PIONEER
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Worship
via Blog 3rd Sunday of Easter April
18, 2021
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
Welcome to Pioneer’s blog worship service.
Though we are accessing this remotely and unable to look each other in the eye,
we are still the Pioneer faith community, gathered as children of God to
worship, to be spiritually fed, and to be equipped to go out to serve in
Christ’s name—though we do it differently during this pandemic.
Pioneer offers worship in several modes:
a)
The
blog.
b)
The
blog service mailed through US Postal service.
c)
Sermons
only, mailed to those who so request.
d)
Zoom
services at 10:00 Sunday mornings.
e)
Live
worship with masks and social distancing has plenty of room for additional
worshipers.
-
Worship
& Music meets following worship
-
Women’s
Spirituality meets Tuesday at 10:30
-
Men’s
Prayer Group meets Thursday at 8:30 a.m.
-
Deacons
meet next Sunday following worship
Now allow yourself a brief time of silence
as you open your hearts and feel God’s presence with you, right where you are.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
BAPTISM: Friends, remember your baptism … and be thankful.
CALL TO WORSHIP
God has set apart those who are faithful.
Our creator will hear us when we call.
God puts gladness in our hearts and minds.
We will lie down in safety and sleep
in peace.
Beloved, we are God’s children now.
What we will be has not yet been revealed.
We are here to remember Jesus Christ.
We want to be like the One who lived
by love.
Our faith strengthens us for each day’s
living.
God empowers our ministries of caring.
We trust God whose children we are.
We look forward to what God will reveal to us.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of our ancestors, author of life,
source of Easter good news, we are drawn together again by the mystery of life
and death. We call on you, so far beyond our knowing, with a mixture of faith
and doubt. Let your face shine on us as we put our trust in you. Draw together
the fragments of our busy lives around the central core of love which you
provide, that we might relate to one another as whole people. Grant us a fuller
sense of what is right and good, and help us to live at our best.
OPENING
HYMN: “We Are the Family of God” LU#16
CALL TO CONFESSION
In his preaching, the disciple Peter
reminded his listeners that no one can escape the collective guilt that allows
innocent people to suffer. The mob action that sent Jesus to the cross was fed
by fears and anger we are reluctant to claim. Yet we, too, reject the Holy One,
by our neglect if not by our deliberate intent. Peter invites us to repent and
turn to God that our sins might be wiped away.
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
We are disturbed and distressed, O God, by the evil that surrounds us. It is hard to view many of the people we see as your children: murderers, abusers, those who cheat others and profit at their expense. We feel like victims. Why should we confess our sins when there is so much evil beyond our influence? We know we love imperfectly. We sin by turning away from sisters and brothers who also are beloved by you, however they may differ from us. We seek the forgiveness you promise and the health you offer. (continue with personal prayers………..) Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
Anyone who is in Christ is a new creation.
The old life has gone; the new life has
begun.
Friends, believe the Good News!
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven and
restored to new life!
PASSING THE PEACE
May the peace of Christ be with you.
And also with you.
Let us extend the peace of Christ in heart
and prayer to one another.
GLORY
BE TO THE FATHER
SCRIPTURE 1: Luke 24:36b-48
Jesus himself stood
among them. But they were startled and frightened, and supposed that they saw a
spirit. And he said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do
questionings rise in your hearts? See my hands and my feet, that it is I
myself; handle me, and see; for a spirit has not flesh and bones as you see
that I have." And while they still disbelieved for joy, and wondered, he
said to them, "Have you anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece
of broiled fish, and he took it and ate before them. Then he said to them,
"These are my words which I spoke to you, while I was still with you, that
everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and the psalms
must be fulfilled." Then he opened their minds to understand the
scriptures, and said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ should
suffer and on the third day rise from the dead, and that repentance and
forgiveness of sins should be preached in his name to all nations, beginning
from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.
SCRIPTURE 2: 1 John 3:1-7
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be
called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know
us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God's children now; it does not
yet appear what we shall be, but we know that when he appears we shall be like
him, for we shall see him as he is. And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies
himself as he is pure. Everyone who commits sin is guilty of lawlessness; sin
is lawlessness. You know that he appeared to take away sins, and in him there
is no sin. No one who abides in him sins; no one who sins has either seen him
or known him. Little children, let no one deceive you. He who does right is
righteous, as he is righteous.
SERMON “Childishness” Rev.
Jean Hurst
It starts with love. Really,
it also ends with love. We’ll address that later. The writer of the John
letters tells us that God bestows a particular love on us by calling us
children. Not just children in the earthly sense, though that is where our
minds first go, but children of God.
