Bulletin – Sunday, May 24, 2020

May 24, 2020
Seventh Sunday of Easter

Approach

Candle Lighting

Call to Worship

Friends, let us worship God today, for God is great—
God has blessed us with life, with faith, and with community.

Let us worship God today, for God is good—
God forgives us, and encourages us, and loves us.

Let us worship God today—
Because we are God’s people.

Let us worship God.
Let us worship God together.

Song – “I Can Feel You Near Me God”

I can feel you near me God – I can feel you near
Yes, I know you’re with me God – I feel you here
I can feel you near me God – I can feel you hear
Yes, I know you’re with me God – Heaven is here.

And I’ll jump for joy I’m singing Alleluia
Jump for joy for you.
I will jump for joy I’m singing Alleluia
Jump for you for you.

I can feel you loving me – yes I know you care
God I know you’re loving me always everywhere
I can feel you loving me yes I know you care
God I know you’re loving me I know you’re there.

And I’ll jump for joy I’m singing Alleluia
Jump for joy for you.
I will jump for joy I’m singing Alleluia
Jump for you for you.

Prayer

God, thank You for this day! Thank You for the birds and the animals, the flowers and the trees, the lakes and the streams, and the sun that rises and sets over them each day. Thank You for creating everything we see! Thank You for the life we live, and for making each person different. What an amazing God You are!

But sometimes God we see that your world is a big and wonderful place and you asked us to care for it. But sometimes the troubles of the world seem too big for us. We don’t know how to stop the fighting, we don’t know how to feed all the hungry people, and we don’t know how to live without all the things that are harming the planet.

Make us more careful, more generous, and more peaceful. We pray this in the name of your son, Jesus. Amen.

Song – “The Church is Wherever God’s People”

The church is wherever God’s people are praising,
Singing God’s goodness for joy on this day.
The church is wherever disciples of Jesus remember his story and walk in his way.

The church is wherever God’s people are helping,
Caring for neighbours in sickness and need.
The church is wherever God’s people are sharing the words of the Bible in gift and in deed.

Time for All Ages

The Word

Scripture Reading:

Matthew 28:16-20

Hear what the Spirit is saying to the Church.
Thanks be to God!

Reflection

Song – “One More Step Along the World I Go”

One more step along the world I go,
One more step along the world I go,
From the old things to the new,
Keep me travelling along with you:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

As I travel through the bad and good,
Keep me travelling the way I should;
Where I see no way to go
You’ll be telling me the way, I know:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

Give me courage when the world is rough,
Keep me loving though the world is tough,
Leap and sing in all I do,
Keep me travelling along with you:
And it’s from the old I travel to the new;
Keep me travelling along with you.

The Response

Prayer

In our prayers today, we put all thoughts and worries and hopes into the hands of God. You may like to hold your own hands in front of you as you pray.

We place into the hands of God the life of this church, the people around us, and those who are not here today.
God hear our prayer.

We place into the hands of God our difficulties and frustrations, and our hopes and our worries about the future.
God hear our prayer.

We place into the hands of God the life of the church in all the world, all people in the world who bring God’s love to others, all people who are in danger because they share the love of God.
God hear our prayer.

We place into the hands of God a world that needs peace, a world that needs wisdom, a world that needs healing.
God hear our prayer.

We place into the hands of God the leaders of every nation, the poor of our own and every land, those who live in fear, and all who hold the lives of others in their hands.
God hear our prayer.

We place into the hands of God our families, our fiends, and our neighbours, those who live and work in our city, in our stores and local businesses, those who work from home, those who are unemployed, and all who pass through the city on their travels.
God hear our prayer.

We place into the hands of God all those we know who are suffering. We name…
God hear our prayer.

We continue to pray together saying the words that Jesus taught us:
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 us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

Song – “We are the Church”

I am the church!
You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
All around the world!
Yes, we’re the church together!

The church is not a building,
The church is not a steeple,
The church is not a resting place,
The church is a people!

I am the church!
You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
All around the world!
Yes, we’re the church together!

We’re many kinds of people
With many kings of faces,
All colours and all ages, too,
From all times and places.

I am the church!
You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
All around the world!
Yes, we’re the church together!

I count if I am ninety,
Or nine or just a baby;
There’s one thing I am sure about
And I don’t mean maybe:

I am the church!
You are the church!
We are the church together!
All who follow Jesus,
All around the world!
Yes, we’re the church together!

Benediction

Thank you God for this time that we have spent together today and thank you for the love that you give to each of us. Help us remember that you have called us to go on a journey to share the love that you give each of us with the whole world. We follow you out into the world, God, bringing love and peace with us. Amen.

Response – “Life a Rock”

Like a rock, like a rock, God is under our feet.
Like the starry night sky; God is over our head.
Like the sun on the horizon God is ever before.
Like the river runs to ocean, our home is in God evermore.