Prelude:  Chorale and Variations on Come, Holy Spirit by Maurice Duruflé

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

"https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HVs1VwFpqNOtnkx2qzv3HJW"

Gathering Video and Opening Prayer

+As we celebrate the birth of the church on this Pentecost Sunday, I’ve included a video about the church in Ethiopia. Did you know that they surround their church buildings with forests in order to recall the garden of Eden? I had never heard of this! It makes me wonder about the things that we find to be essential to our faith, and what those things tell us about who we are and how we relate to God and one another. I tend to believe that growing my understanding of cultures other than my own will increase my compassion and help me to hear those from whom I feel divided. Perhaps your experience leads you to the same idea? Check out this story by clicking on the Saint Paul Playlist (and pause at the end so you’ll be at the correct place for the next hymn).

The Church Forests of Ethiopia 

Holy God, you spoke the world into being.
Pour your Spirit to the ends of the earth,
that your children may return from exile
as citizens of your commonwealth,
and our divisions may be healed
by your word of love and righteousness. Amen.

Hymn:  There’s a Sweet, Sweet Sprit in This Place

Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end.

Confession

Resurrecting God, confident in your love, 

still my heart and my mind and my body 

that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

We need your healing, merciful God:

Give us true repentance. 

Some sins are plain to us; 

Some escape us,

Some we cannot face.

Forgive us; set us free to hear your word to us;

Set us free to serve you.

God who binds all of creation together 

weaves each of us into a story built of love and justice . 

Listen, give thanks, and live. 

Gloria Patri: click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: Veni Creator (Come, Holy Spirit) Canon/Taizé

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-Pause at End

 Scripture:     Acts 2:1-21; Psalm 104:24-34; John 20:19-23

Reflection

• Pentecost is largely about people coming together, but when we look around the world, one of the things we might see is all the ways we are divided from one another. Looking at the divisions in our country (and there are many), several are shouting themselves loud and clear right now. We see racially motivated violence around our country, and we hear so much pain from our neighbors of color who continue to be targets of racism. And at the same time, we have a huge debate happening about whether to reopen or stay closed. No matter the issue at hand, our way of dealing with it repeats itself. We argue, dig in our heals, call names, and retreat to our corners. As long as we allow this division to reign, though, we’ll keep losing sight of all the good we can do together. Are there places in our community that you can see to open the conversation beyond this division, so that we can better love ourselves and our neighbors? Is there anything God is calling you to do toward this end? 
• Pentecost is a joyous celebration of this moment in time when people from all sorts of different places were able to come together, and the Holy Spirit allowed them to understand one another despite language barriers or cultural barriers. The Spirit unites the people--and no artificial human rendering can divide us, not truly, not permanently. Where have you seen the Spirit at work uniting people, whether in recent days or further back in your memory? Might you see this work of the Spirit in the coming week?
• The Holy Spirit is among us and within us, just as Christ has promised. Take time this week to sit in the Spirit, to feel her movement, and to rest in her love, even if chaos echoes around you.

Prayers of the People 

God of life and love, you gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; 

but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.

Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death. Open our eyes to find you among us and within us.
• We pray for the church throughout the world. Inspire the children of your church for prophetic witness to your truth, and upon old and young give clarity of vision to carry on with your work in this world.
• We pray for our neighbors and the people of Dallas. Teach us to be good neighbors, to live in peace with one another, to care for one another, and to build bonds of friendship. 
• We pray for the nations of the world, and its leaders. Overcome the babble of misunderstanding among the nations, and let all people hear in their own language and recognize in their own culture your unifying message of love.
• We pray for planet Earth, our home. By your Spirit, renew the earth, make us good stewards of its resources, and teach us to enjoy its abundance rightly. 
• We pray for all in sickness or in need, both those we know and those who we have never met. Send your healing Spirit upon them and restore them to health.
• We pray for all the ways in which we are divided. Grant us wisdom to carve paths upon which we can walk in compassion and unity.

Blessed are you, Eternal One, our rock and our refuge, who offers us shelter and love. 

Lord’s Prayer

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Communion

People of Saint Paul, Will and Pastor Kayla have made an audio recording of our Great Thanksgiving. If you would like to participate in communion this week, click on the link to hear the recording. You have two options: 

1. You can participate with your household at home, using your own bread and wine or juice, awaiting the day when we can celebrate the Eucharist in person once more. 

2. We will have the host available on Pentecost Sunday from 11am-noon in the circle drive. If you would like to participate in this way, you may drive through to receive the host. We ask that you remain in your car while you are on campus. Pastor will greet you at your car with a small cup containing the host. Those preparing and serving will wear gloves and masks. 

Click here for the recording Service of Holy Communion, 

or here is a communion prayer for those unable to access the recording: 

Praise and glory to you creator Spirit of God; 

You make our bread Christ’s body to heal and reconcile

And to make us the body of Christ. 

You are truth.

You come like the wind of heaven, unseen, unbidden.

Like the dawn, you illuminate the world around us;

You grant us a new beginning every day.

You warm and comfort us. 

You give us courage and fire and strength beyond our every day resources.

Be with us Holy Spirit in all we say or think,

In all we do this and every day.

Sustainer, may we who have received this sacrament 

live in the unity of your Holy Spirit,

that we may show forth your gifts to all the world.

We ask this in the name of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Hymn:  We All Are One in Mission

Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*

Gathered and scattered, God is with us.

In suffering and in hope, God is with us.

Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude:  Ev’ry Time I Feel the Spirit

Click on Saint Paul Playlist

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

Other prayers this week come from New Zealand Book of Prayer and Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion.

