23 Apr BULLETIN – APRIL 24, 2022
WELCOME TO MESSIAH & ST. PETER LUTHERAN CHURCHES
Phone 362-4597
The Reverend Nancy Brody, Pastor
Greta Wright, Music Director
Sunday April 24, 2022
Second Sunday of Easter
GREETING AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE
Today’s First Reading is combined with today’s Confession and Forgiveness.
CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS
FIRST READING ACTS 5:27-32
“When they had brought [the apostles,] they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority.”
P: We are disciples standing before each other and God. We too, are questioned with regard to what we’ve been commanded to do or not do. Therefore, we confess to Almighty God that we don’t always obey, but do repent at this moment. Give us grace to turn from sin. Forgive us for what we do or fail to do that contributes to harm, bloodshed or death. Forgive us when we are silent witnesses, unmoved by your Holy Spirit whom you gave to teach us.
“The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
P: In the name of God the Father [+] who raised Jesus the Son, by whose authority as Leader and Savior makes repentance and forgiveness possible, and the power of the Holy Spirit, your sins are entirely forgiven. Amen.
ENTRANCE HYMN Hallelujah! Jesus Lives! #147
1 Hallelujah! Jesus lives!
He is now the Living One;
from the gloomy halls of death
Christ, the conqueror, has gone,
bright forerunner to the skies
of his people, yet to rise.
2 Jesus lives! Why do you weep?
Why that sad and mournful sigh?
He who died our brother here
lives our brother still on high,
lives forever to bestow
blessings on his church below.
3 Jesus lives! And thus, my soul,
life eternal waits for you;
joined to him, your living head,
where he is, you shall be too;
with the Lord, at his right hand,
as a victor you shall stand.
4 Jesus lives! Let all rejoice.
Praise him, ransomed of the earth.
Praise him in a nobler song,
cherubim of heav’nly birth.
Praise the victor king, whose sway
sin and death and hell obey.
5 Hallelujah! Angels, sing!
Join with us in hymns of praise.
Let your chorus swell the strain
which our feebler voices raise:
Glory to our God above
and on earth his peace and love!
The Lord be with you. And also with you.
PRAYER of the DAY
God of life, in your Son’s body you shared the utmost of human pain and suffering. Still bearing scars, you offer peace and reach out to the wounded and fearful. May your Spirit’s breath revive faith in mercy and strengthen us through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
PSALM 150
The Message
Hallelujah!
Praise God in his holy house of worship,
praise him under the open skies;
Praise him for his acts of power,
praise him for his magnificent greatness;
Praise with a blast on the trumpet,
praise by strumming soft strings;
Praise him with castanets and dance,
praise him with banjo and flute;
Praise him with cymbals and a big bass drum,
praise him with fiddles and mandolin.
Let every living, breathing creature praise God!
Hallelujah!
SECOND READING REVELATION 1:4-8
John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.
Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him,
even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So, it is to be. Amen.
“I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (based on John 6:68) Page 62
GOSPEL JOHN 20:19-31
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.”
But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
SERMON followed by meditation
HYMN of the DAY We Walk by Faith and Not by Sight WOV #675
1 We walk by faith and not by sight;
with gracious words draw near,
O Christ, who spoke as none e’er spoke:
“My peace be with you here.”
2 We may not touch your hands and side,
nor follow where you trod;
but in your promise we rejoice,
and cry, “My Lord and God!”
3 Help then, O Lord, our unbelief;
and may our faith abound
to call on you when you are near
and seek where you are found:
4 That, when our life of faith is done,
in realms of clearer light
we may behold you as you are,
with full and endless sight.
PROFESSION of FAITH/NICENE CREED Page 64
PRAYERS of INTERCESSION
Set free from captivity to sin and death, we pray to the God of resurrection for the church, people in need, and all of creation.
A brief silence.
- Holy One who acts righteously, equip your church as witnesses of your goodness to go and tell others of your abundant love, that they may believe that Jesus is our salvation and life. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
- Renew your people’s commitment to use resources responsibly and to live well with your creation. Invite us to recognize and nurture signs of resurrection life in the natural world. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
- Direct those who are given human authority to lead with humility and compassion. By your Holy Spirit channel their attention toward serving those who are most in need. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
- Uphold your children who cry out to you (especially those on our prayer list). Wherever people are overcome by the fear of death, breathe into them your life and peace. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
- Sustain the efforts of those who lead your people in songs of worship and praise and who inspire us through special music. With joyful motion and sound, make us active participants, carrying notes we cannot keep to ourselves. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
- Give us words of apostles and saints who, like Thomas, boldly confessed your Son as Lord and God. In faith, with Jesus as our leader, empower us to live according to his ways. God, in your mercy, hear our prayer.
In your mercy we trust, O God, that you will respond to these prayers and renew us by your life-giving Spirit; through Jesus Christ, our Savior.
Amen.
PEACE: Exchange In Person, Online or via Text
OFFERING
OFFERTORY Create in me… Page 75
THE LORD’S PRAYER Page 76
BENEDICTION (based on Numbers 6:24-26) Page 74
CLOSING HYMN Christ Is Alive! Let Christians Sing #363
1Christ is alive! Let Christians sing.
His cross stands empty to the sky.
Let streets and homes with praises ring.
In death his love shall never die.
