Fruit from the Tree of Life

May 22, 2022 Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 Fruit from the Tree of Life 6th Sunday of Easter Year C Opening Song Welcome Introit Call to Worship Many: Let the Creator be home among us One: In our hearts, may God be welcome Many: May God’s love shape our every thought One: May our actions lead to God’s justice Many: May our words be words of life One: May God’s Spirit lead us Many: May God’s peace dwell within us All: Amen. ( Michael Anthony Howard – UCC Worship Ways) Song Shall We Gather at the River UMH 723 Spotlight on Volunteers Prayer of Illumination Bountiful God, you gather your people into your realm, and you promise us food from your tree of life. Nourish us with your word, that empowered by your Spirit we may love one another and the world you have made, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. (Evangelical Lutheran Church of America website) Scripture Revelation 21:10, 22-22:5 Sermon Fruit from the Tree of Life A Sunday School teacher asked her students where God lived. After the usual answers of heaven and in my heart, Bobby spoke up and said, “God lives in the bathroom at our house!” “Why the bathroom?” inquired the teacher. “I don’t know,” replied Bobby. “I only know that my Dad gets up every morning and beats on the bathroom door where my sister is taking forever to get ready for school and exclaims, ‘My God, are you still in there?’ God lives in the bathroom at our house.” Where does God live at your house? Is He on the front porch looking in or locked in the bathroom trying to get out? That is a good question for all of us to think about. And of course the easy answer is that God lives in heaven. So we also have to ask ourselves, Where is heaven. Is heaven a place, a time, a feeling? Revelations 21-22 is John’s vision of heaven. We don’t get to read all of his description of a perfect cubed city with 12 gates, three on each sides each door designed with fine jewels. It is a shining light. With a river running through it, no sea – because sea causes trouble and sin, but a tree of life so big that it is on both sides of the river. The doors are open all of the time. The book of revelation is a series of visions designed not to tell the future, but to address the present situation of the people. Chapters 21-22 are the end of the book, with John’s last vision of a new heaven and a new earth. It is not a vision where we are taken up into the sky one person at a time, and all of the bad people are left behind. There is not a judgement day where the good people get to come and all of the bad people are condemned to hell. In John’s heaven the gates are open 24/7 with no need to ever close them. People can come in any time, and there is no St. Peter standing at the pearly gate. John says that those who are sinners have no desire to enter. John was desperately trying to give hope to the present situation. He was trying to point out that our problems will be solved in a time and a place. Not always our time and place, but eventually. He is pointing out that God’s presence will solve all of our problems. In New Jerusalem, there is no church to go to – the whole city is the church. There is no sun, God’s light is our light to see clearly night never comes. The tree of live produces a different crop every month to take care of all of our needs. And it produces leaves to heal the nations – there is no war, no oppressions, on border disputes. In heaven we can all live whole and complete. What is it that we all need to feel whole and complete right now? Many years ago when I was going to prep school in Milwaukee, the students loved to walk past a nearby factory from which often emanated some simply wonderful smells. The factory made a product whose name seemed to perfectly fit the heavenly aromas that would occasionally fill the atmosphere of the neighborhood. The factory made Ambrosia Chocolate! For a chocolate lover like myself, there could be no better name for such a delectable food. You see, in ancient Greek mythology ambrosia was the name of the food of the gods! I remember years ago there was a part of the west side that smelled like chocolate because of the brach factory, and in forest park where the ferrerra candy company there is a pleasant smell all of the time. But how does one know that something is "heavenly"? I don't know of anyone who has been to heaven and come back to tell about it. Yet when we find a food that tantalizes our taste buds, we are not afraid to pretend that we know all about heaven. An exquisite piece of chocolate, a luscious slice of our favorite fruit pie, or a bite of tender steak ... what else could we possible call them? They must be ambrosia, food fit for the gods! We can find a little glimpse of heaven in various places in our lives. Where is heaven? Heaven is where the waters of baptism are poured and the name of God is spoken. Heaven is where the body and blood of Jesus are offered in bread and wine. Heaven is where the guilty are released from their deadly past through the granting of forgiveness. Heaven is where the stranglehold of death and hopelessness is broken. When enemies embrace, when spouses reconcile, when