Prelude:  How Firm a Foundation setting by Richard Elliott

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HUZ6O95kmLkHnkyiMtNplI_

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

“What It Looks Like to Us and the Words We Use” by Ada Limón

https://youtu.be/SVwbFTfjlQM 

All these great barns out here in the outskirts,

black creosote boards knee-deep in the bluegrass.

They look so beautifully abandoned, even in use.

You say they look like arks after the sea’s

dried up, I say they look like pirate ships,

and I think of that walk in the valley where

J said, You don’t believe in God? And I said,

No. I believe in this connection we all have

to nature, to each other, to the universe.

And she said, Yeah, God. And how we stood there,

low beasts among the white oaks, Spanish moss,

and spider webs, obsidian shards stuck in our pockets,

woodpecker flurry, and I refused to call it so.

So instead, we looked up at the unruly sky,

its clouds in simple animal shapes we could name

though we knew they were really just clouds—

disorderly, and marvelous, and ours.

The peace of the Risen Christ be with each of you.

Eternal God, the risen and ascended Christ calls us to carry your message of life to all people. Led by the power of your Holy Spirit, may we witness always to the hope to which we are called as we share Christ’s love to the ends of the earth. Amen.

Hymn:  Hail the Day That Sees Him Rise

Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end.

Confession*

Resurrecting God, confident in your love, 

still my heart and my mind and my body 

that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Living God, we confess that our faith is sometimes weak,

Our love for others can be faint, our prayers timid,

And our gratitude is frequently unconvincing.

When we stand looking toward heaven, yet feel far from you,

You draw near in mercy to forgive us and fill us with your love,

Through the grace of Jesus, our resurrected Savior. Amen.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. 

Listen, give thanks, and live. 

Gloria Patri: click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: Fly Away by Pepper Choplin

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-Pause at End

Scripture:     Acts 1:6-14; Psalm 68:1-10; John 17:1-11

Reflection

+The poem we read features two friends who name things differently but keep talking and remain in friendship. One says she doesn’t believe in God, only connection. The other says that what the one calls connection, she calls God. It ends with both friends looking up into the clouds, enjoying naming things differently together. Tensions are high in our country. Armed protestors caused the Michigan legislature to pause meeting in order to prioritize their safety. We have polarized between reopening in order to prioritize the economy or staying closed to prioritize lives. And we can’t seem to focus in on solutions that will work better than either of those two terrible options, even as other countries get the virus under control. How can we learn to talk to one another again, even when we see things differently? What can you do, this week specifically, to build a bridge? 

+The poem ended with friends looking into the clouds, and the reading from Acts features a similar scene. The disciples looking into the heavens as Jesus ascends into the clouds. They can’t stay there forever, staring into the sky. But it’s certainly worth stopping for a little while. Sometimes things happen that are worth stopping for. Here’s what I hope you’ll do: Go outside. Read the story of Jesus’ ascension again. Look into the clouds and imagine yourself a disciple, watching Jesus go. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you feel as you stand inside the story? To what is this ascension calling you?

Prayers of the People 

God of life and love, you gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; 

but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.

Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death. Open our eyes to find you among us and within us.
• We pray for the church, that we might discover new ways to care for one another and our neighbors, and that we might continue in God’s work of love and justice even as we cope with our own day to day challenges.
• We pray for all to have food, shelter, healthcare and all that they need to thrive, that we might live together in your just creation. 
• We pray for our world, for all leaders, people, and nations, that we may exercise a spirit of wisdom as we serve the common good.
• We pray for the earth and the abundant life of the planet. 
• We pray for all in sickness or in need, that they may know your healing love and the presence of Christ to bring life in the most difficult times.

Blessed are you, Eternal One, our rock and our refuge, who offers us shelter and love. 

Lord’s Prayer

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Hymn: How Firm a Foundation

Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*

Gathered and scattered, God is with us.

In suffering and in hope, God is with us.

Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude: Now Rejoice Dear Christians Together 

                  Chorale followed by J. S. Bach setting BWV 734                   

Click on Saint Paul Playlist

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

Other prayers this week come from Feasting on the Word: Worship Companion.

 Saint Paul Sunday 5-17-2020 Playlist

A note from Pastor Kayla: It occurs to me as I prepare this worship, that this week marks one year that I’ve been with you as your pastor. I have so loved our time together, though admittedly, I have not so much loved the last two months when we haven’t been able to gather in person. I miss seeing you. You are a lovely people and a joy to walk alongside. I hope that this coming year of ministry brings joy and hope and growing in God’s love.

God’s Peace and All Good, Pastor Kayla

 Prelude: Variations on “All Creatures of Our God and King” by Denis Bédard

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HXlZcrByKEUYH5XCXm9u06P

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

 “The Poet Comments on Yet Another Approaching Spring” by Mary Oliver

 Don’t flowers put on their

prettiness each spring and go to it with

everything they’ve got? Who

would criticize the bed of yellow tulips or the blue

hyacinths?
So put a

bracelet on your ankle with a

bell on it and make a little music for

the earth beneath your foot, or wear a hat with hot-colored

ribbons for the pleasure of the

leaves and clouds, or at least a ring with a gleaming

stone for your finger; yesterday
I watched a mother choose

exquisite ear-ornaments for someone beloved, in the spring

of her life; they were
for her for sure, but also it seemed

a promise, a love-message, a commitment to all girls, and boys too, so

beautiful and hopeful in this hard world and young.

The peace of the Risen Christ be with each of you.

