Lighting of the Christ Candle:
This candle's flame reminds us of the light of Christ present in the world. The flame represents the risen Christ and is for us a symbol of life dispelling death.
      Used with permission from Gathering Lent/Easter 2024:Mark Dutkoski

Sung Response: “Christ Is Alive” # 158 VU (Verse 2)
2.  Christ is alive! No longer bound to distant years in Palestine,
but saving, healing, here and now, and touching every place and time.

1. Call to Worship:
The Spirit moves over the lands and over the people.
The Spirit calls us to harmony, to unity, to joy, peace, and love.
May God fill us with the Spirit's power in these Easter days.
     Used with permission from Gathering: Lent/Easter 2024; Robin Wardlawe

2.  Opening Prayer:
True Vine, Gentle Gardener, we abide in your care.
You never cut us off from your love.
You tenderly lift us up when we have fallen, pruning us to make us fruitful and abundant.
Flow through us to give us new life.
May we grow by your grace into fruitful people. May we nourish others with our words and deeds. May we lift up others who have fallen and connect them to the life-giving Vine. May our living bring you glory today and always. Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering: Lent-Easter2024; Karen Pryznyk

3. Learning Time:

4. Hymn: “In Loving Partnership We Come”  # 603 VU
1.  In loving partnership we come, seeking, O God, your will to do.
Our prayers and actions now receive; we freely offer them to you.

2.  We are the hands and feet of Christ, serving by grace each other's need.
We dare to risk and sacrifice with truthful word and faithful deed.

3.  Loving community we seek; your hope and strength within us move.
The poor and rich, the strong and weak are brought together in your love.

4.  In loving partnership, O God, help us your future to proclaim.
Justice and peace be our desire, we humbly pray in Jesus' name.

5.  Prayer of Confession:
Speak truth to our hearts, O God. Speak love to our lives, that we may remain in your love and share your love joyously with others. Speak grace to our souls, that we may rest in your grace and forgive others as we have been forgiven. Speak mercy to our world, that all the world may know your love and find redemption in your grace. In hope and trust, we pray. Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2024.
      Copyright @2023 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

6.  Words of Assurance:
God's promises are sure. The promises of forgiveness, grace, and love are true. In Christ's love and grace, we are forgiven and made new.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2024.
      Copyright @2023 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

7.  Sung Response: “Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love” # 574 VU
1.  Come, let us sing of a wonderful love, tender and true, tender and true,
out of the heart of the Father above, streaming to me and to you:
wonderful love, wonderful love
dwells in the heart of the Father above.

2.  Jesus the Saviour this gospel to tell joyfully came, joyfully came,
came with the helpless and hopeless to dwell, sharing their sorrow and shame,
seeking the lost, seeking the lost,
saving, redeeming at measureless cost.

3.  Jesus is seeking the wanderers yet; why do they roam? why do they roam?
Love only waits to forgive and forget; home, weary wanderers, home!
Wonderful love, wonderful love
dwells in the heart of the Father above.

4.  Come to my heart, O thou wonderful love! Come and abide, come and abide,
lifting my life till it rises above envy and falsehood and pride:
seeking to be, seeking to be
lowly and humble, a learner of thee.

8.  Affirmation of Faith:  Apostles Creed, #918 VU

THE APOSTLES CREED

I believe in God, the Father almighty,
     creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God's only Son, our Lord,
     who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
     born of the Virgin Mary,
     suffered under Pontius Pilate,
     was crucified, died, and was buried;

he descended to the dead.
     On the third day he rose again;
     he ascended into heaven,
     he is seated at the right hand of the Father,
     and he will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit,
     the holy catholic Church,
     the communion of saints,
     the forgiveness of sins,
     the resurrection of the body,
     and the life everlasting. Amen.

9.  Invitation to Offering:
Connected in love, let us share our love offerings with Christ's church and God's world.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2024.
     Copyright @2023 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

Please give by contributing online using “E-transfers” or PAR (Pre-Authorized Remittance) or by placing your offering in the plate.

10. Offertory:“Grant Us, God, the Grace”   # 540 VU
Grant us, God, the grace of giving, with a spirit large and free,
that ourselves and all our living we may offer faithfully.

11.  Offering Prayer of Dedication:
Loving God bless these gifts with love. Transform lives with our ministries, that your people everywhere might know your grace, abide in your love, and connect with Christ, the vine of life. Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2024.
     Copyright @2023 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

12. Prayers of the People and the Lord's Prayer: # 960 VU

13. Blessing
As God's children, go now to serve.
We go to serve in love.
Abiding in Christ, go with Christ to love.
We go with Christ's love to love one another.
Go to serve in love and peace.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2024.
     Copyright @2023 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

14. Three Fold Amen

Sixth Sunday of Easter
        May 5, 2024:
         Acts 10:44-48;  Psalm 98;
        1 John 5:1-6;  John 15:9-17.

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