Community United Church - May 2, 2021 - An Open and Affirming Congregation
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Community United Church
An Open and Affirming Congregation
Affiliated with the United Church of Christ, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), and the
Church of the Brethren
May 2, 2021
11:00 AM
May 2, 2021:
The Fifth Sunday of Easter
Easter proclaims a
great mystery: Christ
is risen from the
dead! Resurrection is
the transformation of
the finite to the
infinite. Resurrection
Today’s Readings:
undoes the finality of
Acts 8:26-39
death with the power
1 John 4:7-21
of immortal life. Psalm 22:25-31
Resurrection is not John 15:1-8
simple, nor obvious. It
defies the natural
order. It pushes us
beyond our every
notion of what can be
known and shown to
be real. But today we
live into this hope: In Theme: The Wonderfully Wild and Diverse
the resurrection, God Vineyard of God
emerges triumphant
over death itself. Pastoral Team:
Rev. Dr. Rich McCarty, Senior Pastor
Celebrate the
Pastor Joy Johnson, Associate Minister
Resurrection!
Whoever you are, and wherever you are
on life’s journey, you are welcome here!
Prelude Cheryl Strecker
Welcome, Prayer Requests, and Announcements
Centering Music
*Invocation
One: Grace, mercy, and peace be with you, from God our Creator, Christ our Savior, and
the Holy Spirit, our eternal Advocate and friend.
All: And also with you.
One: You, O God, are everlasting—you are the Source of all being, the Love that redeems,
and the Wisdom that empowers and enlightens all who wade into the mystery of
divinity by faith.
All: We believe in God—the Alpha and the Omega, the Holy One in whom both
heaven and earth exist.
One: The Living God cannot tire or expire. The Living God is prodigal with grace, love, and
mercy. God is free flowing with inspiration and is abundantly willing to meet us
exactly as we are.
All: In you, O God, we take refuge—to be so enfolded by you, that we experience
the renewal we need and the transformation that brings true peace. Amen!
* Opening Hymn “God, You Spin the Whirling Planets” #24
God, you spin the whirling planets, fill the seas and spread the plain,
Mold the mountains, fashion blossoms, call forth sunshine, wind, and rain.
We, created in your image, would a true reflection be;
Of your justice, grace, and mercy, and the truth that makes us free.
You have called us to be faithful in our life and ministry.
We respond in grateful worship, joined in one community.
When we blur your gracious image, focus us and make us whole,
Healed and strengthened as your people, we move onward toward your goal.
God, your will is still creating, calling us to life made new,
Now reveal to us fresh vistas where there’s work to dare and do.
Keep us clear of all distortion, fashion us with loving care,
Thus, new creatures in your image, we’ll proclaim Christ everywhere!
*Opening Prayer
First Reading Acts 8:26-39
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Get up and go toward the south to the road that
goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” (This is a wilderness road.) 27 So he got up and went.
Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the
Ethiopians, in charge of her entire
treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to
worship 28 and was returning home;
seated in his chariot, he was reading the
prophet Isaiah. 29 Then the Spirit said to
Philip, “Go over to this chariot and join
it.” 30 So Philip ran up to it and heard him
reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, “Do
you understand what you are
reading?” 31 He replied, “How can I,
unless someone guides me?” And he
invited Philip to get in and sit beside
him. 32 Now the passage of the scripture
that he was reading was this:
“Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter,
and like a lamb silent before its shearer,
so he does not open his mouth.
33 In his humiliation justice was denied him.
Who can describe his generation?
For his life is taken away from the earth.”
34 The eunuch asked Philip, “About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about
himself or about someone else?” 35 Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this
scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. 36 As they were going along the
road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water! What is to
prevent me from being baptized?” 38 He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them,
Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. 39 When they
came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him
no more, and went on his way rejoicing.
Ministry of Music Shelly Conrad and
Lizdel Collado-Monahan
Second Reading 1 John 4:7-21
Beloved, let us love one another, because love is from God; everyone who loves is born of
God and knows God. 8 Whoever does not love does not know God, for God is love. 9 God’s
love was revealed among us in this way: God sent his only Son into the world so that we
might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we loved God but that he loved us and
sent his Son to be the atoning sacrifice for our sins. 11 Beloved, since God loved us so much,
we also ought to love one another. 12 No one has ever seen God; if we love one another,
God lives in us, and his love is perfected in us.
