Hybrid Church Fourth Sunday of Easter April 30, 2023 Presider: Rev. Gai Campbell

Hybrid Church, Fourth Sunday of Easter, April 30, 2023

Presider: Rev. Gai Campbell

Musician: Dorothy Dittrich

We acknowledge these lands upon which we worship are the traditional, ancestral, and unceded territory of the Snuneymuxw First Nation.

Whoever you are and wherever you are on life’s journey,

you are welcome here!

* Where we stand if able.

Welcome & Announcements

Whether you are gathering in person, on zoom or worshipping at home with the bulletin, welcome! We are one community, one in the body of Christ.                                                        

Handbells

Pomp and Circumstance       by Edward Elgar arranged by Frances L. Callahan Trampin' (spiritual)                                    arranged by Martha Lynn Thompson                                

(invitation to sit in silence)

We Gather to Worship God

*Greeting

One: The grace of Christ Jesus, the love of God, 

          and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all.

All:     And also with you.

Call to Worship

One:  Come, for the Source of all life is calling.

All:    We listen for the Divine voice.

One:  Come, for the Lord calls us by name.

All:    We long to hear his voice.

One:  Come, with praise for his protection, 

          and gratitude for all he provides.

All:    He cares about our every need.  And we give thanks.

One:  Come let us worship the Holy One, Creator, Living Word, and 

          Holy Presence. 

All:    Amen

*Introit     VU #371 v.2

   Open my ears, that I may hear, 

          voices of truth thou sendest clear,

          and while the wave notes fall on my ear,

          everything false will disappear....

          Silently now I wait for thee,

          ready my God, thy will to see,

          Open my ears, illumine me, Spirit Divine! 

Opening Prayer                                                                     

One: Magnificent, wondrous God, whose son our Lord Jesus Christ has    shown us the way that leads to fullness of life. As we gather we           confess that we have not always listened for your voice.  

All:    Too often we have reacted to the voices that try to demand of us what is not ours do.  

One:  Too often self will and ignorance have kept us from following 

          where you lead, or worse we never paused to ask.

All:    Too often we have sinned, in thought word and deed, in 

         what we have done and what we have failed to do. 

One:  Forgive our stubborn foolishness and bring us to new life.  

All:    As we gather, may the prayers we bring with us, also be lifted

          up to your blessings.  This we ask in the name in which we 

          gather, Jesus Christ.   Amen

Assurance

One:  God waits to forgive and forget all that we confess.

All:    Thanks be to God.

*Hymn: God, Reveal Your Presence     VU #391

1God, reveal your presence:

as we now adore you

and with awe appear before you.

Here in this your temple:

all within keep silence,

gather now with deepest reverence.

You alone

God we own,

you, our God and Saviour:

praise your name for ever.

2God, reveal your presence:

hear the harps resounding;

see the crowds the throne surrounding.

"Holy, holy, holy!"

Hear the hymn ascending,

angels, saints, their voices blending.

Bow your ear

to us here;

hearken, O Lord Jesus,

to our humble praises.

3O great Fount of blessing,

purify my spirit,

trusting only in your merit;

like the holy angels

gathered all before you,

may I ceaselessly adore you.

Let your will

ever still

rule your church terrestrial,

as the hosts celestial.

Passing of the Peace

One:       The peace of Christ be with you! 

All:         And also with you!

You are invited to turn to those directly around you and share Christ’s peace. Those on zoom, please unmute and share with one another.

We Hear God’s Word Proclaimed

Reader: By the gift of your Spirit, calm and quiet our souls that we may hear your Word today and be lifted up to walk with you. In Christ’s name we pray. Amen

First Reading: Acts 2:42-47 (NRSV)           Reader: Nancy Hetherington-Peirce

They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship, to the breaking of bread and the prayers. Awe came upon everyone, because many wonders and signs were being done by the apostles. All who believed were together and had all things in common; they would sell their possessions and goods and distribute the proceeds to all, as any had need. Day by day, as they spent much time together in the temple, they broke bread at home and ate their food with glad and generous hearts, praising God and having the goodwill of all the people. And day by day the Lord added to their number those who were being saved.

Psalm 23:     VU #747

 The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want.

   He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters;

   he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

   for his name’s sake.

Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

   I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

   your rod and your staff—

   they comfort me.

You prepare a table before me

   in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

   my cup overflows.

Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

   all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the Lord

   my whole life long.

Gospel Reading      Reader: Nancy Hetherington-Peirce

As is your custom, please stand or sit for the reading of the gospel 

Reader: God be with you.  
All:         And also with you

Reader: The Good News of Jesus the Christ according to John

All:          Glory to you, Christ Jesus.

John 10:1-10 (NRSV)

 ‘Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers.’ Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them.

So again Jesus said to them, ‘Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. 

One: This is the Gospel of Christ.   

All:   Praise be to Jesus Christ       

Reflection:     Who are you going to listen to?

Silent Reflection

*Hymn: Take Time to be Holy                                                   VU #672

1Take time to be holy,

speak oft with your Lord;

abide in him always,

and feed on his word.

Make friends of God's children,

help those who are weak,

forgetting in nothing

his blessing to seek.

2Take time to be holy,

let him be your guide,

and run not before him,

whatever betide.

In joy or in sorrow,

still follow the Lord,

and, looking to Jesus,

still trust in his word.

3Take time to be holy,

be calm in your soul,

each thought and each motive

beneath his control.

Thus led by his spirit

to fountains of love,

you soon shall be fitted

for service above.    

We Respond To God’s Word

*The Foundational Apostles Creed         VU # 918

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.

Offering Invitation

*Doxology                                                                                                                                       CP #669

Praise God the Source of life and birth,

Praise God the Word, who came to earth.

Praise God the Spirit, holy flame.

All Glory, honour to God’s name.

*Offering Prayer

One:  Holy One we present our offerings of self, and gifts of support for 

          the many ministries of your Son in whose name we respond. 

All:    May we always first listen to what it is you ask us to offer, and where it is you ask us to follow.  

One:  Bless then and sanctify gifts and giver to your honour and glory. 

All:    Amen         

Prayers of the People      Mona Smart                                                                                                                                                 

One:  Loving God,

All:    Lord Hear Our Prayer

The Prayer of Jesus                                                                   VU #960

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 that 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,

for ever and every.  Amen

We Are Sent Forth

*Hymn: All The Way My Saviour Leads Me                             VU #635

1All the way my Saviour leads me;

what have I to ask beside?

Can I doubt his tender mercy

who through life has been my guide?

Heavenly peace, divinest comfort,

here by faith in him to dwell,

for I know, whate’er befall me,

Jesus doeth all things well.

2All the way my Saviour leads me,

cheers each winding path I tread,

gives me grace for every trial,

feeds me with the living bread.

Though my weary steps may falter,

and my soul athirst may be,

gushing from the Rock before me,

lo, a spring of joy I see!

3All the way my Saviour leads me;

O the fullness of his love!

Perfect rest to me is promised

in my Father’s house above.

When my spirit, clothed immortal,

wings its flight to realms of day,

this my song through endless ages,

"Jesus led me all the way."

*Blessing 

May the Love of God always surround you.

May the peace of Christ keep you.

May the Holy Presence 

lead you to green pastures; to the still waters; to the right path.

May God: the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, bless you now and always.

All:   Amen

One: Let us go now in peace to love and serve the Lord.

All:  Thanks be to God! Alleluia!