Coffee Hosts:  Betty Weigel and Beverly Clark

ORDER OF WORSHIP

7th Sunday of Easter

May 20, 2007                                                                                                   10:00 a.m.

*Opportunities to stand

GREETINGS, CONCERNS OF THE CHURCH AND REGISTRY OF ATTENDANCE

PRELUDE                            “Sinfonia”                                                                 Bach

BRINGING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THIS ROOM

*CALL TO WORSHIP

ALL:  (Hymn 104 Verse 1)  Christ is risen!  Shout Hosanna!  Celebrate this day of days!  Christ is Risen!  Hush in wonder:  All creation is amazed.  In the desert all surrounding, See, a spreading tree has grown.  Healing leaves of grace abounding Bring a taste of love unknown.

ONE:  The heavens proclaim God’s righteousness!

ALL:  We all behold God’s glory!

ONE:  Rejoice in the Lord!

ALL:  And we shall give thanks for God’s presence!                    (From Psalm 97)

*HYMN  106 (verses 1 and 4)        “Alleluia, Alleluia!  Give Thanks”

*PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND ASSURANCE OF PARDON (Unison)

Gracious God, You encourage us with Your love, bringing new life out of death.  We confess that we need Your life-giving power in our lives and in our relationships.  We have hurt others and been hurt by them.  We are often angry or afraid.  We are not sure when to assert our needs and when to care for others’ needs.  We continue to live in ways which do not lead to peace and justice.  Forgive us!  Pour Your Spirit of wisdom and healing upon us, that we may bring attention to You by our lives and our loving.

*SILENT PRAYER

*ASSURANCE OF GOD’S PARDON

*GLORIA PATRI (Hymn 579)

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be.

World without end! Amen, Amen.

RESPONSIVE READING                                                                            Psalm 98

READING FROM ACTS                                                                         Acts 16:16-34

READING FROM THE LETTERS                        Revelation 22:12-14, 16-17, 20-21

TIME WITH THE CHILDREN

Jesus loves me, this I know!  For the Bible tells me so.  Little ones to him belong, They are weak, but he is strong!  Yes, Jesus loves me!  Yes, Jesus loves me! Yes, Jesus loves me, the Bible tells me so!

(Toddlers may go to the Nursery, older children to Children’s Church)

HONOR GRADUATES

ANTHEM                           “Wade in the Water”                                         arr. Hayes

READING FROM THE GOSPEL                                                                   John 5:1-9

SERMON  “Healing Stories:  Man by the Pool in Jerusalem”     Rev. Ann LaMar

*HYMN INSERT              “Healer of Our Every Ill”

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith, 1991)

In life and in death we belong to God.  Through the grace of our Lord Jesus, Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.  We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God.  Jesus proclaimed the reign of God:  preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.  Unjustly condemned for blasphemy and sedition, Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain, and giving his life for the sins of the world.  God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.   We believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord! (10.1, 10.2, 10.6)

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER (Page 16, Traditional)

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.  For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever.  Amen.

PRESENTATION OF OUR TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY                       “The Lord Is My Shepherd”                                  Koschat

*DOXOLOGY (Hymn 592) AND PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

*HYMN   “Give to the Winds thy Fears”  (Tune: Crown Him With Many Crowns)

Give to the winds thy fears; hope and be undismayed;

God hears thy sighs and counts thy tears, God shall lift up thy head.

Through waves, and clouds, and storms, He gently clears thy way;

Wait patiently; so shall this night soon end in joyous day.

Leave to God’s sovereign sway to choose and to command;

So shalt thou, wondering, own God’s way, how wise, how strong His hand!

On God the Lord rely, And safe shalt thou go on;

Fix on God’s work thy steadfast eye, So shall thy work be done.

*THE CHARGE AND THE BENEDICTION

*CARRYING THE LIGHT OF CHRIST INTO THE WORLD

*CONGREGATIONAL RESPONSE

And the peace of God, that passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts, shall keep your minds on Jesus Christ.