Keep your church alert, Holy Spirit, ready to hear when you are calling, and ready to celebrate the beauty you weave among us. Keep us hopeful, Holy Spirit, connected with you, creation and one another. Amen.

 Hymn: I Sing the Mighty Power of God

Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end.

 Resurrecting God, confident in your love, still my heart and my mind and my body that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Loving God,
We do not always keep your commandments;
we fail to love you; our conscience is not clear. Wash us in the water of life that we may live again through the grace and mercy you bring
through your presence among and within us.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. Listen, give thanks, and live.

 Gloria Patri: click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: If Ye Love Me, Keep My Commandments by Thomas Tallis

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-Pause at End

Scripture:     Acts 17:22-31      Psalm 66:8-20      John 14:15-21

Reflection

+Jesus promises the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, that we might never be alone. “You know him because he abides with you, and he will be in you.” Here we are with this idea of abide once again. The Spirit abides with us, we abide with Jesus, Jesus abides with God. Jesus, comforting his disciples, describes this big circle of abiding. We can’t separate from one another. This isn’t conditional; it is already so. Nothing can separate us from the love of God. This is our sure and certain hope.

+In Acts, as Paul is talking to the Athenians, he speaks this famous line: “In him we live and move and have our being” (17:28a). God isn’t something out “there” to be sought after. Rather, God is already here. Does this challenge your image of God? How, this week, might you notice God in your living and movement and being? Be mindful of God’s presence in you and with you.

+As Christians we talk about resurrection and new life. And a piece of that story is bound up in how we as humans, as part of creation, can be at one with God. Here in John and in Acts we hear that it is already so. We have no work to do here--God has done the work of making sure that we are together, that we abide in one another, that we live and move and be together. And so perhaps we can do as the poet suggested, making music for the earth and creating beauty for the children so that we can all rejoice in God’s presence. How will you celebrate the renewal of life?

Prayers of the People

God of life and love, you gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth;
but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.
Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death. Open our eyes to find you among us and within us.
• We pray for the church, that we might discover new ways to care for one another and our neighbors, and that we might continue in God’s work of love and justice even as we cope with our own day to day challenges.
• We pray for all who hunger, and those who worry each day how they will care for themselves and their families.
• We pray for the governments of the world and its leaders, especially as they navigate caring for their people during a pandemic. Grant them wisdom and hearts open to the best interest of all in their jurisdiction.
• We pray for the earth, that we might shepherd well the resources we find therein, and we give thanks for all bursts of abundant life we find around us.
• We pray for the sick, the scared, those who grieve, the lonely and the crowded.
• We pray for our neighbors, that we continue to care for one another.
  Blessed are you, Eternal One, our rock and our refuge, who offers us shelter and love.

Lord’s Prayer
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 debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Hymn: All Creatures of Our God and King
Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*
Gathered and scattered, God is with us. In suffering and in hope, God is with us. Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude: All Creatures of Our God and King setting by David Schack
Click on Saint Paul Playlist

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

Prelude: Largo on Sibelius’ FINLANDIA by Alesandro Pittorino

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

"St. Paul's Playlist 5-10-2020"

 “Prayer of St. Brendan”
Help me to journey beyond the familiar and into the unknown.
Give me the faith to leave old ways and break fresh ground with you.

Christ of the mysteries, I trust you
to be stronger than each storm within me.
I will trust in the darkness and know
that my times, even now, are in your hand.
Tune my spirit to the music of heaven,
and somehow, make my obedience count for you.

The peace of the Risen Christ be with each of you.

Holy God, in Christ you have shown us the way, revealed to us your truth, and offered to us abundant life. Alleluia! Keep us, that we may walk your path more clearly, hold your truth more fully, and rejoice in your life more abundantly. Amen.

 Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end. 

 Resurrecting God, confident in your love, still my heart and my mind and my body that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Loving God, Maker of all, have mercy on me.
Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor, have mercy on me. Holy Spirit, Breath of God, have mercy on me.

God of all life, I give my life to you from whom nothing in me is hidden. You are before me God, you are behind.
You are around me God, you are within.
I bring the faith that is in me and the doubt.

I bring the joy that is in me and the sorrow.
I bring the hope that is in me and the despair.
I bring the hurts that I carry and the hurts that I have caused.
To join these faiths and doubts, joys, and sorrows,
hopes and despairs, hurts carried, and hurts caused
to the faiths and doubts, joys, sorrows, hopes, despairs, and hurts of my neighbors.
Restore me to the joy of your liberation and sustain in me a willing spirit.
For you have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence fills me with joy. Amen.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. Listen, give thanks, and live.

Gloria Patri: click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: Joy in the Morning by Natalie Sleeth

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-Pause at End

Scripture     1 Peter 2:2-10      Psalm 31:1-16      John 14:1-14

Reflection

+John 14:1-4 is often read at funerals as words to provide comfort. Do you find comfort in these words? If so, how do they comfort you? And if not, where do you find trouble with them?

+Then the next part, v.6, is equally famous: Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” My favorite reading of this verse comes from Brian McLaren (a contemporary theologian). His take is that when we read these words, we sometimes mistakenly add an extra word. So that we read Jesus to be saying “I am in the way” instead of “I am the way.” Jesus isn’t setting up a roadblock here. Instead, he’s offering reassurance. Thomas wants to know how to get where Jesus is going, and Jesus is reassuring him. We already know the way-we are in Christ and Christ is in us and therefore the way is already part of our being. This reminds me of the Hymn of St. Patrick:

Christ with me,
Christ before me,
Christ behind me,
Christ in me,
Christ beneath me,
Christ above me,
Christ on my right,
Christ on my left,
Christ when I lie down,
Christ when I sit down,
Christ when I arise,
Christ in the heart of every man who thinks of me, Christ in the mouth of everyone who speaks of me, Christ in every eye that sees me,

Christ in every ear that hears me.

