This week in our streaming service, we will celebrate communion together. As a reminder,
- When you go to the grocery store (don’t forget your mask and to social distance), pick up some rolls or bread to use and some grape juice.
- Create a little altar to place your bread and your cup of juice on. You can add a candle to represent Christ and the rest of the congregation and/or a little cross, some flowers. You can be as creative or not creative as you want to be.
- Say the responses to the liturgy
- If you are with your family, serve one another communion.
- Say a prayer of thanks or a prayer of need to God after receiving communion.
Also, on Sunday, we will be experimenting with a digital passing of the peace. If you are watching on Facebook, we will ask you to comment with a smiley face or a wave during that time. If you are using the livestream from the webpage or YouTube, you will be asked to text hi to someone even if they are next to you on the couch.
Sunday’s sermon is “Living in community” from Acts 2:42-47. Traditionally, this Sunday is known as Good Shepherd Sunday. Every year on the 4th Sunday of Easter, the Lectionary includes Psalm 23 and John 10:1-10 which describes Jesus as both the good shepherd and the gate through which the sheep are saved. Jesus promises that those who follow him will have life in the fullest, which is beautifully illustrated by Psalm 23. The reading from 1 Peter 2:19-25 reminds us that Jesus is the shepherd who gathers in the sheep who stray. I don’t ever remember not preaching the Good Shepherd theme on this Sunday.
But this year, I decided to do something different. Acts 2:42-47 talks about the very early church as a community. In these days when we were having to reimagine what community looks like for us, what can the early church teach us on how to be community? What were the distinguishing marks of community for the early church? Join me Sunday as we look at and explore these ideas.
