Click HERE for a printable version of Order of Worship
Dear Church Family,
We want to share with you the Order of Worship that we will use on the morning of Sunday, May 5, 2024. We will start the service at 10 am.
Please join us in-person or virtually by using either the conference call number, the live stream via Zoom, Facebook, or our website.
We want everyone to have the opportunity to worship. Thank you so much. Welcome to St. Matthew’s UMC!
If you have difficulties with the Facebook link, feel free to join Zoom.
Live-Stream
-
- Meeting ID: 996 0251 9769
- Password: 14900
- St. Matthew’s UMC via Facebook
- St. Matthew’s UMC via Website
Conference Call
- Conference Call Dial-In: +1-301-715-8592
- Enter Access Code: 996 0251 9769 #
- Password: 14900 #
- Then, please wait for the host to begin.
Closed Captioning Available
Worship, classes, and meetings Zoomed now have the capability for closed captioning. The catch is that you must “turn it on”.
To do that, click on the button labeled “More…”. Then in the droplist, click on “Show Subtitles”.
If you need further assistance with this, please contact georgewood@stmatthews-bowie.org
May 5, 2024: The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Prelude: Moderato in B Flat Major, Opus 55/55
—Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846)
Welcome
*CALL TO WORSHIP — Dr. Lisa Hancock, 2023
L: Easter people, Jesus chose you and calls you friend!
A: We abide in Christ because Christ abides in us.
L: Jesus made a home among us to show us how to love.
A: We abide in Love because Love abides in us.
L: Jesus invites us in and beckons us to come to the Table
to know the joy that comes when we love one another
the way God loves us.
A: We abide in Joy because Joy abides with us.
L: Easter people, Jesus welcomes you home!
A: We come to make our home
with God and with one another,
bound together by Love and enlivened by Joy. Amen.
*OPENING HYMN:
Love Divine, All Love Excelling UMH 384
CCLI #109164 CCS #11256
*OPENING PRAYER:
O God,
you have prepared for those who love you
joys beyond all understanding.
Pour into our hearts such love for you
that, loving you above all things,
we may obtain your promises,
which exceed everything that we can desire,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
*ACT OF PRAISE: Gloria Patri UMH 71
Joys & Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
*HYMN BEFORE SCRIPTURE: I Come with Joy UMH 617
CCLI #109164 CCS #11256
Today’s Epistle reading is taken from the First Letter of John
(1 John 5:1-6)
5 Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ[a] has been born of God, and everyone who loves the parent loves the child. 2 By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and obey his commandments. 3 For the love of God is this, that we obey his commandments. And his commandments are not burdensome, 4 for whatever is born of God conquers the world. And this is the victory that conquers the world, our faith. 5 Who is it who conquers the world but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
6 This is the one who came by water and blood, Jesus Christ, not with the water only but with the water and the blood. And the Spirit is the one that testifies, for the Spirit is the truth.
The Word of the Lord. THANKS BE TO GOD.
*Please stand as you are able for the Gospel Acclamation & remain standing for the reading of the Gospel.
*GOSPEL ACCLAMATION: Celtic Alleluia TWFS 2043
This morning’s Gospel reading is from the Gospel of John
(John 15:9-17)
Jesus said: 9 As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love. 10 If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. 11 I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you and that your joy may be complete.
12 “This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. 13 No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 14 You are my friends if you do what I command you. 15 I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing, but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. 16 You did not choose me, but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. 17 I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
The Gospel of the Lord THANKS BE TO GOD.
Music for Meditation: Allegretto in A Major, Opus 55/29
—Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846)
Children’s Message
Music at the Gradual: If You Love Me —Thomas Tallis (ca 1505-1585)
Message: Parting Words While Walking Along a Garden Path —Rev. Galen Menne
Prayer of Thanksgiving
Music during the Offertory: The Prayer of St. Francis
—Allen Pote (b. 1945)
*DOXOLOGY UMH 95
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
Musical setting by Mark Miller, TFWS #2257
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing
always and everywhere to give thanks
to you, Almighty God,
Creator of heaven and earth.
Out of your great love
you have made us your children
and given us dominion over all you have created.
