ORDER OF WORSHIP * Please stand if you are able Bold print denotes congregational response "No matter who

you are or where you are on life's journey, you are welcome here." * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * April 7, 2013 Second Sunday of Easter The Loving Hands of God Fifty Days of Mission 4/1 Earth PRELUDE THOUGHT FOR THE DAY: Doubts are the ants in the pants of faith. They keep it awake and moving.
- Frederick Buechner

WELCOME SHARING OF THE PEACE Liturgist Let us joyously greet each other with words of Gods love and peace. May the peace of Christ be with you. All: And also with you. (Share the sign of peace with each other.) INTROIT: Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelu, Hallelujah! Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah; Praise ye the Lord! Hallelu, hallelu, hallelu, hallelujah; Praise ye the Lord! Praise ye the Lord! Hallelujah; Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord, Hallelujah, Praise ye the Lord!

CALL TO WORSHIP Liturgist: Gods strong and loving hands are outstretched to all Creation. People: Let the world stretch forth and grasp Gods hands with joy. Liturgist: Gods open hands are as the gate of righteousness. People: Let us enter into Gods abundant life and give thanks.
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Liturgist: In Gods hands are new life, strength, and salvation. People: Let us be thankful and sing unto our God with gladness. * HYMN: Come, Ye Faithful, Raise the Strain #185 Pilgrim

ANNOUNCEMENTS and NEWS OF THE CHURCH PRAYER OF INVOCATION (in unison) O Risen Christ, be with us this day. We recognize your wounded hands; they tell us that you know what it is to struggle and suffer, and to prevail in the power of love. We grasp those hands, that they may lead us together into a deeper place of peace. Our week has left worries, answerless questions, blatant injustices, and unexpected disappointments. We are weary. Come, O Risen Christ and receive our burdens as we empty our cares into your loving hands. Extend to us your joy. Give us imagination enough to pursue your Mission 4/1 Earth. Pour into us the freshness of your new life; for you are our strength and our might. How wonderful you are for your loving kindness toward us. Amen! Alleluia! EPISTLE READING Psalm 118:14-29 *GLORIA Pew Bible page 659 #513 Pilgrim 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. MESSAGE FOR ALL AGES ANTHEM He Mullan/Richards Soloist: Jean Butler-Smith

CALL TO CONFESSION Liturgist: When we keep our fears and faults locked up inside us, it is hard to be healed and receive new life. So let us open ourselves to God in confession, trusting the Lords desire to give us peace.
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PRAYER OF CONFESSION (in unison). Liturgist: Most gracious God, the Earth is yours with all of its fullness. Your Creation is beautiful and complex in ways beyond our imagination. If we follow its magnificent design, it leads us to you. Yet we have been so distracted following wrong directions of the contaminated hands of the world hands that have cut off, brought down, burned up, dug under, held back, built around, and moved out the gifts of the Earth, created for blessing. We have lost our way and your Creation groans for us to turn back to you. We have been too complacent as we have witnessed the covetous few who control too much at the expense of the desperate hungry multitudes. People: Forgive us for not exercising the strength of our hands for the good of your Creation. Give pardon for allowing our hands gifted by you to rest idling by our sides. We seek the guidance of your hands to point us to your brightest light, salvation, and new life for your suffering Earth. Through your Son, Jesus Christ, the Way. Amen. WORDS OF ASSURANCE: Liturgist: Risen Jesus, you are our salvation. Your forgiveness causes us to rejoice in your glory. Your nail-scarred touch has endowed within us fullness of grace. We lift our hands in thanksgiving, strong as the upraised branches of your majestic trees. Praise to you for the power of your mighty hands upon us, for they reach into the depths of our hearts. You are marvelous! People: Thanks be to God! * HYMN Thine Be the Glory #193 Pilgrim

SCRIPTURE FROM THE GOSPEL John 20:19-31 MESSAGE

Pew Bible page 1165

CELEBRATIONS AND CONCERNS OF THE CONGREGATION Silent Prayer Pastoral Prayer OFFERING
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OFFERTORY

Medley: Bound for Glory/Who Can Fail Hunter Eddy-Marimba

* DOXOLOGY Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise God, all creatures here below; Praise God for all that love has done; Creator, Christ and Spirit, One. Amen. * PRAYER OF DEDICATION (in unison) All: From our hearts and from our hands, we humbly and gladly present these gifts to you, O God, that they may be used to serve you and bless your people, through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. * HYMN Let Us Break Bread Together #162 Praise