neighbors are neighborly, when victims refuse to get even, when the powerful offer to serve instead of demanding that they be served, there is heaven. There is one more thing that must be noted in the vision in Revelation. John saw “the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God.” This suggests that we can have Heaven on earth to a certain degree when Christ lives and rules in our hearts. It will not be perfect, for there is always sin on earth, but the joys of Heaven can continue to increase on earth among those who hold Christ in their hearts. He keeps changing their lives into more and more of his likeness. This is what the Lord’s Prayer means when we pray, “Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” When we mean what we pray, something of God’s heaven is let down on earth in our hearts. The Holy Spirit brings this to pass. Paul put it this way in the Bible, “If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has passed away, behold, the new has come.” The C.S.S. Publishing Compa, RENEWAL OF THE NEW, by John R. Brokhoff A survivor of the 1989 airplane crash near Sioux City, Iowa, said, surprised that she was still alive, “Here I was, sitting on the edge of eternity.” But aren’t we all sitting on the edge of eternity every day of our lives? I believe that there is a time and a place where we will all see God more clearly. One of the promises of John’s heaven is that we will all see the face of God. The bible gives stories of how no one can see the face of God on earth. What a priviledge. But the journey to heaven begins right here in our hearts. There once was a very unhappy old man. For him, things were never right and, thus, he grumbled quite a bit. He complained that he had to get up in the morning, and when nightfall came it was too soon. He complained when he had to work, but found it boring when he did not work. He talked about how people paid insufficient attention to him, yet when others spoke to him he seemed annoyed or irritated. He hated it when it rained and found the sun too hot when it shined. In winter, he longed for the summer and in summer for the fall. All-in-all the old man was miserable. One day he stopped at a fruit stand, but things there were no better. He found some of the fruit was too ripe and the rest was not ripe enough. He left, disgusted, but as he did, the fruit seller said, "I wish you new eyes, sir, child eyes." "New eyes," thought the old man as he walked away. "I have never used glasses; my vision has never been sharper." A week later, he again stopped at the fruit stand. The fruit seller had the fruit he didn't want and did not have the fruit he wanted. As he was leaving the fruit seller said, "I wish you kingdom eyes, sir." "Kingdom eyes?" This puzzled the old man. But no matter, he was busy, and thus let it pass. Sometime later, the man stopped at the fruit stand once again. It was, however, the same old story. Everything he didn't want and nothing he wanted; some things overripe and others not ripe enough. And as he left the fruit seller told him, "I wish you treasure-hunting eyes, sir." The man was perplexed at the comment, not knowing what the seller was saying. In spite of himself, the old man began to think about what the fruit seller had been saying to him. What did he mean by new eyes, child eyes, kingdom eyes, and treasure-hunting eyes? The next time he went to the stand, he pressed the fruit seller to to explain. "Well, you see," the fruit seller began, "one day there was a stranger in town. He spoke of many things, but a few things really stuck in my head. He spoke of the kingdom of God being within you and that in order to find it one had to become like a child. On another occasion the stranger was present and so, too, was a man blind from birth. He went to the blind man and asked if he wanted to see and, of course, the man said, ‘Yes.' And then the man's eyes were opened and he was delighted in all that he saw. I was confused about all this and thus I spoke to the stranger saying, ‘Please, sir, give me new eyes.' And he responded, ‘I will. I give you child eyes, kingdom eyes, and treasure-hunting eyes.' I thanked him and he left. "That was the last time I saw the man, but from that time forward I saw things differently. Where before I saw only darkness, I now saw stars and fireflies. When before I felt only pain, I now discovered a new door to joy. While before I could see nothing worthwhile, now I found much at which to marvel. Where before I lived in a desert of doubt and despair, now I found a fountain of faith, and where in the past I was irritated at people, now I saw something wonderful in them, something that reminded me of the stranger and I rejoiced." The old man left trying not to think of the fruit seller's story, but no matter how hard he tried he could not shake it off. The more he thought about it the more he wished for new eyes for himself. He began to think about the stranger hoping that he would return. If he did he would ask for new eyes, also. He worried about how he would make his request to the stranger so he practiced. In fact, he found it easy to put his request to music. He sang the refrain all day: "Give me new