What does it mean to be a
child—and not just a child but a
child of someone? When we consider
our earthly lives, it means different things to different people. If you have
had a good, healthy relationship with your parents, being a child of them is
significant.
If you are one so lucky, think back over your life. Think
about the good times—the times of tenderness and affection, times of laughter
and belonging, the sense of safety and protection, of being wanted and desired
and valued. Think of the teaching and guidance. Think how you were part of something—a family—and how you
fit into that family.
Oh, of course there were difficult times. Relationships
are challenging. If you had siblings, you may have experienced the common
rivalry and competition of children in the same family, the question of who was
loved best. Perhaps you felt you stood in the shadow of a sibling and was sure
you couldn’t measure up. As well, there would be the normal issues of
discipline. A child usually tests boundaries and has to be corrected. The
childhood experience may not be idyllic, but for what we tend to call a
functional family, it was good and we hold precious memories.
As we know, not all families are like that. We have what
we call dysfunctional families. I’ve heard the definition of that as being any
family with more than one member—which just reinforces that all families at
some time have issues. Some have more than their share.
Some of you are all too familiar with families that don’t
function as they should. It’s a painful experience for a child. In fact, it
seems to be much the opposite of a “normal” family. A child can feel unwanted,
rejected, and abandoned. Though they yearn for love, attention, and
affirmation, they are sometimes subjected to abuse and neglect, maybe even
being told they’re no good, will never amount to anything, are useless and a
waste of time and energy, or that a parent wishes they’d never been born. Too
often, the family fold is not safe and the child learns survival skills that
range from invisibility to rebellion. Sadly, for children growing up in this
kind of environment, there is not a sense of belonging or safety. Too often,
they are the ones who have to be the adult, to try to take care of their
parents or siblings, all the while trying to survive themselves.
There is a hunger within these children—even as they have
grown into adulthood. There is a longing for love and acceptance, a deep
yearning to feel valued and wanted and part of something that gives them roots
and hope and life.
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be
called children of God; and so we are. There it is, proclaimed by the author of
this scripture. God’s love so great that we are named … named as children of
the God of the universe. Not an affection bestowed as to a pet or even a
friend. Children. Children in the perfect sense—wanted, cherished, valued,
belonging.
I invite you to reminisce once again. Those of you who
are parents, what have you felt for your children? Love. And longing, too, I
would add. First the love. When you love your children, you love each as if
they were the only one. You appreciate and embrace their differences, yes, but
you still love them fiercely. Somehow God has given our hearts the capacity to
grow with each opportunity to love. It’s not a love that has to be divided
among those we love. It is a love that just keeps growing. Love is not a
limited capacity. So it is with God’s love.
As a parent, you cherish your children. You provide for
them, you protect them, you nurture them and help them to grow. Your children
are part of who you are and you are part of who they are. You don’t know how
that will play out. You don’t know the person each will become. That’s where
that longing comes in, for them to be the best they can be. Even with our grown
children, they are still growing, still developing, still becoming. That is
true of us as well. The scripture said that we are God’s children now and what
we shall be hasn’t been revealed yet, just that confidence that in the end we
shall be like our Father. There’s a lot of promise in that statement.
The writer goes on to speak of sin and lawlessness and
seems to create an “us and them” scenario. It’s a common method of teaching and
writing for that Greco-Roman era as in “This is what it looks like if you do
what is right” and “This is what it looks like if you do wrong.” But we don’t
live in that kind of black and white world.
No one is all bad. No one is all good. No one who is
deemed good will be able to live into that 100% of the time. Does that failing,
when ‘good’ doesn’t come out on top in our lives, then condemn us for our
imperfection? No. How many of you have perfect children? And don’t go whipping
out photos of your grandchildren! Most of us think our grandchildren are
perfect while being willing to acknowledge that our children are not. Ask your
children if they think your
grandchildren are perfect. You know the answer—just as God knows we are not
perfect.
Do you love your children less because they are not
perfect? Of course not. You might be disappointed or angry for a while. You
might show your displeasure. But you will try to provide them guidance so they
can learn and grow from their experience and do better next time. What will God
do with his wayward children? Scripture tells us: See what love the Father has
given us, that we should be called children of God. God’s love is not
conditional on our being the perfect child. God loves us anyway. God extends
grace upon grace, giving us new beginnings, an opportunity to learn and grow.
God will never turn away from us or abandon us or reject us.
In our human families, sometimes there will be hurts so
deep or rebellions so great that the family is broken. A child may disclaim
association with the family. Or a parent may become so hurt or angered by a
child or an adult child’s behavior that they claim to disown them. That
estrangement can last for years and may take a lot of work on both sides to
heal.
