Welcome
Below you will find prayers, songs, readings, and a message to help you experience worship. You can light a candle to remind you of the presence of the Holy Spirit, or you can have a bowl of water in the vicinity to remind you of your baptism. Whether you are alone or with others, we hope that you can feel each other’s presence, and the presence of God, as we worship together, even though we are not in the same building.
announcements & Thanksgiving for Baptism
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Alleluia! Christ is risen. United in the life we share in Christ, let us give thanks for the gift of baptism.
We thank you, risen Christ, for these waters where you make us new, leading us from death to life, from tears to joy. We bless you, risen Christ, that your Spirit comes to us in the grace-filled waters of baptism, like rains that nourish our earth, like streams that remind us of your presence, like cups of cool water shared with strangers. Breathe your peace on your church when we hide in fear. Clothe us with your mercy and forgiveness. Send us companions on our journey as we share your life. Make us one, risen Christ. Cleanse our hearts. Shower us with life. To you be given all praise, with the Holy Spirit, in the glory of God, now and forever. Amen.
Opening Song
Now the Green Blade Rises
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Now the green blade rises from the buried grain, wheat that in dark earth many days has lain; love lives again, that with the dead has been; love is come again like wheat arising green.
In the grave they laid him, love by hatred slain, thinking that he would never wake again; laid in the earth like grain that sleeps unseen; love is come again like wheat arising green.
Forth he came at Easter, like the risen grain, he that for three days in the grave had lain; raised from the dead, my living Lord is seen; love is come again like wheat arising green.
When our hearts are wintry, grieving, or in pain, your touch can call us back to life again, fields of our hearts that dead and bare have been; love is come again like wheat arising green.
Prayer of the Day
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Let us pray. O God, you give us your Son as the vine apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his resurrection, that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Reading
1 John 4:7-21
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7Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. 8Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9God’s love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we might live through him. 10In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11Beloved, since God loved us so much, we also ought to love one another. 12No one has ever seen God; if we love one another, God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his Spirit. 14And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world. 15God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide in God. 16So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment, because as he is, so are we in this world. 18There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection in love. 19We love because he first loved us. 20Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21The commandment we have from him is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
Children’s Moment
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Gospel and Message
John 15:1-8
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[Jesus said:] 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.”
Hymn of the Day
Restore in Us, O God
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Restore in us, O God, the splendor of your love; renew your image in our hearts, and all our sins remove.
O Spirit, wake in us the wonder of your pow’r; from fruitless fear unfurl our lives like springtime bud and flow’r.
Bring us, O Christ, to share the fullness of your joy; baptize us in the risen life that death cannot destroy.
Three-personed God, fulfill the promise of your grace, that we, when all our searching ends, may see you face to face.
Apostles’ Creed
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With the whole church, let us confess our faith.
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.
Prayers
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Held together in one body by the Spirit of Christ, let us pray for the church and the world, and all who are in need.
Gracious God, as you have formed your church to be one fruitful vine, strengthen our churches and our ecumenical connections with Christians across the street and around the globe. Lord, hear our prayer.
As you created an earth with countless forms of plant and animal life, train us to honor and maintain the bountiful earth that you intend for us and future generations. Lord, hear our prayer.
As you call humankind to live in love with one another, bring peace to nations, to neighborhoods, and to homes. Protect those who are oppressed and those who are vulnerable in every land, show us the path to peace in all things. Lord, hear our prayer.
As you have promised to hear the cries of all the needy, listen now to the countless people around the world who are suffering from sickness, from the coronavirus, from injustice, from abuse, from starvation. Hear our pleas for India. Lord, hear our prayer.
We remember those who have died in the faith. As you have promised to bring your people into your strong and tender embrace, preserve us until we enter with all the saints into your everlasting mercy. Lord, hear our prayer.
Into your hands, O living God, we commend all for whom we pray, trusting in your mercy, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer
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Gathered into one by the Holy Spirit, let us pray as Jesus taught us.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
Blessing
May the One who brought forth Jesus from the dead raise you to new life, fill you with hope, and turn your mourning into dancing. Almighty God, Creator, Sustainer and Redeemer, bless you now and forever. Amen.
Dismissal
Christ is risen! Go in peace. Share the good news. Alleluia! Thanks be to God. Alleluia!
Sending Hymn
On Our Way Rejoicing
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On our way rejoicing gladly let us go. Christ our Lord has conquered; vanquished is the foe. Christ without, our safety; Christ within, our joy; who, if we be faithful, can our hope destroy?
On our way rejoicing; as we forward move, hearken to our praises, O blest God of love!
Unto God the Father joyful songs we sing; unto God the Savior thankful hearts we bring; unto God the Spirit bow we and adore, on our way rejoicing now and evermore.
On our way rejoicing; as we forward move, hearken to our praises, O blest God of love!
Worship Assistants
Message: Pastor Kristin
Music: Lori
Assisting Minister: Maddy Jo
From Sundays and Seasons.com. Copyright 2005 Augsburg Fortress. All rights reserved. Reprinted and streamed by permission under Augsburg Fortress Liturgies Annual License #SAS002432. New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved. Hymns reprinted and streamed with permission. CCLI#1162147.