13 By this we know that we abide in him and he in us, because he has given us of his
Spirit. 14 And we have seen and do testify that the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of
the world. 15 God abides in those who confess that Jesus is the Son of God, and they abide
in God. 16 So we have known and believe the love that God has for us.
God is love, and those who abide in love abide in God, and God abides in them. 17 Love has
been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness on the day of judgment,
because as he is, so are we in this world. 18 There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts
out fear; for fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not reached perfection
in love. 19 We love because he first loved us. 20 Those who say, “I love God,” and hate their
brothers or sisters, are liars; for those who do not love a brother or sister whom they have
seen, cannot love God whom they have not seen. 21 The commandment we have from him
is this: those who love God must love their brothers and sisters also.
Responsorial Psalm 22:25-31
One: From you comes my praise in the great congregation; my vows I will pay before
those who revere the Holy One.
All: The poor shall eat and be satisfied; those who seek God shall learn to praise
the LORD. May your hearts live forever!
One: All the ends of the earth shall remember and turn to the LORD; and all the families of
the nations shall worship before God.
All: For dominion belongs to he LORD, and God rules over the nations. Posterity
will serve God; future generations will be told about the Lord, and proclaim
God’s deliverance to a people yet unborn, saying that God has done it. Amen!
*Gloria “Glory Be to God, Creator” #145
Glory be to God, Creator, glory be to God the Son,
Glory be to God the Spirit, known as Three, yet God the One.
As it was in the beginning, it is now and so shall be,
In a world without an ending, glory through eternity.
Holy, holy God Almighty! Holy, holy Prince of Peace!
Holy, holy Wind of Presence! Holy, holy, holy! Amen!*Gospel John 15:1-8
“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. He removes every branch in me
2
that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more
fruit. 3 You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in
me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the
vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine, you are the branches. Those
who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do
nothing. 6 Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such
branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my
words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 My Father is
glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.
One: These are the words of God for the people of God.
All: Come Holy Spirit! Thanks be to God!
Message: “The Wonderfully Wild and Diverse Vineyard of God” Pastor Rich
Song of Response “As a Fire Is Meant for Burning” #551
As a fire is meant for burning with a bright and warming flame,
So the church is meant for mission, giving glory to God’s name.
Not to preach our creeds or customs, but to build a bridge of care,
We join hands across the nations, finding neighbors everywhere.
We are learners; we are teachers; we are pilgrims on the way.
We are seekers; we are givers; we are vessels made of clay.
By our gentle, loving actions, we would show that Christ is light.
In a humble, listening spirit, we would live to God’s delight.
As a green bud in the spring-time is a sign of life renewed,
So may we be signs of oneness ‘mid earth’s peoples, many hued.
As a rainbow lights the heavens when a storm is past and gone,
May our lives reflect the radiance of God’s new and glorious dawn.Affirmation of Faith: APOSTLES’ CREED
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 again to
judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic (universal)
Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body,
and the life everlasting. Amen.
COMMUNION LITURGY
Pastor: People of God, the table before us is set by heavenly hands.
All: This is a table of grace. There is room around it for every soul that was,
and is, and is to come. At this table, all who are far off are made very
near. We come to the table as people who are learning the way of Christ.
We confess that we are not always right. But we share this faith: that
those who trust in Christ Jesus will grow in the assurance of God’s
eternal love.
Pastor: And so, here at this Table we take bread and cup and ask the Holy Spirit to
make it for us: communion with Christ, who gave his life as the bread of
heaven and as the cup of eternal life.
All: Here at this Table we remember that Christ gave his entire life as an
outpouring of God’s Love—a love that will, one day, renew all things.
Amen.
Pastor: This is the communion of the Body of Christ [take, hold, and receive the
bread]; this is the communion of the Blood of Christ [take, hold, and receive
the cup]Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer (“Debts and Debtors”)
One: The Lord be with you.
All: And also with you.
One: Let us pray: For the prayer requests that have come to us today, whether joys or
sorrows…. [prayer requests are presented] …. Holy and Loving God, in your wisdom,
meet all of these needs in the perfect way of your grace.
All: God hear our prayer!
One: Holy and Loving God, you have given us another metaphor by which to know you:
you are the vinegrower, Christ is the vine, and we are the branches that bear the
fruit of the Spirit. For all those longing to experience the life of the true vine:
All: God hear our prayer!
One: Spirit of God, you moved in the heart of Philip to minister and include the Ethiopian
eunuch—someone who was on the margins of society for his sexual identity and
moral status. May we continue to minister (like Philip) to all, so that all might know
they are loved and welcome in the reign of God, just as they are.
