me, O Lord, God of truth.
 My times are in your hand;
  rescue me from the hand of my enemies, 
               and from those who persecute me.
 Let your face shine upon your servant;
  save me in your steadfast love.” 

SECOND READING: 
1 Peter 2:2-10
Like newborn infants, long for the pure, spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow into salvation— if indeed you have 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, let yourselves be built into a spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. For it stands 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.’
To you then who believe, he is precious; but for those who do not believe,
‘The stone that the builders rejected
   has become the very head of the corner’,
and
‘A stone that makes them stumble,
   and a rock that makes them fall.’
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s own people, in order that you may proclaim the mighty acts of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.
Once you were not a people,
   but now you are God’s people;
once you had not received mercy,

   but now you have received mercy.

THE HOLY GOSPEL: John 14:1-14
‘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 am 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, Philip, 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 me 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.

NEW!
CHILDREN'S MESSAGE (Video Link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JTGkCfGtTHw

HOMILY FOR THE DAY (Video Link):  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cGYWgyuAHmY

THE APOSTLES' CREED
I believe in God, the Father almighty,
creator of heaven and earth.
I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord,
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, died, and was buried;
he descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again;
he ascended into heaven,
he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
and he will come to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit,
the holy catholic church,
the communion of saints,
the forgiveness of sins,
the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.

PRAYERS OF INTERCESSION
Uplifted by the promised hope of healing and resurrection, we join the people of God in all times and places in praying for the Church, the world, and all who are in need.

A brief silence.


Humble us, creator God, as part of your creation. Fill us with respect and awe for the world you have made, including volcanoes, ocean currents, tropical rainstorms, glaciers, and other forces that both destroy and create. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Align our ways to your love, O God. We pray for countries, leaders, and other organizations as they prepare places for those seeking refuge and safety.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

God of healing and rest, help those whose hearts are heavy and weighed down by many troubles. Comfort their suffering, ease their distress, and carry their burdens. (You may lift up the names of those for whom you would like to pray here.) Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Nurturing God, we pray for those who tend and teach young children, for the safe pregnancies of expectant parents, and for families who struggle with infertility and miscarriage. We give thanks for all who have shown mothering care, and we remember all for whom this day is difficult. Lord, in your mercy,
hear our prayer.

Healing God, during Christ’s ministry on Earth, you showed your power and caring by healing people of all ages and stations of life from physical, mental, and spiritual ailments. Be present now to people who need your loving touch because of COVID-19. May they feel your power of healing through the care of doctors and nurses.  Take away the fear, anxiety, and feelings of isolation from people receiving treatment or under quarantine. Give them a sense of purpose in pursuing health and protecting others from exposure to the disease. Protect their families and friends and bring peace to all who love them.  Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Sheltering God, we lift to You our concern for people who are more likely than others to become severely ill from COVID-19 — the elderly and people with chronic health conditions. Protect them from harm and be their comfort in this time of uncertainty. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Caring God, be with people making decisions that affect the lives and futures of our families, communities, countries, and the wider world. Strengthen doctors, nurses, and other caregivers.  Strengthen pastors and chaplains. Inspire and invigorate people developing better tests to diagnose the virus, vaccines to prevent it, and protocols and communication to eliminate the disease’s spread. May truth and empathy be the touchstones of people setting policies for our protection. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.

Generous God, you call into your brilliant light all who have died. (You may lift up the names of those who have died in Christ here.)  Give us faith to take hold of the promise of your eternal life. Lord, in your mercy, hear our prayer.


With bold confidence in your love, almighty God, we place all for whom we pray into your eternal care; through Christ our Lord.  Amen.

THE LORD'S PRAYER
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.

CONCLUDING PRAYER  
A Prayer of St. Chrysostom
        Almighty God, you have given us grace at this time with one accord to make our common supplication to you; and you have promised through your well-beloved Son that when two or three are gathered together in his Name you will be in the midst of them:
         Fulfill now, O Lord, our desires and petitions as may be
            best for us; granting us in this world knowledge of your        
            truth, and in the age to come life everlasting. 
             Amen

CLOSING PETITION FOR BLESSING
May the God of hope fill us with all joy and peace in believing through the power of the Holy Spirit. Romans 15:13   
Amen 

CLOSING HYMN: "I Am the Bread of Life" (Video Link)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M9QEwTHzwbc

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Worship for Sunday, April 26, 2020

Worship for Sunday, May 3, 2020

Worship for Sunday, August 23, 2020