ZION UNITED CHURCH OF CHRIST
22 Gettysburg Street Box 538
Arendtsville, Pennsylvania
Fifth Sunday of Easter
May 15, 2022
Worship 9:00 a.m.
Livestream link: Zion UCC Sunday Service Livestream – May 15 2022
Zion UCC – Be Disciples, Make Disciples, Love All
W E L C O M E
Dear visitors, welcome and thank you for joining us at Zion UCC! Our hope is that you will feel encouraged by today’s service and that you will experience the love and peace of Jesus Christ. If you have any questions or need spiritual guidance, please find me at the end of the service.
Rev. Heather
PRELUDE: “Jesus Wants Me For a Sunbeam”, Terri Hutchings, ©2018 Terri Hutchings
GREETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: Praise God from the heavens:
ALL: sun and moon, stars and angels.
Leader: Praise God from the earth:
ALL: islands and oceans, birds and beasts.
Leader: Praise God, all peoples:
ALL: old and young, and in-between, men and women.
Leader: Let us worship God!
ALL: Hallelujah! Amen.
OPENING PRAYER
Leader: Loving God, we are in awe of how you make all things new: even in the midst of humdrum and every day, you bring forth new life. Even when we think we know the answers, you bring fresh questions. Even when we are unsure of tomorrow, you bring new hope and promises. May we respond with joy at the way in which you make all things new. Amen.
OPENING HYMN #14 “For the Beauty of the Earth”, text Folliott Sandford Pierpoint 1864, music Conrad Kocher 1838, public domain
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Creator God, you have given us the power of imagination, through which the future grasps our lives today. We confess that we do not give our lives over to the transforming power of your spirit. We choose not to hear you calling to us. We deny the gifts you grant us. We fail to live in ways that build up the life of your whole creation. Draw us into the future toward the new world you are creating through the grace of Jesus. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Leader: God hears the confession of our hearts and lips. Through Jesus Christ we are forgiven all our regrets, and by the Holy Spirit we are empowered for new life.
ALL: We believe the good news of Jesus Christ. Amen.
*PRAISE VERSICLE
Leader: Christ is Risen!
ALL: Christ is Risen indeed! Alleluia!
*PRAISE RESPONSE “Halle, Halle, Hallelujah”, Caribbean melody
SCRIPTURE READING: Acts of the Apostles 11: 1-8, John 13: 31-35
MORNING MESSAGE
HYMN #317 “In Christ There Is No East or West”, John Oxenham 1908, African American spiritual 1884, adapt. Harry T. Burleigh 1940
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
LORD’S PRAYER sinners/sin
PRESENTATION OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
OFFERTORY INVITATION
Leader: God is good
All: All the time!
Leader: All the time
All: God is good!
OFFERTORY “We Are Your People, O Lord”, Don Besig, Nancy Price, ©2008 Glory Sound, Zion’s Choir
*SUNG DOXOLOGY, Old Hundredth, public domain
Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
Praise God, all creatures here below
Praise God, the source of all our gifts!
Praise Jesus Christ, whose power uplifts!
*THE PRAYER OF DEDICATION (unison)
Let all creation from greatest to least praise our God. Bring to God your wealth of gifts: your money, your time, your love, your strength, to be caught up and used in the Kingdom’s work through Jesus the Christ. Amen.
*HYMN #313 “Lord, Make Us More Holy”, African American spiritual
*BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE: “Invention Nine”, Gordon Haws, ©2017 Gordon Haws
From the Consistory: As schools are no longer requiring masking, the choice to wear a mask is dependent on your comfort level.
Don’t forget to sign up to sponsor altar flowers in honor or memory of loved ones and for special events! The flower chart is on the bulletin board as you enter church.
Coming Up This Week:
May 15 Worship Sanctuary 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School Church 10:15 a.m.
May 16 Consistory Mtg Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m.
May 17 John’s Meals mtg Fellowship Hall 6:30 p.m.
Looking Forward:
May 22 Worship Sanctuary 9:00 a.m.
Sunday School Church 10:15 a.m.
Messy Church Fellowship Hall 4 – 6 p.m.
Happy Birthday to Joan R. who celebrates 86 years on May 17th! Happy Birthday to Lois H. who celebrates 83 years on May 19th!
Thank You, Thank You to all those who helped with the Chicken BBQ fundraiser last Sunday and all who bought dinners!! The Mission Committee is happy to announce that the sum of $954 will be sent to World Central Kitchen to assist in feeding Ukrainian refugees. Wow! It is humbling and amazing to see Zion’s support of Mission endeavors.
Prayer Requests: Remember to send your prayer requests via email to the church office by Friday evening to have them included in the Sunday service.
Book Club: Zion’s readers met May 12th to discuss Where the Forest Meets the Stars by Glendy Vanderah. Look for the discussion summary on Zion’s website. The June book selection is Falling by T.J. Newman.
Messy Church will be held Sunday afternoon, May 22nd, from 4:00 to 6:00 p.m. in Fellowship Hall. Mark your calendars!
Ladies Breakfast: The next Ladies Breakfast will be Monday, June 13th, at 9:00 a.m. at The Apple Bin. That day, we will take reservations to go to the Old Farm House on Wednesday, June 22nd, for brunch and tea. Please consider joining us for this lovely event; we will carpool from Biglerville.
Mission Trip Request: We are in need of an 8 to12 foot enclosed box trailer! Usually we have two trailers, but this year only one is available. We transport supplies – tools, cots, suitcases, drinks, etc. – in the trailers and will gladly rent one from a church member if there is one available. There are 27 confirmed campers with 5 from the Upper Adams area. Nick P. will represent Zion.
Mark your calendars! Worship at Oakside Park will be held June 19th at 10:00 a.m. at Pavilion 3. Lunch will follow so plan what scrumptious dish you would like to share with everyone.
Worship Music: Thank you all for your patience as Zion transitions to singing with recorded music. It is extremely time-consuming for Rev. Heather to find appropriate hymns for services, then find music downloads that actually match the versions in Zion’s hymnal, including the number of verses, acquire the downloads and share them with Bill for inclusion in the service. Sometimes the arrangements will be a bit different (pace and timing) than those to which we are accustomed and therefore more challenging to sing. Overall, we are doing very well adjusting to this new reality. Personnel continues to search for a pianist or organist, and any suggestions are welcome. You are also welcome to use your hymnals if you wish. To that end and to use less paper, most bulletins will no longer contain the hymns unless the source is a different hymnal. There will be bulletins available with the hymns for those who are more comfortable with the larger print. As we try to determine how many of those are needed, please be flexible!
Sponsoring Flowers: Sponsoring altar flowers is now easier! After signing the flower chart, go to the credenza in the back of church. there will be an envelope in which you can put your checks made out to Zion UCC Altar Guild. The cost is $35.00 unless you are requesting special flowers (normally, the florist chooses the arrangement) in which case you need to contact the florist directly and pay accordingly, and the phone number will be on the envelope. In the envelope there will be slips of paper on which you can write the language you want to appear in the bulletin (or you can call the church office and tell Cindy). Thanks for brightening Zion’s altar!
Visitors – We’re glad you stopped in. Don’t forget to help yourselves to a welcome packet on the credenza in the back of church!