Prove It

Today’s guest speaker is CRE Nellie Baker.
 
All of the information normally found in our bulletin is below the video. Simply click on "Read More" to load the rest of the bulletin. You can use this to follow the service, as well as to pray our unison prayers. Birthdays, anniversaries, the prayer list, announcements and session highlights can be found at the bottom of this service.

Gathering Around  the World
 
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Prelude                Music Director                  Robert Senay
Announcements
Choir Introit              “The God of Abraham, Praise”
 
Call to Worship                                  from Psalm 150
L:   Christ is Risen!
P:  Christ is risen indeed!
L:   Alleluia!! Celebrate God in this sacred space!
      Celebrate God in all places under heaven!
P:  Give praise for God’s mighty deeds!
      Give praise for God’s resurrecting power!
L:   Praise God with a fanfare of trumpets!
P:  Praise God with the harp and the cello!
L:  Praise God with tambourines and dancing!
P:  Praise God with flutes and guitars!
L:  Praise God with cymbals and drums!
ALL:  Let everything with life and breath praise God!

Prayer of Invocation:                                          Nellie Baker CRE
 God of all our beginnings, may this day and every day begin with our praise to You. Let every breath become a witness to Your Spirit, dwelling within and among us. Open our hearts to receive your saving gifts. Loosen our tongues to proclaim your unsurpassed greatness. May the noise of our celebration help your people to sense Your people to sense Your powerful presence and to claim the joy of serving You, in Christ’s name we pray. Amen
 
Hymn                         “Morning has broken”                              5      
PRAYER OF CONFESSION                            from John 20:19-27
forgive God of the empty tomb and our hearts, when we are afraid to speak our faith in the world, forgive us and help us to find our voice. When we are afraid to forgive and to love again, forgive us and give is the power to forgive. When we are afraid to stand up to misguided authority, join with the weak to make us all strong. When we are confined by our hurts, touch us with Your wounded hands and set us free. When we are locked behind our doubts and fears pass through our barricades, open our hearts, and give us peace. Amen.    
 
 Assurance of Pardon
  *Passing the Peace
 
L: The peace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with you.
P: And also, with you.
   Response – Gloria Patri 
 
  Children’s Chat
  Choir Anthem                   
          
  Prayer for Illumination
 Scripture reading:     John 20: 19-31

Jesus Appears to His Disciples
19 That Sunday evening the disciples were meeting behind locked doors because they were afraid of the Jewish leaders. Suddenly, Jesus was standing there among them! “Peace be with you,” he said. 20 As he spoke, he showed them the wounds in his hands and his side. They were filled with joy when they saw the Lord! 21 Again he said, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I am sending you.” 22 Then he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23 If you forgive anyone’s sins, they are forgiven. If you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas
24 One of the twelve disciples, Thomas (nicknamed the Twin), was not with the others when Jesus came. 25 They told him, “We have seen the Lord!”

But he replied, “I won’t believe it unless I see the nail wounds in his hands, put my fingers into them, and place my hand into the wound in his side.”

26 Eight days later the disciples were together again, and this time Thomas was with them. The doors were locked; but suddenly, as before, Jesus was standing among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 27 Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here, and look at my hands. Put your hand into the wound in my side. Don’t be faithless any longer. Believe!”

28 “My Lord and my God!” Thomas exclaimed.

29 Then Jesus told him, “You believe because you have seen me. Blessed are those who believe without seeing me.”

Purpose of the Book
30 The disciples saw Jesus do many other miraculous signs in addition to the ones recorded in this book. 31 But these are written so that you may continue to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing in him you will have life by the power of his name.

 L:  The Word of the Lord
 P:  Thanks be to God
 
 Sermon                “Prove it”
 
 Hymn                        “Fairest Lord Jesus”                       240
*Apostles Creed (found inside the back cover of the hymnal)
 
 Presentation of our tithes and offering
 Choir Anthem         Organ Solo                     Robert Senay
 Offertory                             
 Doxology                (Hymnal page 382)
 Prayer of dedication
 
 Concerns and Celebrations                                                             
 Prayers of the People                                Nellie Baker CRE
The Lord’s Prayer
 
Hymn                         “Be thou my vision”                         468
Benediction
Choir Postlude       “God be with us till we meet again.” 

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BIRTHDAYS           Eric Jackson, Melia King, Levi Miller, Shirley Taggart, Lucy Kime, Dave Diesel, Debbie Jochynek
          
ANNIVERSARIES     Rick & Marlene McFeely, Christoper & Kathy Marton     

JOYS AND CONCERNS
Prayers for our soldiers that have been deployed to help overseas and pray for the Ukraine people.

Continued Prayers for Susan Shrively, Melissa Pedigo, Aaron Blake, Chuck Dicks, June and Keith McGill, Tim Knabenshue, Frank Huffman, Tom Westfall, Mary Ann Durila, Elaine Belcascro, Sandy Stone, Diane Bednarski, Matt Petrola, Laura Davis, Nancy Hepinger, Betsy Masrtin, Ed Horne, Sarah Wilson, Robin Dirila, Bill Poland, Amy Ward, the Warlow Family, Pat Haggerty, Nancy Youmans, Jean Westfall, Don Cunningham, Carl, Vicky Byers, Betty Fisher, Billie Wilson, Haley Diedier and Casey Jenkins.

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Remember our Food Collection.  And Jesus said, “You give them something to eat.”  Mark 6: 37
Please let Betty Fisher know if you are aware of anyone within the community that may be in need at this time.

Washington Presbytery Mission Outreach Committee would like congregations/individuals to participate in the creation of “Deployment Bags” for soldiers being deployed overseas.  Information on this program and what to put in the bags is on the table in the back if you would like to participate.

A time of sharing fellowship; A Daughter’s Tea will be held at 2:00 PM Saturday, May 21st.  There is a list on the table in the back of the sanctuary if you would like to attend.  Please sign your name and how many you might bring with you. The committee would like to know an approximate number so they can continue planning for this time together.

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SESSION HIGHLIGHTS FOR APRIL
At it’s April meeting session voted to purchase new hymnals for the church.  Our current hymnal, “Hymn for the Family of God,” has served us well for many years.  Published in 1976, however, it is not a specifically Presbyterian hymnal and many of our copies have become worn or torn.  In more recent years the Presbyterian Church USA published a hymnal titled “Glory to God,” which contains both traditional and modern songs. It also features worship aids and liturgies for services throughout the Christian year.

The hymnals are possible because of a generous donation from the McAllister family, who will be honored on the inside cover of each hymnal.

Members may also make contributions toward the purchase of the hymnals in honor of loved ones. Donations should be made in increments of $18, the cost of each hymnal, and each contribution will also be noted on the inside covers. The hymnals are expected to arrive in the next few weeks.

The session also voted to present our new corporate bylaws at a congregational meeting, which is set for May 29. The bylaws are important and necessary to keep our congregation in compliance with state law.

The session is also in the process of updating our active members list and inviting all those who got out of the habit of attending worship in person during the pandemic to return to the sanctuary. Our church had two wonderful and well-attended Services on Easter a well as an Easter breakfast between services. We look for this to be the beginning of a long-awaited return to the worship and fellowship traditions that we love and that have made us a vital community of faith for so long.