eyes, sir, child eyes, kingdom eyes, treasure-hunting eyes. Give me new eyes." Then one day he stopped at the fruit stand and saw the fruit seller was very sad. "What has happened?" he asked. The fruit seller replied, "I have just received news that the stranger has been arrested and will be put to death today." The old man went home and cried for his chance for new eyes was now gone. Yet, because the song had become so much a part of his life, he continued to sing it, and to his great surprise, three days after the stranger was put to death, he suddenly felt like scales had fallen from his eyes, and he began to see things differently. Where before he saw only darkness, now he saw light. Where before he saw only the injuries done against him, now he saw how much he was loved and he was able to demonstrate forgiveness that healed his wounds. Where before he had seen nothing of value, now he found many hidden treasures. Where before he experienced only boredom and suspicion, now he lived in wonderment and trust, and where before people had irritated him, he now saw in them something that reminded him of the stranger. And he knew that the stranger lived.1 The old man was bitter, arrogant, and resisted change, but through the persistence and love of the fruit seller he came to realize his need for transformation, conversion, and a new way of thinking. He needed the new eyes which the stranger had given the fruit seller. In the end he found what he needed through the power of the stranger. This fable is clearly an Easter story of the new life that Jesus' resurrection brings, not only to himself, but more importantly to all of God's people, Seeing a new heaven and a new earth, begins with our ability to see the presence of God anywhere that it may be hiding. We see God clearly in the midst of our deepest pain, in the wounds of life, in those things that we are not willing to admit about our lives. When we see God in a certain situation, we can also watch as history unfolds and God reveals Godself even more until we too have our own revelation in the story of God and of heaven and of our place in it. So I will ask again – where does God live in your life? What room in your heart can you find God. Where is heaven on earth for you. Is that not what all of you will get to do through your daily work in the week ahead? As you leave this place, renewed at the Lord's table, refreshed by his promises, strengthened by his Spirit, through your deeds of love and kindness you will give this world all too often suffering in its own kind of hell ... a glimpse of heaven on earth. Because Christ has triumphed, already now a new world is beginning to take shape, a world in which every tear will be wiped away, where death will be no more, where mourning, crying, and pain will be a distant memory, where there will be heaven on earth. Amen. The church can be that place, because it can be the place where we have our own visions of how heaven can come here on earth. The one thing that I like to most about John’s vision is that this amazing and dazzling place that would attract even the darkest soul – has gates that are not guarded and are always open. Anytime you are ready to come in, even it if is 3 in the morning, you can come. Once you get there you have no reason to leave. Heaven is an open invitation to sit in the presence of God and to be whole and complete. The doorway to heaven is right here. Our faith is always an open invitation to find the presence of God right here. Did you know that the word come appears in the bible over 1600 times. In John 14 God says that God will come and make our home with them – God will love them so that they can love others. Where is heaven? Where have you gotten of a glimpse of heaven? And how has it affected your life and the lives of those around you? I leave you with this quote from Wendell Berry – to be healthy is to literally be whole – our sense of completeness is not just about ourselves, but it is also the sense of belonging to others and to our place. Community with its fullest sense of place and all of its creatures is where we find ourselves and God. May we find heaven today in the hopes and dreams of one another and those around us. Amen. Song – For the Healing of the Nations UMH 428 Pastoral Prayer Children’s Time The Last Page in the Book Stewardship Moment John’s Revelation challenges many of us with strange images and what seems like coded messages. The image of the tree of life, however, can be seen as an image blossoming hopeful and full before us: a tree with leaves for the healing of the nations. In our own nation, we know of tree leaves which are healing (witch hazel leaves treat sensitive skin and inflammation; sassafras leaves, crushed for tea, help heal respiratory ailments; hawthorn leaves mixed into medicine respond to help ease cardiac issues.) In John’s vision, this tree, growing in the new Jerusalem, is a gift for all the nations of the world. Its leaves are given for individuals and nations to consume in order to repent of their brokenness, allowing them to be healed and made whole/complete. While we do not have access to this tree or its healing leaves, we do have opportunity to