And so, with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven,
we praise your name and join
their unending hymn:
Holy, holy, holy Lord,
God of power and might,
heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest.
Blessed is he who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.
Holy are you,
and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ
who came by water and blood
that we might be liberated from our sins.
He loves us as the heavenly Father
loves him and commands us
to love others as he loves us.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection,
you gave birth to your church,
delivered us from slavery to sin and death,
and made with us a new covenant
by water and the Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us
he took bread, gave thanks to you,
broke the bread,
gave it to his disciples, and said,
“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me.”
When the supper was over
he took the cup,
gave thanks to you,
gave it to his disciples, and said,
“Drink from this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it,
in remembrance of me.”
And so,
in remembrance of these your mighty acts
in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.
Christ has died; Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.
On the day Christ arose from the dead
he appeared to the disciples
and gave them his peace.
He breathed upon them and blessed them with the Spirit,
giving hem the power to forgive sins.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us, gathered here,
and on these gifts of bread and wine.
Make them be for us
the body and blood of Christ,
that we may be for the world
the body of Christ,
redeemed by his blood.
Through your Spirit we have received the
power to transform all that has failed;
for whatever is born of God overcomes the world.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ,
one with each other,
and one in ministry to all the world,
until Christ comes in final victory
and we feast at the heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ,
with the Holy Spirit in your holy church,
all honor and glory is yours, almighty God,
now and forever. Amen.
And now with the confidence of children of God,
we are bold 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.
BREAKING OF THE BREAD
Because there is one loaf,
we, who are many, are one body,
for we all partake of the one loaf.
The bread which we break is a sharing in the body of Christ.
The cup over which we give thanks
is a sharing in the blood of Christ.
MUSIC DURING COMMUNION: A New Commandment
—Franklin Ashdown (b. 1942)
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION:
Eternal God,
we give you thanks for this holy mystery
in which you have given yourself to us
for our faith is the victory that overcomes the world.
Grant that we may go into the world
in the strength of your Spirit,
to give ourselves for others,
in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Announcements
*CLOSING HYMN: Trust and Obey UMH 467
CCLI #109164 CCS #11256
*BENEDICTION
*BENEDICTION RESPONSE: Triple Amen UMH 898
Postlude: Allegro in C Major, Opus 107/8
—Christian Heinrich Rinck (1770-1846)
DAILY SCRIPTURES
Mon: Isaiah 63:7-9 Tues: Isaiah 45:1-8
Wed: Genesis 9:8-17 Thur: Romans 5:1-11
Fri: Joel 2:18-27 Sat: 1 Peter 2:1-10
SPECIAL THANKS TO TODAY’S VOLUNTEERS!
Greeters |
St. Matthew’s Members |
Ushers |
Anita Darnell*, Sarta Freeman, Maysen Gore-Duran, Stacy Ann Samuels |
Acolytes |
Sarai Somerville, Cheyenne Belcher, Violet Wiedman |
Liturgists |
Mary Jennings |
Communion Assist. |
Deanna Lesche, Debbie Parfitt |
Counters |
Dare Draughn (lead), Clyde Draughn, Marie Comstock, Margie Dague |
Musicians |
Chancel Choir |
Broadcasting |
The Hulens, George Wood, Steve Smith, Bruce Thoman, Zoom Team |
Welcome Desk |
Beth Ling, Debbie Parfitt |
Coffee Hour |
Margie & Loring Dague |
WHAT’S HAPPENING…
Today |
11am |
Coffee Hour |
Fellowship Hall |
|
|
Adult Sunday School |
Parlor |
|
|
Children’s Sunday School |
Room 126 |
Mon. |
7pm |
Gloria Ringers |
Music Room |
Tues. |
945am |
Bible Study In-person |
Parlor |
|
11am |
Angel Gang |
ZOOM |
|
630pm |
Endowment Committee |
Room 125 |
|
7pm |
ZOOM Bible Study |
ZOOM |
Wed. |
8am |
Men’s Breakfast |
Rip’s Country Inn |
|
7pm |
Simple Prayer |
Sanctuary |
Thurs. |
7pm |
Chancel Choir |
Music Room |
|
8pm |
Ad Hoc Records Management Committee Meets |
Room 125 |
Sat. |