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Dear Friends,
Peace to you on this third Sunday of Easter. Below is a video link to our worship service, along with an order of service. We hope it's inspiring and meaningful to you. Thanks to all who contributed! This week, Lindley Traynor has given a Time with Young Disciples and you can find that in the service itself.
In addition to the worship service, our Confirmation students will meet virtually over Zoom on Sunday with Pastor Erin at 1 pm. Our Tower senior high youth will meet over Zoom at 5 pm with Scott McElhenie. And tomorrow at 9 am Pastor Jeff will lead an adult faith formation class, "Practice Resurrection," as we work out way through the letter to the Ephesians. Here is the Zoom link (click here) and enter the password required: 1225. You can also call in at 312-626-6799 and then enter Meeting ID (571 764 4007) and password (1225).
Gov. Pritzker's extension of the stay at home order until May 30 is sure sobering, but I'm grateful for the clarity. We will keep striving to love our neighbors and be good stewards by staying home and as safe as possible. Hang in there, friends. We love you and we're praying for you. You are not alone - please do reach out to me or any staff or church member to talk, to pray, to tell a story, to laugh, to cry, to dream, to vent. We are the body of Christ. We belong to one another.
With gratitude and Easter hope,
Pastor Jeff
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Third Sunday of Easter
April 26, 2020
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Jyoti Sahi, "The Supper at Emmaus," 1980
Worship Bulletin
First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette
Third Sunday of Easter, April 26th, 2020
Prelude
Fanfare
on TRURO
arr. Hal Hopson
Welcome and Call to Worship
In times of joy and sorrow,
We belong to God.
In times of plenty and want,
We belong to God.
On living room couches or in hospital beds,
We belong to God.
In the midst of layoffs or on Zoom calls,
We belong to God.
On Good Friday and Easter Sunday,
We belong to God.
In the Upper Room and on the Emmaus Road,
We belong to God.
Held by the risen Christ and bound together by the Holy Spirit,
Let us worship God, tender and just.
Opening Hymn No. 246, verses 1, 3, & 5
Christ Is Alive!
Call to Confession
In that first season of Easter, the disciples wrestled with news that seemed almost too good to be true: Jesus was alive! Life had overcome death. Hope had outlasted fear. Love had defeated hate. And yet the world still appeared the same. Fear, brokenness, hunger, violence, and evil still roamed the streets. Their struggle is our struggle. Living as Easter people in a Good Friday world. In humility and honesty, let us confess to our gracious and always present God.
Prayer of Confession
Vulnerable God, we open our hearts to you in this Easter season, and offer the truth of our lives: the fear that stifles us, the worry that blinds us, the judgment that hobbles us, the doubt that plagues us, the loneliness that wearies us. Help us, we pray, that we will find courage in unlikely places, see the world with new and gracious eyes, move to those places where love is needed, have faith that you are with us always. Renew us for your service. Give us resilience and hope. Help us to be the church even in this time of sheltering in place. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.
Assurance of Forgiveness
Friends, our God is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. God is always making all things new - overcoming death with life, hatred with love, fear with hope. This is the Easter good news - the tomb is empty and love has the final word. Christ is risen!
Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!
Sharing the Peace of Christ
The peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you!
Our Common Life
Scripture Reading Luke 24:13-35
Time With Young Disciples Lindley Traynor
Reflection Rev. Jeff Lehn
Solo - Breaking of the Bread Austin C. Lovelace
'Twas in the breaking of the bread, just common daily bread they knew their Lord.
They were so blind, they failed to find him in the baffling sad events that crashed their world about them.
But at the quiet close of day he walked beside them in the way;
And as they sat about that simple board they knew their Lord.
O Master, open thou our eyes that we, like them in glad surprise
May see thee in the simple things of every day, and find thee walkin with us on our way.
'Twas in the breaking of the bread, just common daily bread they knew their Lord.
~Emma R. Barnard, based on Luke 24:13-32
Affirmation of Faith (The Apostles' Creed)
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord: who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell. The third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body and the life everlasting. Amen.
Prayers of the People and 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 our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
Call to Offering
In this Easter season, we are invited to participate in the kingdom emerging all around us - where Jesus meets us on our own "Emmaus Road" and invites us to recognize him. May we respond this morning with glad and generous hearts, freely giving our tithes and offerings to the ministry of this congregation. In lieu of passing the plate, we invite you to give online through our church website or smartphone app or send a check in the mail to the church office. As we gather our gifts together and offer them to God, may we do so in gratitude and praise.
Doxology -
LASST UNS ERFREUEN
Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
praise God all creatures here below;
Alleluia, Alleluia.
Praise God above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia.
Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, bless all we offer you this morning-ourselves, our time and our money. As we navigate this season of sheltering in place, help us to offer the full measure of our lives to you. We surrender all. Strengthen us now as we move into the week ahead, so that we can love our neighbors with your love, and offer your hope and peace and resilience to a weary world. Amen.
Sending Hymn
No. 252
Day of Arising
(verses 1, 2 & 5)
Charge and Benediction
Postlude -
Lift High the Cross Sydney H. Nicholson, arr. Larry Shackley
Worship Leaders
Rev. Jeff Lehn, preaching
Rev. Erin Raska, pastoral liturgist
Peggy Massello, music director
Will McLean, liturgist
Maeve Scott, scripture reader
Clalire Divizio, soloist
Cecilia Chow, postlude
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First Presbyterian Church of Wilmette
600 Ninth Street
Wilmette, IL 60091-2779
847-256-3010
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