We held virtual worship on Sunday, April 11, 2021 at 10AM! You may watch a recording on Facebook by clicking here, or you may watch below.
WELCOME Jeremy and Maple
CALL TO WORSHIP
Unlock the doors of fear and doubt
Christ is risen!
Let your faith spill into the streets!
Christ is risen!
Death has no more claim on your life.
Christ is risen!
In life, in death, in life beyond death, Christ is your life!
Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed!
OPENING TO GOD The Blessing of Thomas by Maren Tirabassi
Read by Brodie
Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.
John 20:29b
Blessed are the ones, says Thomas,
(to those who listen to him
this eastertide)
who don’t need a sanctuary to worship God.
Blessed are those who don’t need a choir to hear holy music,
and who don’t need to sit in a pew
to open their hearts in prayer,
and who don’t need a stained glass window,
or a preacher or even bread and cup
to find the good news.
Blessed are those who really touch even with gloves on,
who really smile with a mask,
who can be kind on Facetime or Zoom,
who follow a livestream to find Jesus alive.
But also blessed is the Thomas
in every one of us
who acknowledges our longing
to hold someone’s real warm hand
not just the story of a hand
that reaches out to someone else,
and who wants to feel
not Jesus’ long-ago bleeding side
(we congratulate ourselves about that)
but at least to feel side by side
with other Christians
in order to be side by side with Christ.
Blessed is the Thomas in all of us
who lives with doubts and hopes,
and learns to let go of all expectations
when waiting to meet God.
REFLECTION So Many Index Fingers Barb & Mitchell
YOUNG PEOPLE’S MESSAGE The Sturgeon family
PSALTER Psalm 133 Kristine
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in harmony!
It is like the precious oil on the head,
running down upon the beard,
on the beard of Aaron,
running down over the collar of his robes.
Unity is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
For there the Lord ordained God’ blessing,
life forevermore.
GOSPEL LESSON John 20:19-31 Mary & Deb
When, therefore, it was early evening of that first day of the Sabbath week, and where the disciples were the doors had been sealed for fear of the Judean authorities, Jesus came and stood in their midst and says to them, “Shalom aleikhem; Peace to you.” And, saying this, he showed them both his hands and his side.
Thus, on seeing the LORD, the disciples were overjoyed. So [Jesus] again said to them, “Peace to you. As Abba has sent me, I also send you.” And, saying this, he breathed on them and says, “Receive Ruach ha Kodesh, a Holy Spirit. For those sins you let go, they are let go; those you hold fast, they have been held fast.”
But one of the Twelve, Thomas (which meant “Twin”), was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples said to 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 hand in his side, I most certainly will not have faith.”
And eight days later, his disciples his disciples were again inside, and Thomas with them. The doors being sealed, Jesus comes in and stood in their midst and said, “Shalom aleikhem; Peace to you.” Then he says to Thomas, “Bring your finger here and look at my hands, and bring your hand and put it into my side, and cease to be faithless, but be faithful instead.”
Thomas answered and said to him, “My LORD and my GOD!” Jesus says to him, “You have faith because you have seen me? How blissful are those who do not see and who have faith.”
Of course, Jesus performed many other signs as well before the disciples, which have not been recorded in this book; But these ones have been recorded so that you might have faith that Jesus is the Anointed, the Son of God, and that in having faith you might have life in his name.
MUSIC Panis Angelicus Kathryn & Melanie
PRAYER FOR THE WEEK Steve Garnaas Holmes
Jesus said to Thomas, “Put your finger here & see my hands.
Reach out your hand & put it in my side.
Do not doubt but believe.”
Thomas answered him, “My Lord & my God!” John 20.27-28
I don’t want proof.
I want You.
I don’t need pious beliefs,
a palace of certainty.
I just want you,
whether or not I know it.
Not my feeling,
but your presence.
Let my reaching be my faith,
my hunger for you, my wisdom;
my unknowing be my looking,
my doubt my journey.
I would rather always wonder
than lose my longing for you,
my Lord, and my God,
my Presence, my Beloved.
SHARING PRAYERS & LORD’S PRAYER
THE LORD’S SUPPER
ANNOUNCEMENTS
BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Soon and Very Soon Kathryn
