Sunday Gathering - April 11

Trinity United Church
Spring 2021
Zoom Worship

“Connection not Perfection”

To see the whole service via our YouTube channel, CLICK HERE.

WE GATHER

Greeting/Welcome 

Acknowledgement of Territory:
The United Churches of Canada
repudiates the doctrine of discovery
that assumed these lands were unoccupied
when European explorers and settlers first came here.
In humble appreciation,
we acknowledge that Trinity United Church rests
on the unceded territory
of the Coast Salish peoples,
the Kwikwetlem First Nations.

Prelude/ Lighting of the Christ Candle:
CLICK HERE for video.

Call to Worship:
Fear is changed to empathy.
    Let Easter reign forever!
Doubt is changed to trust.
    Let Easter reign forever!
Greif is changed to wisdom.
    Let Easter reign forever!
Despair is changed to understanding.
    Let Easter reign forever!
Pain is changed to hope.
    Let Easter reign forever!
Ignorance is changed to love.
    Let Easter reign forever!
Come, let us worship and give thanks for the Blessings of Easter!

Prayer of Approach:

Holy Mystery,
  we have closed our hearts
  to all that frightens us.
Throw open the doors,
fling back the shutters
and let in the breath of your spirit.

Breathe into our hearts
  a new life,
  a new understanding,
  a new being with you. Amen.

Hymn: “This Is the Day That God Has Made” VU 175
CLICK HERE for video.

Affirmation of our Faith: “A New Creed” CLICK HERE for video.

WE HEAR THE WORD

Retelling our Ancient Story:
“Jesus Lives”

Peace be with you; Peace be with you.
Trust in me; trust in me.
I will always love you; I will always love you.
Jesus said; Jesus said.

Long ago Jesus’ friends were together hiding in a room. They were sad and they were afraid. Jesus was gone and they were worried. What should they do now? What should they do? (Pause.) Suddenly Jesus was there!
Sing: “Peace be with you…

Jesus’ friends were excited and happy! Jesus was back with them! What would happen next? What should they do?
Sing: “Peace be with you…

Jesus smiled and said to the friends, “Peace be with you. Just as God gave me a job to do, I’m giving you a special job.” Then Jesus said, “God’s Spirit is with you. If someone makes a mistake, give them another chance.” (Pause.) Then Jesus was gone.

Later after Jesus left, another friend, Thomas came to the room. The friends said, “We have seen Jesus!” But Thomas didn’t believe them. Thomas wanted to see Jesus for himself. (Pause.) A week later, Jesus came to the friends again, and this time Thomas was with them to hear Jesus’ blessing.
Sing: “Peace be with you…

Thomas looked at Jesus. Thomas could hardly believe what he saw. “Jesus, it really is you!” Jesus looked lovingly at Thomas. “Yes, Thomas, here I am. You can see me. Now imagine all the people who have not seen me and they still believe I am with them.” Then Jesus turned to everyone and said, “Go. Tell people about me. Tell them about God. Spread God’s love to all the people!”
Sing: “Peace be with you…*

Hymn: “You Tell Me That the Lord Is Risen” VU 185
CLICK HERE for video.

Reading:

Acts 4:32-35

32Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. 33With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. 34There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. 35They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. 36There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). 37He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.

This is the witness of the early church. Thanks be to God!

Message:  CLICK HERE for service video.

May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of our hearts
be acceptable to you, O God,
our rock and our redeemer.
In the name of the one
raised from the tomb, we pray. Amen.

How does a parent describe the sense of loss when their child dies? They can't, there are no words to describe that kind of loss.

How does a person who has been alone their entire life describe the joy of finding a special someone? They can't....

How do you describe the intimacy of a relationship that has lasted 60 years?

How do you describe an inner peace that gives you the strength to stand in opposition to all the odds?

How do we describe the sacred and the Holy? How do we describe God? How do we describe the work God does in our lives?

There are some things, there are some things that are simply too deep for words.

If there are things that are too deep for words, how do I share that with you? How do I share those experiences with you? How do I lead you to, or help you to understand similar experiences?

When an experience is too deep for words, we need to become creative about how we express ourselves.

John, the Gospel writer is trying to tell us about the Kingdom of God. His experience of the Kingdom of God is too deep for words, so he has to be creative in how he tells us about it.

Throughout his gospel, John has Jesus constantly teaching people to look beyond the immediate meaning of his words to a deeper meaning:

Jesus comes to a well and meets the Samaritan Woman. He tells her that he could give her water that would make her never thirst again. She doubts "How can you give me water, the well is deep and you have no pail". But Jesus is talking about a different kind of water.

Nicodemus comes to Jesus asking how to gain eternal life. Jesus asserts that he must be born from above. Nicodemus asks, "How can a man who has grown old return to his mother's womb and be born again." Jesus asserts, it is a different kind of birth.