Where do you find Christ in these days?

+Words about the presence of God weave through these verses in John. Though Jesus is preparing for death, he will not leave them--he is with them always. The Father abides in him and so in us. And the next verses will promise the presence of the Holy Spirit. Even though all of this foreshadows Jesus’ death, it also holds resurrection hope, which is why we read it during the Easter season. Death is not the end. God abides with us already and always. Nothing that happens next will change that. And nothing that has happened before has undone it. God is here. With us. Abide with us, O God. The day is hastening on, and we hasten with it.

God of life and love, you gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth;
but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.
Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death.
• We pray for the church throughout the world, that all who profess to honor the risen
  Christ may be faithful in our care for neighbor and courageous in spreading your love.
• We pray for the governments of the world and its leaders, especially as they navigate caring for their people during a pandemic. Grant them wisdom and hearts open to the
  best interest of all in their jurisdiction.
• We pray for the earth, for rain and sun, and for the abundant life that feeds and grows
  here.
• We pray for the sick, the scared, those who grieve, the lonely and the crowded, as well
  as those in financial distress..
• We pray for our neighbors, that we continue to care for one another.
  Blessed are you, Eternal One, our rock and our refuge, who offers us shelter and love.
  

Lord’s Prayer
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 debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Hymn: Be Still My Soul

Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*

Gathered and scattered, God is with us. In suffering and in hope, God is with us. Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude: Tuba Tune by Norman Cocker

Click on Saint Paul Playlist

Music Playlist:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HVMphkM1ZHyyx9yBfU6Xeta

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

 Prelude: The King of Love My Shepherd Is, setting by Healey Willan
Click on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HVg0nvfHV8g93IEuZpH38ZK

“During the Impossible Age of Everyone” By Ada Limón 

1.  There are so many people who’ve come before us, arrows and wagon wheels, obsidian tools, buffalo. Look out at the meadow, you can almost see them, generations dissolved in the bluegrass and hay.

I want to try and be terrific. Even for an hour.

2.  If you walk long enough, your crowded head clears, like how all the cattle run off loudly as you approach. This fence is a good fence, but I doubt my own haywire will hold up to all this blank sky, so open and explicit. I’m like a fence, or a cow, or that word, yonder.

3.  There is a slow tractor traffic hollering outside,
and I’d like not to be traffic, but the window shaking. Your shoes are piled up with mine, and the heat comes on, makes a simple noise, a dog-yawn. People have done this before, but not us.

The peace of the Risen Christ be with each of you.

Good Shepherd of the sheep, by whom the lost are sought and guided into the fold; feed us and we shall be satisfied, heal us and we shall be whole, and lead us that we may be with you, with the Creator and the Holy Spirit. Amen. 

Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end.

Resurrecting God, confident in your love, still my heart and my mind and my body that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Loving God, Maker of all, have mercy on me.
Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor, have mercy on me. 

Holy Spirit, Breath of God, have mercy on me.

God of all life, I give my life to you from whom nothing in me is hidden. 

You are before me God, you are behind.
You are around me God, you are within.
I bring the faith that is in me and the doubt.

I bring the joy that is in me and the sorrow.
I bring the hope that is in me and the despair.
I bring the hurts that I carry and the hurts that I have caused.
To join these faiths and doubts, joys, and sorrows,
hopes and despairs, hurts carried, and hurts caused
to the faiths and doubts, joys, sorrows, hopes, despairs, and hurts of my neighbors.
Restore me to the joy of your liberation and sustain in me a willing spirit.
For you have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence fills me with joy. Amen.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. Listen, give thanks, and live.

Gloria Patri:   click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end
Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: The Lord is My Shepherd by Howard Goodall

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-Pause at End

Scripture:     Acts 2:42-47      Psalm 23      John 10:1-10

Reflection

+Our Acts reading talks about the growth of the disciples, and how they accomplished this growth through gathering and eating together. This rings true to our experience...usually...but not as much right now. How are you growing right now? What is enabling your growth? Are there any pieces of this that you might carry forward?

+Read the Psalm again. This is a favorite Psalm to offer comfort, especially in grief. It reminds of the good times as well as the difficult ones, and that God is with us through it all. Have you ever been to the still waters? What was that like? Have you ever been in a dangerous spot? How did you get out?

+And finally, The Good Shepherd--a parable of Jesus which speaks so much truth about discernment and how to find our way. In your life, you’ve seen thieves and bandits. How have you recognized them? Have you ever recognized a good shepherd? What made them so? How can we remember these things in future encounters?

God of life and love, you gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth;
but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.
Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death.
• We pray that we will hear your voice and come and go through your gate.
• We pray for the whole church, that we may focus on our mission of spreading your love
  and caring for our neighbors.
• We pray for the earth, for the green pastures and still waters, that she might have what
  she needs and deserves.
• We pray for the people of the world, for our governments and leaders, that the goals of
  society may converge with the goals of the church to care for all people, to value the
  humanity of all people, and practice love and justice at all times.
• We pray for those who are in financial distress. We pray for those who are sick or dying.
  We pray for those who grieve. Grant us all much needed hope.
• We pray for ourselves, our families, and those we love. May no one live in fear; may all
  dwell in your presence.

