Crandall United Methodist Church

Worship Guide

April 7, 2024

Second Sunday of Easter

Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World

ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE

Greetings:

Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!

People: And also with you!

Special Music: “10,000 Reasons” Charles

Centering Words:

The risen Christ comes to us and says, “Peace be with you.” May we lay down the worries of our lives to welcome the peace of Christ.

*Call to Worship:

Leader:    It is good for God’s people to gather together in unity.

People:   We are here at the invitation of God.

Leader:    In this place, God’s love and grace flow into our lives.

People:   In this place, God’s blessings abound.

Leader:    Praise be to God!

People:   Praise be to God!

Leader:    Let us pray.

ALL: Holy One, we gather with grateful hearts to remember the blessings of your light and love as they flow through our lives each day. In this moment, open our hearts to your Holy Spirit. Open our minds to the truths of your story. Open our hands to welcome the risen Christ among us. And open our eyes to your glory– a glory reflected in the faces around us. In the name of the risen Christ, we pray. Amen.

Hymn: “Cares Chorus”

I cast all my cares upon you,

I lay all of my burdens down at your feet,

and anytime that I don't know what to do,

I will cast all my cares upon you.

I cast all my cares upon you,

I lay all of my burdens down at your feet,

and anytime that I don't know what to do,

I will cast all my cares upon you.

I cast all my cares upon you,

I lay all of my burdens down at your feet,

and anytime that I don't know what to do,

I will cast all my cares upon you.

PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD

Words of Assurance

Brothers and sisters, siblings in Christ, Jesus promises: “If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them.”

Receive the hope and promise of this good news, for forgiveness is ours when we forgive one another.

Thanks be to God!

*Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31

¹⁹ When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. ²¹ Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” ²² When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. ²³ If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you   retain the sins of any, they are retained.”

²⁴ But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”

²⁶ A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” ²⁸ Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!” ²⁹ Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

³⁰ Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. ³¹ But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.

Leader:    This is the Word of God for the people of God

People:   Thanks be to God.

WORD AND RESPONSE

Time with Young Friends:  “Jesus Loves Me”

Children’s Message: “God of Light”

Hymn: “Surely the Presence of the Lord”

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;

I can feel his mighty power and his grace.

I can hear the brush of angels' wings,

I see glory on each face;

surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;

I can feel his mighty power and his grace.

I can hear the brush of angels' wings,

I see glory on each face;

surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;

I can feel his mighty power and his grace.

I can hear the brush of angels' wings,

I see glory on each face;

surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

Sermon: “We Walk in the Light” 1 John 1:1-2:2

¹ We declare to you what was from the beginning, what we have heard, what we have seen with our eyes, what we have looked at and touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— ² this life was revealed, and we have seen it and testify to it, and declare to you the eternal life that was with the Father and was revealed to us— ³ we declare to you what we have seen and heard so that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our  fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. ⁴ We are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

⁵ This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light and in him there is no darkness at all. ⁶ If we say that we have fellowship with him while we are walking in darkness, we lie and do not do what is true; ⁷ but if we walk in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. ⁸ If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. ⁹ If we confess our sins, he who is faithful and just will forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness. ¹⁰ If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

^2:1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; ² and he is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.

 RESPONSE TO THE WORD  

Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns

   Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer     

THE SACRAMENTS OF HOLY COMMUNION

Invitation, Prayer of Confession and Pardon:

Christ our Lord invites to his table

       all who love him,

who earnestly repent of their sin

and seek to live in peace with one another.

Therefore, let us confess our sin before God

and one another.

Merciful God,

we confess that we have not loved you

with our whole hearts.

We have failed to be an obedient church.

We have not done your will,

we have broken your law,

we have rebelled against your love,

we have not loved our neighbors,

and we have not heard the

cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray.

Free us for joyful obedience,

through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen

Hear the good news:

Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;

that proves God's love toward us.

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Glory to God. Amen

 The Great Thanksgiving  

    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,

Father Almighty, creator of

heaven and earth.

You formed us in your image and

breathed into us the breath of life.

When we turned away, and our love failed,

your love remained steadfast.

You delivered us from captivity,

made covenant to be our sovereign God,

and spoke to us through your prophets.

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.

Your Spirit anointed him

to preach good news to the poor,

to proclaim release to the captives

and recovering of sight to the blind,

to set at liberty those who are oppressed,

and to announce that the time had come

when you would save your people.

He healed the sick, fed the hungry,

and ate with sinners.

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.

When the Lord Jesus ascended,

he promised to be with us always,

in the power of your Word and Holy 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 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.

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.

       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 his heavenly banquet.

Through your Son Jesus Christ,

with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,

all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father,

now and forever.   Amen

And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

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

Sharing of the Cup and Loaf

Moment of Prayer and Meditation

Prayer of Thanks

Eternal God, we give you thanks

for this holy mystery

in which you have given yourself to us. 

Grant that we may go into the world

in the strength of your Spirit,

to give ourselves to others,

in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. 

Amen

SENDING FORTH

Hymn: “Tis So Sweet to Trust in Jesus”

'Tis so sweet to trust in Jesus,

and to take him at his word;

just to rest upon his promise,

and to know, “Thus says the Lord!"

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!

How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust him more!

O how sweet to trust in Jesus,

just to trust his cleansing blood;

and in simple faith to plunge me

’neath the healing, cleansing flood!

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!

How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust him more!

Yes, ’tis sweet to trust in Jesus,

just from sin and self to cease;

just from Jesus simply taking

life and rest, and joy and peace.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!

How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust him more!

I’m so glad I learned to trust thee,

precious Jesus, Savior, friend;

and I know that thou art with me,

wilt be with me to the end.

Jesus, Jesus, how I trust him!

How I’ve proved him o’er and o’er

Jesus, Jesus, precious Jesus!

O for grace to trust him more!

Benediction