Jesus meets a blind man and returns to him his sight. The Pharisees are outraged and Jesus says that the Pharisees are blind. The Pharisees point out that they see just fine. "How can you say that the blind see and the sighted are blind?" Jesus is talking about a different kind of blindness and sight.

John is being very creative in choosing and telling stories about Jesus that describe what it is like to experience the Kingdom of God.

There had been such hope for the disciples and the followers of Jesus. This man Jesus was going to lead them to build a New Jerusalem filled with God's love. The Kingdom of God was on its way. And the Kingdom of God was where people treated one another justly, where the hungry had food, the poor had shelter, the lonely and grieving found comfort and the sick received healing. Violence would no longer be used to scare people into submission, but love and abundance would inspire gratitude. They didn't understand how it was going to happen, but Jesus was going to change the world and they were going to help.

Then something went horribly wrong. Jesus started talking about his death.

Then after the Passover meal, he was arrested, tried, tortured and hung on a cross where he died a humiliating, painful death. He really died.

And everything that he had meant to the disciples died with him: no more Kingdom of God, no more hope, no more love, no more future for the Jesus movement. Their leader had been crucified. Their movement was dead with him.

Not only was Jesus dead, but one of their own had betrayed him. And they had abandoned him. Without Jesus, they did not have the strength, courage or understanding to carry on his ministry.

So they withdrew into a house and shut the doors and started to grieve. They grieved Jesus' death. They grieved their own weakness. They grieved the end of hope they had had for a new tomorrow. We can imagine, their grief was simply too deep for words.

But then, something happened - something new; something unexpected.

Jesus lives.

Thomas refused to believe what the others were telling him. Only if he put his own hands on the wounds would he believe it was the same person he had called friend and lord. After all, how could someone who had died, live again?

"How can you give me water when the well is deep and you have no pail?"
"How can a man who has grown old return to the womb and be born again?"
"How can you say that the blind see and the sighted are blind?

It is a different kind of blindness and sight.
It is a different kind of birth.
It is a different kind of water.
It is a different kind of life.

In the Kingdom of God there is a different kind of life. One that doesn't lose its meaning in death, but through death increases its meaning.

Receiving the Kingdom of God is an experience too deep for words. But it is like water for the parched soul, blindness to the sighted and sight to the blind, new birth to the elderly and life to the dead. Receiving the Kingdom of God is like death and resurrection.

May we have the insight to follow Jesus and receive the Kingdom of God. Amen.

Special Music

WE RESPOND

Prayers of Thanksgiving and intercession:
CLICK HERE for video.

“Holy Sacred Spirit” MV 15
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

God of all mystery,
When we close ourselves off from the world, overwhelmed by grief, fear, anxiety, shame, pain, guilt, loneliness, depression, addiction, isolation…
Breathe your breath on us…
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

When the world is dark and the news is an ill wind,
When young men and women die needlessly,
When mothers live in fear for their children’s health, or lives,
When men know no contact except violence…
Breathe your breath on us…
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

As we pray for Haiti, Kenya, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Palestine,
As we pray for North Charleston and a return of racial violence in the US;
As we pray for our own English Bay as clean up continues following an oil spill in our own waters;
Breathe your breath on us…
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

As we pray for the United Church of Canada and its many ministries in these transformative times
As we pray for the ministry of Trinity United Church, our staff and volunteers and for those who receive our services
Breathe your breath on us…
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

As we pray for individuals and families we love:
John and Joan, George and Kim, Ken and Pat, Dawn, Bob and Michelle, Peggy, Phyllis, Les, Helena, Beryl, Delia, Eve… and so many more
Breathe your breath on us…
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

God of Resurrection glory, hear our prayers, take them to your deepest heart, transform them, transform us and transform our world to reveal your promise and…
Breathe your breath on us…
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.
Holy Sacred Spirit, Breathe your breath on us.

And now we turn to you as a child turns to her mother seeking affirmation and comfort as we sing the words your son taught us…

The Disciples’ Prayer “Our Father” VU 960
CLICK HERE for video.

WE GO FORTH

Hymn: “Now the Green Blade Rises” VU 186
CLICK HERE for video.

Commissioning and Benediction:
May our faith find voice and shout,
   Christ is risen!
May our souls find purpose and shout,
   Christ is risen!
May our voices find faith and shout,
   Christ is risen!
May our hearts find life and shout,
   Christ is risen!*

*Seasons of the Spirit, L/E 2009, p 89 ff

Postlude

Announcements

Giving:

• if you are already on Pre-Authorized Remittance, thank you.
• we do ask that you continue to offer your financial support even though we are not meeting face to face, our ministry together continues.
• above you will see a "Donate Now" button. If you click on it, it will lead you to our donation page.