CANDLE LITURGY
In this time, we need the Christ light as a beacon of promise and hope. We are reminded that Jesus is the Light of the World who has always pointed toward the way of peace and justice.
     Adapted/Used with permission Lent/Easter Gathering 2025; Laura J. Turnbull

Sung Response: VU 268 “Bring Many Names” Verses 1 & 2
1.  Bring many names, beautiful and good,
elebrate, in parable and story,
holiness in glory, living, loving God.
Hail and hosanna! Bring many names!

2.  Strong mother God, working night and day,
planning all the wonders of creation,
setting each equation, genius at play:
Hail and hosanna, strong mother God!

1. CALL TO WORSHIP:
Let us gather to praise God,
our God who is great in wonder and majesty.
Let us praise our God for God's graciousness and compassion,
our God who is full of mercy and forgiveness.
Let us praise our God for God's everlasting trust and faithfulness,
our God who is just and good.
Come, let us worship and praise God.
     Used with permission Lent/Easter Gathering 2025;Marie Slivocka

2. OPENING PRAYER:
Jesus, our brother and teacher, our friend and master, in your resurrected glory, you have come to many: those who believe and turn to you and those who cannot. In this hour of worship, open our spirits to be attentive, our hearts to receive, and our faith to believe in you. Amen.
     Used with permission Lent/Easter Gathering 2025; Kate Gregory

3. LEARNING TIME:

4. HYMN: VU 624 “Give to us Laughter”
1.  Give to us laughter, O Source of our life.
Laughter can banish so much of our strife.
Laughter and love give us wholeness and health.
Laughter and love are the coin of true wealth.

2.  Give to us laughter as sign of deep joy;
let us in laughing find Christian employ,
joining with stars and with bright northern lights,
laughing and praising and sharing delights.

3.  Why do we worry that we will lose face?
Why act like king for the whole human race?
Often in family, and often with friend,
laughing at pride causes anguish to end.

4.  Even in sorrow and hours of grief,
laughter with tears brings most healing relief.
God, give us laughter, and God, give us peace,
joys of your presence among us increase.

5. PRAYER OF ILLUMINATION:
Creator God, as we receive the words of scripture today, may we understand the love and tenderness in you as you care for us, your precious children. Learning your word just like the disciples did so long ago, may we discover a connection to our own lives and may the lessons fortify us for the week ahead. Amen.
     Used with permission from Gathering: Lent-Easter 2025: Tammy Fergusson

6.  SCRIPTURE LESSON:
Acts 9: 36 - 43
36 In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas). Her life overflowed with good works and compassionate acts on behalf of those in need. 37 About that time, though, she became so ill that she died. After they washed her body, they laid her in an upstairs room. 38 Since Lydda was near Joppa, when the disciples heard that Peter was there, they sent two people to Peter. They urged, “Please come right away!” 39 Peter went with them. Upon his arrival, he was taken to the upstairs room. All the widows stood beside him, crying as they showed the tunics and other clothing Dorcas made when she was alive.
40 Peter sent everyone out of the room, then knelt and prayed. He turned to the body and said, “Tabitha, get up!” She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. 41 He gave her his hand and raised her up. Then he called God's holy people, including the widows, and presented her alive to them. 42 The news spread throughout Joppa, and many put their faith in the Lord. 43 Peter stayed for some time in Joppa with a certain tanner named Simon.

Responsive Reading:  Psalm 23 VU
The Lord is my Shepherd… THAT'S RELATIONSHIP!
I shall not want… THAT'S SUPPLY!
He maketh me to lie down in green pastures… THAT'S REST!
He leadeth me beside still waters… THAT'S REFRESHMENT!
He restoreth my soul… THAT'S HEALING!
He leadeth me in the paths of righteousness… THAT'S GUIDANCE!
For his name's sake… THAT'S PURPOSE!
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death… THAT'S CHALLENGE!
I will fear no evil… THAT'S ASSURANCE!
For thou art with me… THAT' FAITHFULNESS!
Thy rod and thy staff they comfort me… THAT'S SHELTER!
Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies… THAT'S HOPE!
Thou anointest my head with oil… THAT'S CONSECRATION!
My cup runneth over… THAT'S ABUNDANCE!
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life… THAT'S BLESSING!
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord… THAT'S SECURITY!
Forever… THAT'S ETERNITY!