Blessed are you, Great Shepherd, who gives us goodness and mercy, leads us down right paths, and restores our souls. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

 Hymn: God Be with Us Till We Meet Again

Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*

Gathered and scattered, God is with us. In suffering and in hope, God is with us. Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude: Fuga in F major (Jig) by Dietrich Buxtehud

Click on Saint Paul Playlist

Music Playlist:

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HVg0nvfHV8g93IEuZpH38ZK"

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

Prelude: We Know That Christ Is Raised setting by Douglas E. Wagner

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HUnxNYaf6k5aSIF_J89zyDP

 “A Thousand Mornings” by Mary Oliver 

All night my heart makes its way however it can 

over the rough ground of uncertainties, but only

until night meets and then is overwhelmed by 

morning, the light deepening, the wind easing and

just waiting, as I too wait (and when have I ever

been disappointed?) for redbird to sing.

The peace of the Risen Christ be with each of you.

Eternal God, through the resurrection of your Son, 

help us to face the future with courage and assurance, 

knowing that nothing in death or life can ever part us from your love. Amen.

 Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end.

Resurrecting God, confident in your love, still my heart and my mind and my body, o God, so that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Loving God, Maker of all, have mercy on me.

Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor, have mercy on me.

Holy Spirit, Breath of God, have mercy on me.

God of all life, I give my life to you from whom nothing in me is hidden. 

You are before me God, you are behind. 

You are around me God, you are within. 

I bring the faith that is in me and the doubt. 

I bring the joy that is in me and the sorrow. 

I bring the hope that is in me and the despair. 

I bring the hurts that I carry and the hurts that I have caused. 

To join these faiths and doubts, joys, and sorrows, 

hopes and despairs, hurts carried, and hurts caused 

to the faiths and doubts, joys, sorrows, hopes, despairs, and hurts of my neighbors. 

Restore me to the joy of your liberation and sustain in me a willing spirit. 

For you have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence fills me with joy. Amen.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. Listen, give thanks, and live. 

 Gloria Patri: click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: By Gracious Powers setting by Russell Schulz-Widmar

Click on Saint Paul Playlist-Pause at End

Scripture:  Acts 2:14a, 36-41          Psalm 116:1-4, 12-19          Luke 24:13-35

Reflection

+I love this passage in Luke for the practical glimpse into human reality that it offers: human reaction to trauma. The disciples have been through trauma. They upended their lives to follow Jesus. Not only did they adopt his ideas, but many left behind career and family. And now they’ve watched him be executed by the state. Their experience has been traumatic. 

Trauma research talks about trauma loops. One of the ways the human brain deals with trauma is to get stuck in a loop. Replaying the same event over and over. When this happens, the brain is trying to make sense of an event that doesn’t make sense, that isn’t computable. But the brain keeps trying, and so the trauma replays again and again in the mind’s eye. Literally stuck in a loop, like the spinning wheel of death when a computer freezes. 

And so the idea is that when the disciples are on this road to Emmaus, and Jesus comes to walk beside them, their brains are playing this trauma loop over and over. They can’t process this new information because their brains are stuck. So they bring him into their loop, telling again how Jesus was crucified and how they had hoped he was the one to redeem Israel. They acknowledge the new information they received that morning, the report from the women about the resurrection. But this information doesn’t fit into their trauma loop, so their brains haven’t processed it. Even as they talk with Jesus—this new reality of resurrection isn’t sinking in. 

Right now we as an entire planet are going through a collective trauma. Even if we don’t feel acute fear, and even if our lives feel basically the same—this sense of foreboding has settled across the world. The trauma is very real. And if we find ourselves stuck somewhere, it’s trauma seeping in. It’s our brains looping, working nonstop to make sense out of something that doesn’t make sense. It isn’t a spiritual failing or a character flaw. It’s just the human brain trying to cope. What do you notice in your behavior or thoughts that might not be what you expected? How can you offer yourself grace as you recognize your brain’s limitations?

+The disciples don’t recognize Jesus as they walk, even when he begins teaching them. But something does manage to break through the trauma loop. When Jesus breaks bread, they know instantly who he is. Which is just endlessly beautiful. Just like our brains can get stuck in loops, our bodies hold our sorrows and our joys, the trauma we’ve survived and the love we’ve shared. So that this bodily ritual of breaking bread triggers the muscle memory and bursts through the brain loop. Jesus has broken bread with them before: feeding the crowds and at the last supper. And it has been so meaningful to them that their bodies wrote it into their stories of life and love. So that when they see bread broken before them once more, they know the truth that Jesus lives, that no death was able to overtake the love of God present among us. Which begs the question: what in our lives is so meaningful to us? What are the things that will burst through the trauma loop and reveal the love and life that sit before us? What bread can we break that will once more burst forth the love God, so that we might see, and live? 

+Whether we recognize it or not, whether our brains are stuck in a trauma loop or broken bread has burst us out of it, the Risen Christ is with us. Christ shows up, again and again. And nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. So no matter how our brains are functioning or malfunctioning, no matter what signals our bodies are sending, God’s love is here among us. May we sit with God’s love and rest in the peace of God’s grace.

God of life and love, you gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.

Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death. 
• We pray for the members of St. Paul’s, as well as our distant friends and family. 
• For those who are sick in body, for those who are sick in heart, for those who are struggling to make ends meet, for those who lack essential resources, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For small business owners, for those who have lost jobs, for those learning new jobs, for those adjusting to work changes, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For those on the front-lines, for first-responders, for healthcare workers, for supply chain contributors, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For those who can’t work, for those who must work, for those afraid to go to work, for those who need work, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For teachers learning new educational tools, for parents of school-aged children, for parents of bored toddlers and needy babies, for parents of cooped-up teens, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For the anxious, for the sleep-deprived, for the stir-crazy, for the uncertain, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For government leaders, for policy-makers, for municipal officials, for school superintendents and hospital administrators, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 
• For those who find it difficult to pray, for those who are seeking hope, for those who are hoping for change, for those praying for transformation, we ask for Divine mercy and help. 

