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Message Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, ELCA propeace.org Worship Videos: YouTube.com@princeofpeacesaratoga April 27, 2025 2nd Sunday of Easter
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, ELCA propeace.org Welcome to Prince of Peace! As we begin worship, we hope and pray this will be a time of connecting to God and one another so that we might leave this worship service ready to love and serve our neighbors. Bold print indicates response from all the people Gathering Prelude Noël Nouvelet trad. French carol, setting by Janis Dunson Wilson Welcome *Thanksgiving for Baptism All may make the sign of the cross, the sign that is marked at baptism, as the presiding minister begins. Alleluia! Christ is risen. Christ is risen, indeed. Alleluia! In the name of ☩ the One who was, who is, and who is to come. Amen. Baptized into Christ’s death and resurrection, and called to live the baptized life, let us give thanks for the gifts of baptism. Holy God, we give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that make a people your own, that restore to wholeness, and empower us to be witnesses in your name. Baptized into you, O Living One, make us one as you are one. We give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that strengthen human hearts and give new life to beloved servants of your church; waters that extend your boundless love and cross barriers of our own making. Baptized into you, O Living One, Alleluia, Christ is Risen! Welcome to the season of Easter, a time span of 7x7 days. The end of Easter is Pentecost (on June 8th this year). Throughout the next 6 weeks, we will be exploring texts and stories that point to signs of the Resurrection. We begin worship with a Thanksgiving for Baptism. And if you aren’t baptized and are interested, talk to the pastor!
make us one as you are one. We give you thanks for the waters of baptism, waters that open our hearts and give a voice in the night to those in captivity; waters that set your people on a new path, rejoicing in the Spirit’s power. Baptized into you, O Living One, make us one as you are one. Grant us grace, love, and life, O Living One, that our every day is shaped by these waters that give us our very lives in you. We ask this in the name of Jesus, the Crucified and Risen One. Amen. *Gathering Hymn Now the Green Blade Rises
*Prayer of the Day P: The Lord be with you! C: And also with you. O God of life, you reach out to us amidst our fears with the wounded hands of your risen Son. By your Spirit’s breath revive our faith in your mercy, and strengthen us to be the body of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. The Word First Reading Revelation 1:4-8 4 John to the seven churches that are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven spirits who are before his throne, 5 and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and the ruler of the kings of the earth. To him who loves us and freed us from our sins by his blood, 6 and made us to be a kingdom, priests serving his God and Father, to him be glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen. 7 Look! He is coming with the clouds; every eye will see him, even those who pierced him; and on his account all the tribes of the earth will wail. So it is to be. Amen. 8 “I am the Alpha and the Omega,” says the Lord God, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty. *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 Revelation! Perhaps one of the most misunderstood books of the Bible. I am no owner of truth and I try not to ever limit what God can do. That said, much of Revelation was written in code, in Ancient Jewish apocalyptic imagery. The verses for today contain some profound Trinitarian imagery. Most of Revelation can be read as a sort of ethereal, abstract description of End Times. It is not a book to follow along and try to make happen. As Jesus says countless times, when I return it will be a surprise, there will be no signs or proof, just a suddenness. So, we carry on loving and serving neighbors.
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. L: The Gospel of the Lord. C: Thanks be to God. Kid’s Message Sermon Pr. Sara Pearson *Song of the Day The Peace of the Lord (printed on the next page) Prayers of the People We join together in praying as a church body. Our prayers are lengthy today, so feel free to stand or sit depending on your comfort. L: God, in your mercy, C: Receive our prayer. *Passing of the Peace We give one another a word of peace, as a prayer and a blessing. It is a unique greeting that grounds us here.
Offering Your offering makes possible and powerful the ministries of this congregation. You may place your offering in one of the plates in the back of the church. If you wish to give your offering electronically today, please scan this QR code…
The Meal *Please stand as you are able* *Words of Institution *Invitation to Receive Communion Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, welcomes everyone (and we mean everyone!) to this table. No matter one’s race, ethnicity, gender expression, citizenship, ability, political affiliation, or faith background. *Great Thanksgiving L: It is indeed right, our duty and our joy, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks and praise to you… …we praise your name and join their unending hymn: To all guests and visitor, to all who have been excluded… Please know that you are welcome at this table! The communion bread is vegan and we have gluten free options. Wine is red, grape juice is white. If the walk to the altar is too far, just let our ushers know and we can bring you communion.
*The 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 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 and ever. Amen. Communion Music O Filii, O Filiæ (Offertoire pour Pâques) Clément Loret
The Sending Announcements *Blessing The triune God, who was, who is, and who is to come, Sovereign, ☩ Savior, and Spirit, light your way with resurrection dawn, now and always. Amen. *Sending Song Now all the Vault of Heaven Resounds (Printed on the next page) *Dismissal Alleluia! Christ is risen. Christ is risen indeed. Alleluia! Go in peace. In Christ you are made new. Alleluia! Alleluia! Thanks be to God. Alleluia! Alleluia! Postlude Festive Prelude on "Lasst uns erfreuen” Geistliche Kirchengesang, 1623; setting by William Faulkes Our blessing comes straight from Revelation! If you had to write a blessing for the living of these days, what would you write? Submit your answers to Psara and we might include it in the worship in the next few wees!
With thanks to our worship leaders: Todd Hauschildt, Head Usher Lauren Pfrommer, Reader David L. & Ethan W., Sound & Video Techs Elizabeth & Kerry Lewis, Coffee Hosts Prince of Peace Staff Rev. Sara Pearson, Pastor Drew Ajer, Director of Youth and Service Anne Hess, Office Manager Katie Hoffman, Office Associate Barbara Day Turner, Director of Music Michael Touchi, Pianist/Organist Kerry Lewis, Music Staff Associate Licenses: Christian Copyright Solutions License #12833 Song Use and Streaming CCLI License # 1772348
Welcome Visitors! We are so glad you joined us! Please use the Visitor Card in the pews and leave it in the offering plate. Learn about upcoming events: ask for a copy of the “Peace Notes”, our printed announcements and calendar. We invite you to learn more about us on our website at propeace.org. Prince of Peace is a congregation in the Sierra Pacific Synod of the ELCA. We are proud to be a Reconciling in Christ congregation, publicly affirming our commitment to be a welcoming community of faith for LGBTQ+ people and their families. We are also a member of NAMI-FaithNet, creating mental-health friendly, stigma-free congregations in the Santa Clara Valley. spselca.net Rooted in Christ’s love, we will grow and cultivate a thriving mycorrhizal network, characterized by faithful awareness, bold hope, and empathetic action. reconcilingworks.org namisantaclara.org/classes/faith-net-2 elca.org propeace.org