SERVICE OF HOLY COMMUNION Invitation to Our Lords Table Communion Prayer Words of Institution Pastor: Join me in proclaiming the mystery of faith. All: Christ has died. Christ is risen. Christ will come again. Sharing of the Bread and Cup Prayer of Thanksgiving and Prayer of Our Savior (in unison) We thank you, God, for inviting us to this table where we have known the presence of Christ and have received all Christs gifts. Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and let us show forth your praise in our lives; through Jesus Christ who taught us to pray: 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. Amen. * HYMN * BENEDICTION
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All Hail the Power of Jesus Name

#195 Pilgrim

Pastor: By the power of your Spirit, O God, imbue us with the power of the Risen Christs wounded hands. May that power make us one in you. May that unity cause us to love as mightily as you. May your love move us to use our hands as you do to do works of care and justice for your beloved Earth and all its people works that heal, free, plant, write, show, speak, and grow. Give us grace and strength for Mission 4/1 Earth! People: For this is the day that God has made, let us go forth, rejoice, and be glad in it! Alleluia! Pastor: Go and be a blessing to God. People: Amen. POSTLUDE
Acknowledgement: Some of the liturgy for this service is taken from Feasting on the Word and/or Worship Ways on the UCC Website: www.ucc.org. Some of the stories used in the sermon taken www.spirit-ca.net.

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* * * * * * * * * * * Please join us for refreshments and fellowship after worship. * * * * * * * * * * *

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Today's worship leaders: Ministers: All members of the church Ushers: Kristine Harvey and Pam Berry Liturgist: Jane Wilson Coffee Hour: Kelly Turner Acolyte: Paul Brown, Jr. Deacon of Month: Dorothy Terwilliger Organist: Stu James Worship Leader: Rev. Pat Jackman CALENDAR FOR THE COMING WEEKS Bible Study Tues. April 9 Trustees Tues. April 9 Knit Wits Weds. April 10 Choir Thurs. April 11 Council Tues. April 16 Brown Bag Lunch Tues. April 16 Pastoral Relations Tues. April 23 Deacons Tues. May 7
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4:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 11:30-1:00 7:00 PM 4:30 PM

Rev. Pat Jackmans office hours: Tuesdays and Fridays from 9:00 - 12:00 noon. Home phone: 802-725-8119; Cell phone: 802-770-4003; Church Office: 483-6408. DID YOU KNOW . . . That we continue with the liturgical color white after Easter Sunday until Pentecost. The season of Easter goes from Easter Sunday for seven weeks until Pentecost, May 19 th. It is appropriate to greet people with Easter wishes during this time! Christians are Easter people. For us every Sunday is Easter Day, a day to celebrate Christ alive! ANNOUNCEMENTS Prayers The churches of the UCC Southwest Association are praying this week for the Brandon Congregational Church and their pastor, the Rev. Dick White. They ask for prayers for their new model of governance that involves a single board with multiple committees. Music Lovers If you or someone that you know would like to participate in our special music each Sunday, please contact Jean Butler-Smith at 459-2754. April Soloists 7th Jean Butler-Smith 14th Matt Harvey 21st Carrie Butrimas 28th - Full Choir May Soloists 5th Elizabeth Frost 12th Jocelyn Frost 19th Kelly Lyon 26th Full Choir

Bible Study Pastor Pat will be leading a study on forgiveness beginning Tuesday, April 9th at 4:00 PM in the Fellowship Hall. We will discuss additional times and dates at the first meeting. This study will view the movie Amish Grace and involve focus discussions on what forgiveness is, who it is for, and how we accomplish it. We will look at recent events that have made forgiving difficult. This study is open to all interested. Food Shelf Its time for the Feinstein Challenge at the Food Shelf. They are in need of all types of items for their clients. Lets work together and help them achieve their goal. Canned vegetables, fruits, protein items, cereals, and paper goods are all wonderful items to bring to help them achieve this goal. See Bob and Jane Welch if you have questions. Prayer Request - Forms are located in the pew racks. Written requests may be placed in the offering plate or in the prayer box. You may also request prayers by calling Bobbi Mills (438-5653). Praying the Directory - For the month of April, please keep our church family members from Q - Z in the directory in your prayers. Large Print Bulletins and hearing devices are available. Simply ask an usher for assistance.
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