Welcome to Emmanuel UCC Dorrance   |   7768 Blue Ridge Trail   |   Mountain Top Pa 18707   |   570-868-5675
May 3 2020

May 3, 2020 Pastor Lou

Call to Worship

Let us pray these familiar words, 
recognizing in the Risen Christ our Good Shepherd:

Jesus, you are our shepherd.  
We shall never want.  

You make us lie down in green pastures; 
you lead us beside the still waters. 
You restore our souls. 

You guide us in the paths of righteousness for your name’s sake.
Even though we may walk through the valley 
of the shadow of death,
we fear no evil, for you, Christ, comfort us.

Jesus has prepared a table for us 
in the presence of our foes; 
Jesus has anointed us with the oil of salvation; 
our cup runs over!  

Surely, goodness and mercy will follow us 
all the days of our lives,
And we will dwell in the house 
of our Holy Savior forever and ever.  Amen.          

Prayer of Confession

Merciful and Loving God, we ask forgiveness 
because our consciousness of you 
is dimmed by everyday desires and needs.
Raise our consciousness of you, O God.

We forget that we are a reflection of your image.  
We act as though you are a Sunday-only event.  
Increase our mindfulness of you, O God.

Help us to a greater common awareness 
of your deep mystery and infinite presence.  
Rouse our awareness of you, God.

Open our eyes from surface focus to depth perception.
Turn our heads from shallow concerns to eternal truths.  
Awaken us from faint-heartedness, O God.

Forgive us for our narrow and selfish ways.  
Save us from cheap grace with your amazing grace.  
Forgive us, O God.  We ask in Jesus’ precious name.  Amen.

Silent Reflection

Assurance of Pardon

Holy, Forgiving God, we are your sheep.  
You keep us awake and aware.  
You can increase our God-consciousness every day of our lives.  
Bless you and praise you for forgiving us 
when we are barely mindful enough to ask.  
Help us to enter by the door 
when we hear the voice of the Good Shepherd.  
We hear your voice of pardon. 
Through Christ’s grace we are forgiven this morning, and we go in. Amen.    

Scripture Readings

Psalter Lesson:                                                                                      Psalm

Gospel Lesson:                                                                         John 10: 1-10                                                          

The Apostles Creed

I believe in God the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth:

And in Jesus Christ His only Son, our Lord; who was conceived

by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under

Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hades;

the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven,

and sitteth on the right hand of God, the Father Almighty;

from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy Christian church,

the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins,

the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

oly                               

Benediction

You are called for a purpose: 
for the sake of knowing and drawing close toward God
a person bears up under sorrows.
We are not here by chance.

You are choice and precious in the sight of God,
and as living stones, your lives are being built up 
into a spiritual sanctuary where the justice and mercy and peace 
of the Risen    Christ may dwell. 
We are not here by chance.

Jesus said, “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them,
and they follow me; 
and I give eternal life to them, and they will never perish; 
and no one will snatch them out of my hand.

Jesus, we are the sheep of your pasture.
You have chosen us.
We have chosen you.
We are not here by chance. Amen

For Christ also suffered for sins once for all time, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; — 1 Peter 3:18 (NASV)