God of all creation, present in all times and places, loving in all circumstances, kind toward the unjust and the just, watching over and welcoming every beloved soul, we ask for Divine mercy and help. Amen.

Lord’s Prayer

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Hymn: Leaning on the Everlasting Arms

Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*

Gathered and scattered, God is with us.

In suffering and in hope, God is with us.

Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude:  Entrance of the Queen of Sheba by G. F. Handel 

Click on Saint Paul Playlist

Music Playlist:  https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HUnxNYaf6k5aSIF_J89zyDP

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

**Prayer Attribution: Fran Pratt, 2020.

 Prelude: Come Down, O Love Divine setting by Herbert Sumsion

Click on Saint Paul Playlist link - pause at end

All music except the anthem is contained in this one link.  Hit play and pause to follow along with service: 

https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/videoseries?list=PLVCoMs6C85HVGgAxc1jhWXIPyd9x16q2M 

 Blessed be the God and Father of our Savior Jesus Christ, by whose great mercy we have been born anew to a living hope through the resurrection Jesus Christ from the dead.

“Spring Song” by Lucille Clifton

https://vimeo.com/200205275

the green of Jesus

is breaking the ground

and the sweet

smell of delicious Jesus

is opening the house and

the dance of Jesus music

has hold of the air and

the world is turning

in the body of Jesus and

the future is possible

Jesus, we believe you; all we heard is true. You break the bread; we recognize you. You are the fire that burns within us; use us to light the world. Amen.

 Click Play on Saint Paul Playlist-hit pause at end  

 Resurrecting God, confident in your love, still my heart and my mind and my body, o God, so that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Loving God, Maker of all, have mercy on me.

Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor, have mercy on me.

Holy Spirit, Breath of God, have mercy on me.

God of all life, I give my life to you from whom nothing in me is hidden. 

You are before me God, you are behind. 

You are around me God, you are within. 

I bring the faith that is in me and the doubt. 

I bring the joy that is in me and the sorrow. 

I bring the hope that is in me and the despair. 

I bring the hurts that I carry and the hurts that I have caused. 

To join these faiths and doubts, joys, and sorrows, 

hopes and despairs, hurts carried, and hurts caused 

to the faiths and doubts, joys, sorrows, hopes, despairs, and hurts of my neighbors. Restore me to the joy of your liberation and sustain in me a willing spirit. 

For you have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence fills me with joy. Amen.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. Listen, give thanks, and live. 

 Gloria Patri: click play on Saint Paul Playlist-pause at end

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: A Better Resurrection by Craig Courtney

Click on its’ own link/scroll down to and click on “Listen”. If you wish to follow text and score click on “Preview” also.  https://www.beckenhorstpress.com/a-better-resurrection/

Scripture:     1 Peter 1:3-9     Psalm 16     John 20:19-31

Reflection

+In John 20, when we see someone like Thomas asking for proof, we are often quick to judge—as we can see by the nickname “Doubting Thomas.” But if we remove that judgement, and if we read this story through a lens of compassion, can we come to understand him more fully? What might we learn about ourselves? Or our family and friends who have gotten on our last nerve? Or our neighbor who reacts to stress differently that we might? How can we seek understanding amid struggle? How can we care for our community right now? How are we doing so already?

+We have often made this a story about Thomas, but really, it’s a story about the resurrected Christ! Jesus showing up for his disciples, teaching them that death does not have the final say, showing them that he will always be present, always love them, teaching them that they have nothing to fear. The disciples are hidden away, perhaps in fear, perhaps in grief. And we can understand this as we all shelter at home. But Jesus calls them to be open to resurrection, calls them into peace, into belief in the God of life. Do you find yourselves open to the ideas of resurrection and renewal right now? Where might you notice new life in the week ahead?

+It’s normal when confronted with trauma or struggle to begin to question the faith and theology that we constructed in easier days. So that, for example, if we’ve believed that our God is God of life (which is core to my belief—possibly yours too), suddenly we might begin to question or doubt these beliefs—maybe it rings dissonant to talk about a God of life when we are surrounded by the toll of death. We do not have to solve this dissonance right away, but neither does it serve us to ignore it. Are any of your long-held beliefs striking a dissonant chord right now? If so, which ones? How might you discover God even in the dissonance? 

 God of life and love,

You gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.*

Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death. 
• We pray for the members of St. Paul’s, as well as our distant friends and family. 
• We pray for the church universal.
• We pray for our leaders—international, national, state, and local—that wisdom and compassion may prevail.
• We pray for the sick and those who care for them.
• We pray for the poor and the stranger.
• We pray for those who mourn. 
• We pray for the earth, and the creatures therein.

Holy and ever living God, by your power we are created and by your love we are redeemed; guide and strengthen us by your Spirit, that we may give ourselves to your service and live each day in love to one another and to you.

Lord’s Prayer

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

 Hymn: We Walk by Faith

Click on Saint Paul Playlist- Pause at end

Closing Prayer*

Gathered and scattered, God is with us.

In suffering and in hope, God is with us.

Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

Postlude: Surrexit Hodie by Francis Pott

Click on Saint Paul Playlist

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

Prelude: Prelude in Classic Style by Gordon Young.          Music link:

https://youtu.be/QGg5IqoLMXg?list=PLVCoMs6C85HVGgAxc1jhWXIPyd9x16q2M

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

“Sabbath Poem VII - 1982” by Wendell Berry

The clearing rests in song and shade.

