Worship Service – April 18, 2021

The Building is Closed and the Church is Open

While we have restricted access to the building, Peace Church is very much open to ministry—working to respond to our own congregation, as well as the needs of our neighbors and community.  Please consider giving either to Peace Church general fund or the Gabriel Fund – which is used to meet the needs in the community.

We recognize that in this time, people’s financial situations may have changed. We ask you to prayerfully consider what you can give.  If you use electronic giving, we thank you for your constancy of support.  If you would like to give through our online form, we would be grateful. For all the contributions from our members and friends—whether financial, time, or prayer—we ask God’s blessings on those gifts that Peace Church may be healing balm in this time when we are living in our own Gilead.

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April 18, 2021 ⁂ 10:30am
Third Sunday of Easter

Liturgists
The People of Peace Church
Judy Hlina, ASL Interpreter
Nina Preheim, Lay Reader
Jim Pospisil, Music Director
Nathan Holst, Faith Formation Minister
Rev. Greg Briggs, Interim Minister

Prelude

Announcements and Ringing of the Peace Bells

God is Revealed as We Gather

*Responsive Call to Worship
The Good News is proclaimed to the world!
We are witnesses of these things.
Hope is alive, in the acts of kindness we share with one another;
We are witnesses of these things.
Joy is palpable, in the celebration of the Risen Christ!
We are witnesses of these things.
Your sins are forgiven, and you have new life, now and always—
We are witnesses of these things.

Opening Hymn    “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”    (#43)

Unison Prayer of Confession
Holy One, we confess that we lose faith. We become comfortable with the things wrong in this world. We become content with systemic sin when it benefits us. We accept that there are things we cannot change without striving for justice. Forgive us. Call us back into right-living: to remember the commandments, to work for justice in loving-kindness, and to love our neighbors as ourselves. Remind us that Your way of life is not simply a ticket to heaven but a transformation of our very selves. Forgive us of our sins, and love us into Your way.  In the name of Jesus we pray. Amen.

Assurance of Pardon

What marvelous love, what wondrous grace, what abundant mercy God offers—to us! We really are God’s people—that is exactly who we are!
We are God’s children—those whose lives have been changed by the One who loves us and forgives us. Thanks be to God! Amen.

Story for All Ages by Nathan Holst

Special Music

God is Revealed in the Word

God’s Word in the Epistles: 1 John 3:1-7 (CEB)

God’s Word in the Gospel: Luke 24:36b-48 (CEB)

Easter Halleluja!    (#236)

Sermon by Greg Briggs

Hymn    “Lord, I Want To Be a Christian”    (#454)

We Respond to God’s Presence

Sharing Our Prayer Concerns, Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer by Nathan Holst, the Lord’s Prayer and Choral Amen

Sharing our Offerings

Offertory

*The Thanksgiving    (Doxology)

*Prayer of Dedication
O God, we give you our thanks for all that we have and ask a special blessing on these offerings. And God, we ask that our collective offering be an expression of healing, that brings hope to a hurting world. In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

Closing Song    “This Little Light”    (#524)

Benediction

Postlude

Worship Resources:

• Call to Worship & Prayer of Confession: Rev. Mindi Welton Mitchell (http://rev-o-lution.org/)
• Assurance of Pardon: Thom Shuman (http://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/)