All: God hear our prayer!
One: For all that we hold in the silence of our hearts, we come to you in the confidence of
quiet, O God, and lift our petitions privately to you. (Silent prayer)… Almighty God,
Sovereign of Heaven, send a double portion of your blessings upon all people! Move
the mountains in our lives, or help to move us so that we might be fully at peace.
This we pray in the name of Jesus, who taught us to pray…
All: “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 debts as we forgive our debtors—and lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the Kingdom, the Power, and
the Glory forever.” Amen.
Offering
Our offerings are first and foremost what we give to the world through justice,
kindness, and mercy—and these we can do every day. Our offerings can also take the form
of of financial contributions to the church to support our ministries.
Financial offerings are now accepted online at:
www.communityunited.church/giving/
Or, if you prefer to mail in a check, that can be addressed to the church at:
1011 West 38th Street – Erie, PA 16508
Offertory Music and Time for Contemplation Shelly & Lizdel
Let us choose to be an offering to the world and to the church, each as we feel guided
by God’s Spirit.*Congregational Response #147
“Praise God, from whom all blessing flow:
Praise God, all creatures high and low: Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise God, in Jesus fully known!
Creator, Word, and Spirit one!
Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!
Alleluia! Alleluia!”
*Departing Prayer
One: Let us go forth thankful that we have come. Let us go forth renewed in God’s abiding
love.
All: And let us go forth rejoicing in the Good News of Jesus Christ, whose love will
never let us go. Amen.
*Closing Hymn “The World is Full of Stories” #558
The world is full of stories, of stories that have passed
To us along the ages; great stories that still last,
To tell of human feelings drawn deep from heart and mind,
More true than fact: their meaning the surest we can find.
The world is full of stories, new stories people tell,
And young and old come under the storyteller’s spell
Which stirs imagination and opens wide our eyes
To duty and conviction, to wonder and surprise.
The world is full of stories that capture and enthrall;
But joyful faith discovers that one transcends them all:
God’s love as told in Jesus, who shared our life on earth,
And human recreation beginning at his birth.
It tells us of the anguish God’s love was bound to bear,
To conquer death and evil and fathom our despair.
As we repeat the story, hope comes to life and thrives,
To make the love of Jesus the story of our lives.
*Blessing
Postlude Cheryl StreckerThank you for worshipping with us this morning at
Community United Church!
Next Week:
Worship at 11:00 AM
Online & RSVP In-Person
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Readings:
1 John 5:1-6
Psalm 98
John 15:9-17
Theme: Christ’s Love Commandment
Need to contact us for prayer, conversation, or to connect
online with a small group or church ministry?
1011 West 38th Street – Erie, PA 16508
(814) – 864 – 4429
www.communityunited.churchThank you to everyone who has donated to our Technology Drive! We will continue to collect
donations for the next several weeks. If you haven’t yet and would like to you may
either send a check to the church at
1011 West 38 Street, Erie PA 16508 or online at https://communityunited.church/giving/
th
Please notate your donation for “Tech”
To reserve your seat for a worship service please call the church office at 814-864-4429, email
Tracy at tracydavis.cuc@yahoo.com or message through Facebook messenger.
2021 Council Members
Debbie Anderson – President Ginnie Burger- Treasurer Robert Martin
Dina Johnson- Vice President Mike Pruzinsky Carol Rodgers
Tim Trambley- Secretary April Knapp Dave Wooledge
WE REMEMBER THOSE IN OUR ARMED FORCES: Nick Duncan (Army), Chris Duncan
(Marines), Matt Duncan (Army) Brandon Langill, Kathy Narrette (Army), Meagan Dawson
(Army), Jacob Snyder (Army), Jeremy Celline (Army National Guard), Mathew Anderson
(Army)
PRAYERS FOR: Andy Via, Rod & Dew Johnson, Julie Celeski, Dan Wingerter, Jim Trambley,
Lydia Rhodes, Gloria Renshaw, Ray Wallace, Ronnie Celeski, Corinne Haglund, Randy Koziol,
Guy Greenough, The Vadzemnieks Family, Gary Maas, Caleb, Kathy Bort, three year old Julie,
The Families of Dan Ford and James Ross, Jill, Justine, Brenda Lichtinter, Lorre Rapp, Wade,
Jeanne and Charlie, Yvette, unspoken, Greg Mays, Judy Koehler, Phillip Harris.You can also read