It is a creature made

By old light held in soil and leaf,

By human joy and grief,

By human work,

Fidelity of sight and stroke,

By rain, by water on

The parent stone.

We join our work to Heaven's gift,

Our hope to what is left,

That field and woods at last agree

In an economy

Of widest worth.

High Heaven's Kingdom come on earth.

Imagine Paradise.

O Dust, arise !

God of Life, we praise you, that by the mighty resurrection of your son, you have

delivered us from sin and death and made your whole creation new. You are life

stronger than death. Love reigns. Raise our eyes to see you as the new day dawns.

Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

See Music Link

God has opened the gates of righteousness that we may enter through them. Confident

in your love, still my heart and my mind and my body, o God, so that I might turn toward

you again.

Silence

Loving God, Maker of all, have mercy on me.

Jesus Christ, Servant of the poor, have mercy on me.

Holy Spirit, Breath of God, have mercy on me.

God of all life, I give my life to you from whom nothing in me is hidden.

You are before me God, you are behind.

You are around me God, you are within.

I bring the faith that is in me and the doubt.

I bring the joy that is in me and the sorrow.

I bring the hope that is in me and the despair.

I bring the hurts that I carry and the hurts that I have caused.

To join these faiths and doubts, joys and sorrows,

hopes and despairs, hurts carried, and hurts caused

to the faiths and doubts, joys, sorrows, hopes, despairs and hurts of my neighbors.

Restore me to the joy of your liberation and sustain in me a willing spirit.

For you have shown me the paths that lead to life, and your presence fills me with joy.

Amen.

God, who raised Jesus from the dead has not given us over to death. Listen, give

thanks, and live.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

See Music Link

https://www.beckenhorstpress.com/he-is-not-here/

Isaiah 65:17-25                Psalm 118:1-2, 14-24                John 20:1-18

+Where Mary expects to find death, she encounters life. Where have you found life when you thought the only thing to see was death?

+Does the story of Christ’s resurrection speak to the things the world is experiencing now—fear, uncertainty, sorrow, death? If so, how? Where do we find hope here? 

+How will it be that life rings truer than death, and that death will not claim the final word? How we join God in carrying life into the world?

 Prayers of the People:

God of life and love,
You gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.
Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC and unite our hearts in prayer:

• We thank you for your commitment to life beyond death.
• We pray for the members of St. Paul’s, as well as our distant friends and family.
• We pray for the church throughout the world, that we may renew our faith and strengthen our witness.
• We pray for our leaders—international, national, state, and local—that they may practice compassion and reject a politic of death and suffering.
• We pray for the sick and those in distress, that they may find healing and restoration.
• We pray for the poor and the stranger, that they may receive a place of refuge, hope and hospitality.
• We pray for the earth, and the creatures therein.
• We pray for our enemies, that we may love them and be agents of reconciliation in the name of Jesus.
  Almighty God receive these prayers we offer, and by the power of your Holy Spirit, use us for the sake of the gospel of Jesus Christ.

Lord’s Prayer
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 debts as we forgive our debtors.
Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,
For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen

See Music Link.

We are not able today to share in the Holy Communion in attendance with one another. But we pray this prayer in assurance that we are not alone but gathered at a distance as one people alongside the great communion of saints. When we join together again in person, we will celebrate God’s resurrecting work through the Feast of Abundant Life. In the meantime, we pray.

My Jesus,
I believe that you are present in the most Holy Sacrament. I love you above all things,
and I desire to receive you into my soul.
Since I cannot at this moment receive you sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart.
I embrace you as if you were already there
and unite me wholly to you.
Never permit me to be separated from you.
Amen.

See Music Link.

God of life, world maker, star-lighter, sun shiner, beauty maker, you provoke evolution from nothing but words of love. Eternal Heart of the Universe, I give you thanks.

Risen Christ, cross bearer, tomb raider, street healer, death defier, you embrace resurrection as the first-born from death. Eternal Heart of the Universe, I give you thanks.

Wise Spirit, life-giver, breath bringer, body lover, spirit sustainer, in your dance you weave us together. Eternal Heart of the Universe, I give you thanks.

God of life, world-maker, cross bearer, life-giver, you are our trinity of hope leading creation to its liberation. Eternal Heart of the Universe, I give you thanks.

I give you thanks for new life and for the assurance that death is not the final word. Grant us courage to go forward in hope, noticing resurrection every day of our lives. Amen.

Alleluia! Christ is risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia!

 Postlude: “Gigue” Fugue in G Major by J. S. Bach 

See Music Link

 Prelude: Ride On!  Ride on In Majesty!  setting by Richard Syner  

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8zh_WlHcu9o  

 “Sabbath Poem I - 1986” by Wendell Berry

Slowly, slowly, they return

To the small woodland let alone:

Great trees, outspreading and upright,

Apostles of the living light.

Patient as stars, they build in air

Tier after tier a timbered choir,

Stout beams upholding weightless grace

Of song, a blessing on this place.

They stand in waiting all around,

Uprisings of their native ground,

Down comings of the distant light.

They are the advent they await.

Receiving sun and giving shade,

Their life's a benefaction made,

And is a benediction said

Over the living and the dead.

In fall their brightened leaves, released,

Fly down the wind, and we are pleased

To walk on radiance, amazed.

O light come down to earth, be praised!