2Christ is alive! No longer bound
to distant years in Palestine,
He comes to claim the here and now
And conquer ev’ry place and time.
3Not throned afar, remotely high,
Untouched, unmoved by human pains,
But daily, in the midst of life,
Our Savior with the Father reigns.
4In ev’ry insult, rift, and war,
Where color, scorn, or wealth divide,
He suffers still, yet loves the more,
And lives, though ever crucified.
5Christ is alive! Ascended Lord—
He rules the world his Father made,
Till, in the end, his love adored
Shall be to all on earth displayed.
DISMISSAL Page 74
POSTLUDE
Revised Common Lectionary copyright © 1992 Consultation on Common Texts. Used by permission. Prayers adapted from Sundays and Seasons, copyright © 2019, Augsburg Fortress. Used with permission. Psalm readings from Lutheran Book of Worship, copyright © 1978. Reprinted by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual Subscription #SB160715 Other quotations from Scripture from New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright © 1989, National Council of Churches in Christ in the United States of America. Used with permission. All rights reserved.
Altar flowers at St Peter have been presented by Ray and Audrey Rummel in celebration of their 50 Anniversary!
Altar flowers at Messiah have been presented by Judy and Dana Michael in memory of loved ones.
MAY “SOUP AND SUCH”
In May, “Soup and Such” has a menu that includes Chicken Corn Soup – $7/quart, Buttermilk Biscuits 4 for $1.50, and chocolate cake with peanut butter icing – $1.50/slice. Orders are due by Sunday, April 24 and pick-up is from 4 to 6 PM on Thursday, May 5 at Messiah.
For more information, please contact Dianna Reed at 717-692-5317. This will be the last soup making until November.
CCU Walk is tomorrow April 25 @ 6:30 at the Ned Smith Center
We are halfway to the donation goal! Thank you to all who donated “seed money” to get us started. We have a long way to go to approach what we collected last year. Anything contributed will be greatly appreciated and considered sufficient. If you’re willing to walk and/or donate please see the pastor. $30 donations qualify for this year’s Christian Churches United scarlet custom designed, 2022 T-shirt.
FUTURE OF THE GRANGE
On Wednesday, April 27 at 6:30 PM, an open forum-type meeting will be held in the sanctuary of Messiah to discuss the future of the Grange. Past contributors who helped make purchase of the property possible are highly encouraged to attend. Other interested church and community members are also heartily invited so the best possible outcome can be envisioned, planned and realized for either the building or piece of land.
Whether you’re familiar with this ongoing tale or not, your input and support is kindly requested now. Help the story have a happy ending. Where there are visions, there are dreams. Where there are dreams, there is hope. Where people share both, the future looks bright. PNB
SUB & SANDWICH DELIVERY
Subs and sandwiches may be picked up at St. Peter’s after 3 PM on April 28 at the St Peter’s pavilion. For more information or to place an order, please call Diane Keister at 717-896-3842.
APRIL DRIVE FOR NEW/GENTLY USED CLOTHING
During the month of April, Messiah’s Health Ministry Team is asking for help collecting new/gently used clothing for children pre-school through middle school age. The need was identified by the Northern Dauphin Human Services Center in Elizabethville. A box will be placed inside the side door at Messiah for donations. Thank you for your support!
BABY BOTTLE CAMPAIGN
St Peter is again asking for all church members to help fill Baby Bottles April 3 to May 15 with cash for the Lifeline Pregnancy Care and Family Support Center in Millersburg. Empty bottles will be available at both churches soon. Please plan to return any filled bottles ASAP because we empty and re-use them. Thanks in advance.
GROCERY GIFT CARDS
If you shop at Giant Foods and/or Weis Markets and would like to help Messiah at no cost to yourself, please consider purchasing grocery gift cards through the church. For every $100 of gift cards purchased, you receive $100 in groceries and Messiah receives $5. If you’re interested, please contact Dianna Reed at 717-692-5317.
SUNDAY BRUNCH @ 11:15 AM, MAY 15th CONFIRMATION
Messiah’s Council thought it would be nice to host a Sunday Brunch after the 10:00 confirmation service on May 15.
Ladies Aid will be providing a meat. If you are planning on coming to the brunch, please RSVP and let Pastor Brody know what type of food you will be bringing to share.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS
FOR APRIL
24 Second Sunday of Easter
8:30 AM Worship at St. Peter
10:00 AM Worship at Messiah
25 Spring Walk @ Ned Smith Center
27 6:30 PM Grange Meeting @ Messiah
We Mourn for the Family and Friends of: Traci Aungst, Polly Tobias John Uber, Jenna Keefer,(Janice Vance’s great niece), Karen Shadle. While Giving Thanks for Their Lives
New prayer requests
Please fill out prayer request cards from now on and provide your name, the person for whom you are requesting prayer, their contact information and a few details.
Continuing to add names verbally will lead to persons being left off the prayer list. And without written notes, the pastor cannot remember/connect names with specific needs for prayer.
Filling out a card will allow the pastor to make contact, initiate pastoral care, and request permission to place a person’s name on the prayer list. Alternatively, you may email or text as long as you provide the same details. Following this plan will assure consistency, improve communication and help those for whom we pray. Please email concerns and/or requests including your name and theirs, contact information, and a few specifics to: elsiebbrody@gmail.com Or text (443)-974-5558. Thank you.