Sunday, April 19

This is a photograph of purple spring flowers.
Sunday, April 19
This is an image of bird sitting on a branch in spring blooms.
This is a photograph of a dove with the word Faith superimposed behind it.

All Creatures of Our God and King (Voices United, page 217)

Welcome and Opening Prayer

Our Wisdom Stories
Psalm 16

Keep me safe, my God,
    for in you I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are my Lord;
    apart from you I have no good thing.”
I say of the holy people who are in the land,
    “They are the noble ones in whom is all my delight.”
Those who run after other gods will suffer more and more.
    I will not pour out libations of blood to such gods
    or take up their names on my lips.
Lord, you alone are my portion and my cup;
    you make my lot secure.
The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places;
    surely I have a delightful inheritance.
I will praise the Lord, who counsels me;
    even at night my heart instructs me.
I keep my eyes always on the Lord.
    With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken.
Therefore my heart is glad and my tongue rejoices;
    my body also will rest secure,
    because you will not abandon me to the realm of the dead,
    nor will you let your faithful one see decay.
You make known to me the path of life;
    you will fill me with joy in your presence,
    with eternal pleasures at your right hand.
This is a beautiful image of a path covered with spring flowers.
This is an image of a cross on a hill at sunset.
John 20: 19 - 31

Jesus Appears to His Disciples

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!” After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”  And with that he breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit.  If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven.”

Jesus Appears to Thomas
Now Thomas (also known as Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. 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.”

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!”  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.”

Thomas said to him, “My Lord and my God!”

Then Jesus told him, “Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.”

Jesus performed many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book.  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.

Anthem: Risen

Reflection: Touching Wounds

If you would like to download the sermon or read along, click here.

Christ is Alive (Voices United 158)

Benediction

A Virtual Choir - Christ the Lord is Risen Today (Voices United, 157)

Postlude: I Arise Today (Prayer of St. Patrick)

Moderator's Message 

Moderator Richard Bott shares a worship service for Sunday, April 19, 2020 and reflects on the role of doubt in our faith and how it can lead us to experience the good news for ourselves.
Image credits for today's Church Online:

Cross on hill in sunset by sspiehs3 from Pixabay
Pentacost dove image by Gerd Altmann from Pixabay
Path of life image by silviarita from Pixabay
Spring bird iby Jill Wellington from Pixabay
Spring blooms image by InspiredImages from Pixabay

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