Order of Worship

Opening Voluntary – “Easter Hymn (Meditation)” by Michael Bedford

Welcome/Greetings

*Opening Hymn #322 – “Up from the Grave He Arose”               

*Call to Worship

L:  With trumpet sounds and singing hearts,

P:  we come to praise the Lord.

L:  As faithful witnesses of Christ’s grace and love,

P:  we come to praise the Lord.

L:  Coming here with our doubts and our faith,

P:  we come to praise the Lord.

*Opening Prayer

God of mystery and miracles, breathe your peace upon us.  Reveal your presence, as we look for you each day.  Strengthen our faith and our trust, as we pray for miracles for one another and for all of your creation.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession

Loving Christ, you welcomed Thomas’ questions, even his doubts.  Welcome us, too, with your grace and your love.  Offer your hand of forgiveness and show us the truth of your presence.  Fill us with the power of your love, that your grace, forgiveness, and love may flow freely to others.  In gratitude and joy, we pray.  Amen.

Words of Assurance

In grace, we are forgiven.  In love, we are freed.  In Christ, peace and assurance are ours. 

Passing of the Peace of Christ

L:  Peace be with you. 

P:  And also with you. 

L:  Share this peace with words and actions of love.

Children’s Message       Rev. Eumin Kim

Scriptures

New Testament – Acts 5:27-32

²⁷ The apostles were brought in and made to appear before the Sanhedrin to be questioned by the high priest.  ²⁸ “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,” he said.  “Yet you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and are determined to make us guilty of this man’s blood.”  ²⁹ Peter and the other apostles replied:  “We must obey God rather than human beings!  ³⁰ The God of our ancestors raised Jesus from the dead—whom you killed by hanging him on a cross.  ³¹ God exalted him to his own right hand as Prince and Savior that he might bring Israel to repentance and forgive their sins.  ³² We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

L:  The Word of God, For the People of God.  P:  Thanks be to God.

*Gospel Reading – John 20:19-31

¹⁹ On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  ²⁰ After he said this, he showed them his hands and side.  The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.  ²¹ Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you!  As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  ²² And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  ²³ If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”  ²⁴ Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came.  ²⁵ So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord!”  But he said to them, “Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe.”  ²⁶ A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them.  Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you!”  ²⁷ Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here; see my hands.  Reach out your hand and put it into my side.  Stop doubting and believe.”  ²⁸ Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”  ²⁹ Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”  ³⁰ Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  ³¹ But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

L:  The Word of God, For the People of God.  P:  Thanks be to God.

*Hymn before Sermon #333 – “I’m Goin’a Sing When the Spirit Says Sing”

Sermon – “The Power of Believing?”    Rev. Eumin Kim

Pastoral Prayer

Lord’s Prayer

Invitation to Tithes and Offering

May we give out of the love that we have for Jesus Christ, so that others may share in our imperishable and unfading inheritance of hope and life.

Offertory – “LANCASHIRE”

*Hymn No. 95 – Presentation of the Offering

*Prayer of Dedication

Mighty God, pour out your Holy Spirit on these gifts.  Bless them with your miraculous power, that they may become mighty gifts of love, justice, and peace—gifts with the powers to heal our world.  In your holy name, we pray.  Amen.

*Closing Hymn #706 – “Soon and Very Soon”                            

*Dismissal with Blessing

Closing Voluntary – “Llanfair (Toccata)” by Rebecca Groom te Velde