7.  REFLECTION:

9. SCRIPTURE LESSONS:
Revelation 7: 9 - 17
9 After this I looked, and there was a great crowd that no one could number. They were from every nation, tribe, people, and language. They were standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They wore white robes and held palm branches in their hands. 10 They cried out with a loud voice: “Victory belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb.” 11 All the angels stood in a circle around the throne, and around the elders and the four living creatures. They fell facedown before the throne and worshipped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and always. Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders said to me, “Who are these people wearing white robes, and where did they come from?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” Then he said to me, “These people have come out of great hardship. They have washed their robes and made them white in the Lamb's blood. 15 This is the reason they are before God's throne. They worship him day and night in his temple, and the one seated on the throne will shelter them. 16 They won't hunger or thirst anymore. No sun or scorching heat will beat down on them, 17 because the Lamb who is in the midst of the throne will shepherd them. He will lead them to the springs of life-giving water,[a] and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”

John 10: 22 - 30
Jesus at the Festival of Dedication
22 The time came for the Festival of Dedication[a] in Jerusalem. It was winter, 23 and Jesus was in the temple, walking in the covered porch named for Solomon. 24 The Jewish opposition circled around him and asked, “How long will you test our patience? If you are the Christ, tell us plainly.” 25 Jesus answered, “I have told you, but you don't believe. The works I do in my Father's name testify about me, 26 but you don't believe because you don't belong to my sheep. 27 My sheep listen to my voice. I know them and they follow me. 28 I give them eternal life. They will never die, and no one will snatch them from my hand. 29 My Father, who has given them to me, is greater than all, and no one is able to snatch them from my Father's hand. 30 I and the Father are one.”

10.  REFLECTION:

11. HYMN VU 626 “I Heard the Voice of Jesus”
1.  I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'Come unto me and rest;
lay down, O weary one, lay down your head upon my breast.'
I came to Jesus as I was, weary and worn and sad;
I found in him a resting place, and he has made me glad.

2.  I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'Behold, I freely give
the living water; thirsty one, stoop down, and drink, and live.'
I came to Jesus, and I drank of that life-giving stream;
my thirst was quenched, my soul revived, and now I live in him.

3.  I heard the voice of Jesus say, 'I am this dark world's light;
look unto me, your morn shall rise, and all your day be bright.'
I looked to Jesus, and I found in him my star, my sun;
and in that light of life I'll walk till travelling days are done.

12.  PRAYER OF YEARNING:
God of love and grace, we yearn for a world where love and grace guide our steps and bless our days. We dream of families and communities led by love and guided by grace. Yet, division, danger, and death interrupt our dreams and dampen our hopes for our lives. Comfort us in our sorrow. Help us in our troubles. Protect us in this dangerous world. Unify us with your love and grace, that we might offer your abundant love and amazing grace, everywhere we go. Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

13. WORDS OF ASSURANCE
In God's love, we are held. In Christ's grace, we are forgiven. In the Spirit's power, we are strengthened. Give thanks for these gifts.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

14.  SUNG RESPONSE: VU 166 “Joy Comes with the Dawn”
Refrain:
Joy comes with the dawn;
joy comes with the morning sun;
joy springs from the tomb
and scatters the night with her song,
joy comes with the dawn.

1.  Weeping may come;
weeping may come in the night,
when dark shadows cloud our sight.  Refrain:

2.  Sorrow will turn,
sorrow will turn into song,
and God's laughter make us strong.  Refrain:

3.  We will rejoice,
we will rejoice, and give praise,
to the One who brings us grace.  Refrain:

15. PASSING OF THE PEACE:
Peace be with you.
And also with you.

16.  INVITATION TO OFFERING:
As we prepare for this time of offering, may God open our hearts with love and touch our lives with generosity.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

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

18.  OFFERING PRAYER:
Generous God, we dedicate these gifts and offerings into your service. May our generosity flow abundantly into a world in need of your transforming love and grace. In your loving name, we pray.  Amen.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

19. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND LORD'S PRAYER

20. HYMN: VU 574 “Come, Let Us Sing of a Wonderful Love”
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.

21. BLESSING
Blessed by God,
may we bless the world in the week ahead.
Loved by Christ,
may we love others, in all we say and do.
Empowered by the Spirit,
may we follow faithfully where God leads.
     From the Abingdon Worship Annual 2025.
     Copyright @2024 by Abingdon Press. Used by permission.

Next Sunday:  Fifth Sunday of Easter
        May 18, 2025:
         Acts 11:1-18;  Psalm 148;
         Revelation 21:1-6;  John 13:31-35.

1. SUNDAY, May 11, 2025  “Fourth Sunday of Easter”   10:45 AM   Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


2. TUESDAY, May 13, 2025  HANDBELL PRACTICE  6:30 PM.  Choir Room  We always welcome new members.  If you enjoy music please join us.


3. SUNDAY, May 18, 2025  “Fifth Sunday of Easter”   10:45 AM   Rev. Jo-Ann Hills  “RECOLLECTIONS”   ALL ARE WELCOME!


4. SUNDAY, May 18, 2025  “SUNDAY BRUNCH”   11:30 AM - 1:00 PM   ALL ARE WELCOME!


5. SUNDAY, June 15, 2025  “SEAN McCANN of Great Big Sea CONCERT”   7:00 PM   Logie Hall  COME. JOIN US FOR A WONDERFUL EVENING OF MUSIC
   [FOR FULL DETAILS SEE POSTER ON “HAPPENINGS” TAB]