A silent accompaniment.

A resonance vibrating in your chest

that makes you look around.
An answer, unprovoked,
a tendril reaching as if for light.
Something about kingdom
among you, ungrasped, firm.
An echo following the silence,
always just out of sight.
A sure, embracing presence
beyond the door, the sky, within.
The collapse of a stranger's strangeness,
a tenderness, an urge to bow.
This impossible reverence rising in you,
belovedness passing through you like blood
as if Someone is here.

Quotes for Reflection:

Frequently I am asked by people eager to pursue a spiritual
life, How do I know the will of God? I prefer to rephrase the
question and thus to reframe the reference somewhat.
I ask instead, What is Gods longing for our lives?
Gods will is not a puzzle to be solved
but a mystery to be lived into.
It is a mystery whose contours emerge as we journey on.
Wendy Wright

-We Gather as Gods People-

HYMN

Day of Arising

3086

CALL TO WORSHIP
Christine Sine
Jesus Christ you have risen and we see you,
In the faces of the poor,
In the hurting of the sick,
In the anguish of the oppressed
Jesus Christ you are risen and we see you,
In the weakness of the vulnerable,
In the questions of the doubting,
In the fears of the dying.
Jesus Christ you are risen and we see you,
In the celebration of the saints,
In the generosity of the faithful,
In the compassion of the caring.
Jesus Christ you are risen and we see you,
You transform our world with love and hope,
Hallelujah, Jesus Christ you are risen and we see you.
PRAISE

I Love You, Lord

Open Our Eyes, Lord

PASSING THE PEACE

YOUNG PEOPLES MESSAGE
OPENING TO GOD
A song you didn't hear,
ringing in your ears.
Anticipation of a kiss, its
memory, its warmth already fading.
Wakefulness that's not your own.

2068
2086

-We Listen for Gods WordTEHILLIM

GOSPEL LESSON

Psalm 126

847, resp. 1
Luke 24:13-35

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called
Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each
other about all these things that had happened. While they were
talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them,
but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them,
What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?
They stood still, looking sad.
Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, Are
you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that
have taken place there in these days? He asked them, What
things? They replied, The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was
a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people,
and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be
condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was
the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third
day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our
group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and
when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us
that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was
alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it
just as the women had said; but they did not see him.
Then he said to them, Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of
heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not
necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter
into his glory? Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he
interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked
ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying,
Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly
over. So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with
them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then
their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished
from their sight.
They said to each other, Were not our hearts burning within us
while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the
scriptures to us? That same hour they got up and returned to
Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered
together. They were saying, The Lord has risen indeed, and he has
appeared to Simon! Then they told what had happened on the road,
and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the
bread.

-We Respond to Gods WordREFLECTION

How Then Shall We Live?
Part 2 of 6
Joy: Recognizing Christ in the Unexpected Places
HYMN

On the Day of Resurrection

309

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE & THE LORDS PRAYER

OFFERING & DOXOLOGY

-We Are Sent Into Gods WorldANNOUNCEMENTS

BENEDICTION
RESPONSE

Halle, Halle, Halleluja

Birthdays & Anniversaries

2026a

April 19 - Max Philips

April 21 - Donna Langdeau
April 22 - Angela Scott
April 25 - Amanda Norton
April 22 - Norris & Kitty LaClair anniv.
April 23 - Dale & Mary Thompson anniv.

Essex Eats Out April

April 24 - EUMC

Announcements

Soap Time Again Were collecting 200 bars of soap for UMCOR
health kits to take to the Shelburne kit party in May. Please, no Ivory
or Jergens. Collection Box is downstairs on table at foot of stairs.

Below are people, places, & concerns that folk have lifted up.
Please keep them in your prayers at home.

Crafting and Conversation: The Crafters meet every other week to

begin making things for the Holiday Bazaar in November. Please
contact Patty Mitchell or Maureen Wiegner.

Please call or email the church office to add to the prayer list.

Plant Swap- on Sunday May 3. Bring your perennials that you have
split and hopefully take home something different. Please label your
plants as to what they are. If the plants are not chosen you will need to
take them home afterward, too.
District Resource Day: Sat April 25, 10-3pm. BOUNTY: Unlocking
the Secrets of Bountiful Generosity. All are invited to come to the
Shelburne Rev. Dr. Scott McKenzie approaches stewardship from a
spiritual formation perspective. Come learn 10 practices to help you
and your congregation grow in your stewardship roles and generosity.

Calendar

Sun, 19 Apr: Worship How Then Shall We Live, part 2, 10 am.

Tue, 21 Apr: Office Hours
Church: 9-10:30am
Phoenix Books 10:35 am-noon
Bible Study



Ongoing Prayers
Judy & Diezela
Zachary Roy
John Bartlett
Carol Johnson
Bob Brooks (Hirst)
Michael Parker
Jill & Doug Griffin
Stan Komecki
Jenna Roy
Paul
Dick Shepard
Robin
Jaylene
Mary
Jake Greg
DJ
Chris

Ongoing Prayers, cont.



Gloria
Anne
Michael Paradee
John Young IV
Brenda
Lenore
Lifted Up Last Sunday
Nancy Bartlett - John
Kathryn - Ellie & family
Leo
Donna - Rachel, surgery this week
Dana - big decision this week
Ellissa - Ellen & Cory, whose house
burned down
Family of Christina Menke
Robbie on loss of mom

1:00-2:30 pm in the Parlor.

Choir, 6:30 pm
Administrative Board 7:00 pm
Thu, 23 Apr: Mens Breakfast 8:00 am
Thursday Companions final class 6:30- 8 pm
Fri, 24 Apr:

Essex Eats Out at Essex UMC, 5:30 pm.

Sat, 25 Apr:

Bounty: Stewardship Workshop at Shelburne UMC

Mon, 27 Apr: Mitch at Discipleship Training, Concord, NH, 9-4

Crafting & Conversation 1:00 pm, Fellowship Hall
to make crafts for our November Bazaar
Monday Companions 7:00 pm Eves House.
Please read ch. 3 of If It Werent for Buddha, I
Couldnt Be Christian by Paul Knitter
Tue 28 Apr:

Pastor-Parish Relations Team 7:00 pm

Sun, 3 May

Plant Swap following Service

Sat, 2 May:

Health Kit Assembly, Shelburne UMC 9 - 10 am

Wed, 6 May

Green Mountain Nursing Home 2:30 pm

Thu, 7 May/Sat, 9 May: Food Shelf Set Up/Distribution.

Note: one week earlier this month.

Essex Center United Methodist Church

essex_umc@comcast.net
tel. 878-8304
www.essexumc.com
Ministers: the entire congregation
Equipping Pastor: Rev. V. Mitchell Hay
home tel. 878-3778 (feel free to call)
mitchellhay@comcast.net
Office Manager: Heidi Evans
Organist: Kathryn Parker Pianists: June Packard, Ellie Uckele
Djembe: Barbara Lemmel
Guitar: Richard Randazzo
Song Leader: Dana Thomas Projection: Sam Evans
Greeter - Angela Scott
Ushers - Patti & John Mitchell

Emmaus by He Qi

Essex Center United Methodist Church

19 April 2015

Third Sunday of Easter