God of glory, God of grace, help me to praise you today in all I do and say. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uQqRwJKU_jQ

 Still my heart and my mind and my body, o God so that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Merciful God, we have sinned in what we have thought and said, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done. We have sinned in ignorance: we have sinned in weakness: we have sinned through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you. Forgive us, for our Savior Christ’s sake, and renew our lives to the glory of your name. Amen.

In Jesus Christ, God knows and receives us as we are. Listen, give thanks, and live. 

 Gloria Patri:   https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToyMoJyeYDM

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

Anthem: The Palms by Jean Baptiste-Faure

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Etrgxd6fSvc 

Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29                Matthew 21:1-11

 +As we shout praises along the way of our Christ, we remember, too, to share joy and appreciation with those we love. Give each member of your family or group of close friends a note of appreciation this week. 

+Several weeks ago, when we met for our Lenten mid-week dinner and discussion, we talked about this passage from Matthew, and how the people were shouting “Hosanna!” which means, “Save us now!” We answered the question: what do we ask Jesus to save us from? It strikes me that our answer this week might be different than our answers several weeks ago as we gathered around one table at the church with far fewer than six feet between us. So, now, read this verse aloud: 

“The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, 

“Hosanna to the Son of David! 

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 

Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Save us now! From what are we asking Jesus to save us?

+Looking back to Berry’s poem at the beginning of this worship guide, what in the natural world—what landscapes, what creatures, strike you most as praising God? And in turn, what makes your heart sing? Explore these questions in a journal, or call someone to discuss them.  

God of grace and promise,

You gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.

Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC as I share in our common prayer:

• We thank you for your tender care, for soothing the wounds of this life. 
• We thank you that in the presence of enemies, especially the last enemy of death, you are with us, as Shepherd, Host, Home.
• We pray for the members of St. Paul’s, as well as our distant friends and family. 
• We pray for those afflicted with Covid-19, as well as all disease.
• We pray for the caregivers, the medical teams, the researchers and the public health officials.
• We pray for our leaders—international, national, state, and local.
• We pray for the church, now scattered, yet still one body.
• We pray for those who have lost or will lose their income.
• We pray for the children without school, provision, or nurture.
• We pray for the earth, and the creatures therein. 

May they not fail you, nor I fail them. 

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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VAh1lzSQ3P4

Gathered and scattered, God is with us. 

In suffering and hope, God is with us.

Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHAN7UnPj1M

*Prayer Attribution: Iona Community Prayer Book, 2017.

**Poem and Reflection Questions adapted from: Salt Project’s “Wendell Berry and the Sabbath Poetry of Lent.” www.saltproject.org

 Prelude:  Fughetta on Jesus, My Sole Consolation by J. S. Bach BWV 702

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KvnUfi4-ON0

“Sabbath Poem I - 1980” by Wendell Berry

What hard travail God does in death!

He strives in sleep, in our despair,

And all flesh shudders underneath

The nightmare of His sepulcher.

The earth shakes, grinding its deep stone;

All night the cold wind heaves and pries;

Creation strains sinew and bone

Against the dark door where He lies.

The stem bent, pent in seed, grow straight

And stands. Pain breaks in song. Surprising

The merely dead, graves fill with light

Like opened eyes. He rests in rising.

God of new life, help me be a part of your resurrecting work: life in the midst of death, hope in the midst of struggle, and rising in the midst of toil. Amen.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Gndx39q7QM 

Still my heart and my mind and my body, o God so that I might turn toward you again.

Silence

Merciful God, we have sinned in what we have thought and said, in the wrong we have done and in the good we have not done. We have sinned in ignorance: we have sinned in weakness: we have sinned through our own deliberate fault. We are truly sorry. We repent and turn to you. Forgive us, for our Savior Christ’s sake, and renew our lives to the glory of your name. Amen.

In Jesus Christ, God knows and receives us as we are. Listen, give thanks, and live. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyVhCz5XzXI

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost;

As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAE1VszfrXI

 Ezekiel 37:1-14               Psalm 130               John 11:1-45

 +This week, look for signs of resurrection, new life breaking into the world - not only among flowers and trees and non-human animals, but also in human communities. Where is life breaking forth, even where disease abounds?

+Our goals for this week are toward nurturing life: drink water, eat nutritious foods, exercise and sleep. What will you do to care for yourself while you shelter at home?

+When Lazarus emerges from the tomb, he’s still wrapped in bandages of death - and Jesus commands that he be “unbound and let go.” What resurrection might be in process in your life? What bonds are still holding you back? What does this even look like when we’re under a shelter at home order? Call a friend or family member and explore these ideas of finding resurrection in difficult times. 

 God of grace and promise,

You gather and scatter your people to the ends of the earth; but wherever we find ourselves, we are never beyond the reach of your love.

Gather me together now with the people of St. Paul E&R UCC as I share in our common prayer:

• We thank you for your tender care, for soothing the wounds of this life. 
• We thank you that in the presence of enemies, especially the last enemy of death, you are with us, as Shepherd, Host, Home.
• We pray for the members of St. Paul’s, as well as our distant friends and family. 
• We pray for those afflicted with Covid-19, as well as all disease.
• We pray for the caregivers, the medical teams, the researchers and the public health officials.
• We pray for our leaders—international, national, state, and local.
• We pray for the church, now scattered, yet still one body.
• We pray for those who have lost or will lose their income.
• We pray for the children without school, provision, or nurture.
• We pray for the earth, and the creatures therein. 

May they not fail you, nor I fail them. 

 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 debts as we forgive our debtors.

Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil,

For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZAPLYPHXOn4

Gathered and scattered, God is with us. 

In suffering and hope, God is with us.

Now and always, God is with us. Amen.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MmkzSjs9eAw