Gathering Music

“Swing Low, Sweet Chariot” – Negro Spiritual

Refrain:
Swing low, sweet chariot,
coming for to carry me home;
swing low, sweet chariot,
coming for to carry me home.
1 I looked over Jordan, and what did I see,
coming for to carry me home?
A band of angels coming after me,
coming for to carry me home.
(Refrain)
2 If you get there before I do,
coming for to carry me home;
tell all my friends I’m coming too,
coming for to carry me home.
(Refrain)
3 I’m sometimes up, I’m sometimes down,
coming for to carry me home;
but still my soul feels heavenly bound,
coming for to carry me home.
(Refrain)
4 The brightest day that I can say,
coming for to carry me home;
when Jesus washed my sins away,
coming for to carry me home.
(Refrain)

Call to Worship

Esther Inuwa

Leader: The Spirit is coming to bless us all with a new song:
All: Let our joy be complete.
Leader: Gifts for the good of all, poured out on all to teach us a new song:
All: Love one another!
Leader: Strangers and neighbors will join in the new song:
All: No longer servants but friends.
Leader: Come, let our worship make a joyful noise,
All: Rejoicing in the friendship of God.

Scripture Reading – Lamentations 3:1-3, 19-20

Labenyimoh Patrick

1 I am the one who has seen affliction
by the rod of the Lord’s wrath.
2 God has driven me away and made me walk
in darkness rather than light;
3 indeed, God has turned God’s hand against me
again and again, all day long.
19 I remember my affliction and my wandering,
the bitterness and the gall.
20 I well remember them,
and my soul is downcast within me.

Hymn

“Lament” – By Mark Miller & Adam Tice

Scripture Reading – Lamentations 3:21-26

Hayoung Kang

21 Yet this I call to mind
and therefore I have hope:
22 Because of the Lord’s great love we are not consumed,
for God’s compassions never fail.
23 They are new every morning;
great is your faithfulness.
24 I say to myself, “The Lord is my portion;
therefore I will wait for God.”
25 The Lord is good to those whose hope is in God,
to the one who seeks God;
26 it is good to wait quietly
for the salvation of the Lord.

Anthem

“I Believe” – Mark A. Miller

Seminary Choir

Sermon

Professor Mark A. Miller

Prayers of the People

Beth Quick

Sacrament of Holy Communion

Prof. Miller and Beth Quick

Beth: God be with you.

And also with you.

Beth: Lift up your hearts.

We lift them up to God.

Beth: Let us give God our thanks.

It is right to give our thanks and praise.

Mark: It is right, and a good and joyful thing,

always and everywhere to give thanks to you,

almighty God,

Creator of heaven and earth:

God of Abraham and Sarah,

God of Miriam and Moses,

God of Joshua and Deborah,

God of Ruth and David,

God of the priests and the prophets,

God of Mary and Joseph,

God of the apostles and the martyrs,

God of our mothers, our father, our parents,

God of our children to all generations.

Beth: And so, with your people on earth and all the company of heaven,

we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

Singing: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might,

heaven and earth are full of your glory. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. 

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Beth: Holy are you, and blessed is your child Jesus Christ.

On the night in which Jesus gave himself up for us, he took bread,

gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you.

Do this in remembrance of me.”

Mark: When the supper was over Jesus took the cup,

gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:

“Drink from this, all of you; this is my blood of the new covenant,

poured out for you and for many for the forgiveness of sins.

Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me.”

Beth: And so, in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,

we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving

as a holy and living sacrifice, in union with Christ’s offering for us,

as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Singing: Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again.

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Beth: Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here,

and on these gifts of bread and wine.

Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ,

that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his love.

Mark: Renew our communion with all your saints. 

Since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses,

strengthen us to run with perseverance the race that is set before us,

By your Spirit make us one with Christ,

one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world.

Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church,

all honor and glory is yours, almighty God, now and forever.

Singing: Amen. Amen. Amen.

Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest. Hosanna in the highest.

Songs during Communion:

“Sing Alleluia to the Lord” – Linda Stassen

Sing alleluia to the Lord,
Sing alleluia to the Lord;
Sing alleluia, Sing alleluia
Sing alleluia to the Lord.

“Great Is Thy Faithfulness” – Thomas O. Chilsolm

1 Great is thy faithfulness, O God, Creator;
there is no shadow of turning with thee;
thou changest not, thy compassions, they fail not;
as thou hast been, thou forever wilt be.
Refrain:
Great is thy faithfulness! Great is thy faithfulness!
Morning by morning new mercies I see;
all I have needed thy hand hath provided;
great is thy faithfulness, Lord, unto me!
2 Summer and winter and springtime and harvest,
sun, moon, and stars in their courses above
join with all nature in manifold witness
to thy great faithfulness, mercy, and love. Refrain
3 Pardon for sin and a peace that endureth,
thine own dear presence to cheer and to guide;
strength for today and bright hope for tomorrow,
blessings all mine, with ten thousand beside! Refrain

Blessing

Prof. Mark A. Miller

Sending Song

“Draw the Circle Wide” – Mark A. Miller and Gordon Light

Draw the circle, draw the circle wide.
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide.
No one stands alone, we’ll stand side by side.
Draw the circle, draw the circle wide.

Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still.
Let this be our song: no one stands alone.
Standing side by side, draw the circle, draw the circle wide.

In your sadness and in your grief,
From all the pain, It seems there’s no relief
We will hold you Until the storm subsides
We’ll draw the circle, draw the circle wide!

Draw the circle wide, draw it wider still.
Let this be our song: no one stands alone.
Standing side by side, draw the circle, draw the circle wide.

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Worship Notes:
Call to Worship adapted from Rev. Susan Blain, https://re-worship.blogspot.com/2012/04/call-to-worship-prayer-easter-6b.html