God doesn’t work that way. God’s love is perfect love. If
one of us is estranged, if one of us walks away, if one of us falls into the
sinfulness and lawlessness today’s scripture references, God does not give up
on us. God is the seeking God, the one who initiates, the one who comes
searching for us in our lostness, finds us and brings us home. God does not
then hold it over our heads, threaten us with it, drag it out and wave it front
of our noses as a reminder of our failing. God is always willing to forgive.
And God’s love for us doesn’t change. It is no greater before our failing than
after.
See what love the Father has given us, that we should be
called children of God. What do we do with that kind of love? If you know
unconditional love—love that will be there no matter what you do, do you simply
take it as your entitlement and live your life any self-serving way that you
choose? If you receive from God the love and acceptance for which your heart
has always yearned, how will you respond? If you find in God’s love a place of
belonging, never again having to feel alone, on the outside looking in,
wouldn’t you want to love God back just as fiercely, just as unconditionally?
If God holds you within God’s heart as beloved child wouldn’t you love God back
and do everything in your power to live a life worthy of that love? Child of
God, how will you respond to God’s
love?
HYMN: “In
Christ There Is No East or West” Glory #317
PRAYERS OF THE
PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
God
of amazing surprises, whose proclamation of peace through the risen Christ
startles us yet washes over us with refreshing joy, we are eager to see Jesus
and to trust that the purity of life we know through him is worth emulating.
Put us in touch with truth that cleanses and makes whole so we can relate to
others in ways that reconcile and redeem.
You
call us children, loving God, and often that is exactly the way we
behave—complete with sibling rivalry. As adults, though, we know how precious
and important family is. Help us to see all our brothers and sisters as part of
us, beloved to you, and all of us held together in your love.
We
pray for those close to us, for the
family of Helen McCart … Lari Higgins … Somer Bauer … Tasha Sizemore … Beverly
Patterson … Lois White … John Matthews …
Linda and Bill Kaesemeyer … Virginia … Margaret Dunbar … Darlene … Trisha …
Dave … Jacob … George and Joyce … Jennifer … Chuck … Courtney … Ethel.
(Additional prayers …………)
We pray for those
far from us—by distance, by beliefs, by lifestyles, by values and by all the
ways that would separate us. We especially pray for those whose worlds are
dark, who feel unloved and unlovable, for those who live in fear and
desperation. Watch over them and provide for their needs we pray as we join in
the prayer Jesus taught: 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 and the power and the glory forever.
Amen.
CALL TO OFFERING
With gladness in our hearts, we offer our best to God
in this act of commitment and sacrifice. We give because repentance and
forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in the name of Jesus Christ to all
nations, beginning where we are. Let us give according to our faith.
DOXOLOGY
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
We give with joy, gracious God, for you have been with
us even when we were unfaithful. You have kept us in safety through times of
grave distress. We can call on you in all times and places, in life and in
death, knowing that your strength is available to sustain us. We give now that
your church may be empowered in the proclamation of good news and the
transformation of human life. Amen.
CLOSING HYMN: “This
Is My Father’s World” Glory #370
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
You come from a big family. As you go
about your daily activities, observe those around you. Watch for the family
resemblance. Then remember that they, too, are beloved of God.
As you do the grace of the Lord Jesus
Christ, the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit is with you now
and always. Amen.
CHORAL RESPONSE
May the Lord, Mighty God, bless and keep you forever.
Grant you peace, perfect peace, courage in every endeavor. Lift up your eyes
and see his face and his grace forever. May the Lord, Mighty God, bless and
keep you forever.
~~~~~~~~~~
LOOKING
AHEAD
April 18 following worship Worship & Music
April 18 1:00 p.m. Prayer Shawl Ministry
April 20 10:30 a.m. Women’s Spirituality
April 22 8:30 a.m. Men’s Prayer Group
April 25 following worship Deacons
April 27 12:00 noon PPW
PRAYER
CARE:
Family of Helen
McCart (Helen’s passing). Judy Hook (medical procedure), Lari Higgins (breast
cancer), Somer Bauer (breast cancer), Tasha Sizemore (Krohn’s?), Lois White
(lymphoma), John Matthews (cancer), Jacob Cunningham, Trisha Cagley (health
problems), Dave Clark (kidney cancer), Virginia DesIlets (age 99!), Margaret
Dunbar (aging issues), George Sahlberg (infection in knee), Joyce Sahlberg
(health issues), Jennifer Schirm (Parkinson’s), Chuck VanHise (leg/walking
rehab), Darlene Wingfield (heart valve, pulmonary fibrosis, breast cancer), and
Courtney Ziegler (Huntington’s).
LECTIONARY
FOR 4/25/21
Acts 4:5-12; Psalm
23; 1 John 3:16-24; John 10:11-18
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