share what God has given us. Our offering this morning is one opportunity for each of us to be a healing agent in a hurting world. Our combined giving allows this congregation to be part of making real God’s intention for a wholly/holy world. Your gift helps! With generous hearts and hands, let us share our morning offering. Prayer of Thanksgiving Good and gracious God, we yearn for a day when the nations of this world are turned to you and your desire for justice and peace. Please use these gifts, and the lives of each of us, to help move us toward the day when your Realm comes on earth, as it is in heaven. AMEN (From the Disciples of Christ Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook Even as Jesus departs, he promises that we will never be alone. Therefore, we can go out in confidence to love and serve the Lord. And as you go, May the love of God, The peace of the Risen Christ, And the presence of the Holy Spirit Guide you and keep you, this day, and every day. Alleluia, Amen. (Rev. Molly Spangler – Presbyterian Outlook) Community Time Benediction Beloved of God, go to be a blessing. Bring the good news of forgiveness and healing to this hurting, lonely world. Bring hope to all, for God’s love is poured out for all God’s people. AMEN. (Nancy C. Townley – United Methodist Ministry Matters) Additional illustrations OF COURSE, WHAT IS TRUE IN OUR RELATIONSHIPS WITH THOSE WE LOVE IS ALSO TRUE OF OUR RELATIONSHIP WITH CHRIST. Time is precious. It gets away quickly. Today is the appointed hour. If we are going to say yes to Christ, it needs to be this moment. We must seize the day. Eternity awaits. There is no time like the present. An unknown author helps us put it all into perspective. He or she writes: To realize the value of “one month", ask a mother who gave birth to a premature baby. To realize the value of “one week," ask the editor of a weekly newspaper. To realize the value of “one hour," ask the lovers who are waiting to meet. To realize the value of “one minute," ask the person who missed the train. To realize the value of “one second," ask the person who just avoided an accident. To realize the value of “one millisecond," ask the person who won a silver medal in the Olympics. Treasure every moment that you have! And treasure it more because you shared it with someone special, special enough to spend your time. When Thomas Edison lay dying, he could hardly speak, according to his widow. His doctor, who was also a friend of the family, observed that Edison was trying to say something. He bent down very close and heard the inventor whisper, “It’s very beautiful over there.” Those were his last words. Those could be a person’s first words in Heaven: “It’s very beautiful here.” In 1914 Sir Ernest Henry Shackleton, an English explorer, led an expedition to the South Pole. As the ice began to close in on his boat, he had to leave some of his men stranded on Elephant Island as he went for help. He secured another ship on South Georgia Island and returned for his men. After several unsuccessful attempts, the weather finally permitted him to sail through to where the men were, pick them up, and then get out before the ice closed up again. Shackleford asked his crew why they had their things packed and standing by when he came back. They said, "Sir, when you left, you said you would come back for us, so we never gave up hope. Whenever the weather looked favorable, we would pack up our things and say, Maybe Shackleford will return for us today.' We were always ready for your coming." (5) We don't know what the future holds, but we know Who holds the future. There is One who is returning for us. We are not forgotten. There is one who has gone to prepare a place for us. An African-American poet once put it like this: There's a king and captain high, And He's coming by and by, And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes. You can hear His legions charging in the regions of the sky, And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes. There's a Man they thrust aside, Who was tortured till He died, And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes. He was hated and rejected, He was scorned and crucified, And He'll find me hoeing cotton when He comes. When He comes! When he comes! He'll be crowned by saints and angels when He comes. They'll be shouting out Hosanna! to the Man that men denied, And I'll kneel among my cotton when He comes. (6) The future holds much promise ” but the greatest promise is this: Hope wins because God wins! Evelyn Husband lost her husband Rick when the space shuttle Columbia exploded into pieces upon re-entry to the earth’s atmosphere. Evelyn said “As I stood there in shock with my son Matthew, seven, and my daughter Laura, twelve, deep inside I knew God was going to walk me through this somehow. I knew it because He had walked me through other crises earlier in my life.” To live is to let go. Sometimes life asks us to let go of a lot. A job is lost and family income is drastically reduced. Illness strikes and the whole matrix of family life is rearranged. Death comes; all that has been nailed down for so long is now breaking loose. We raised two boys at our house. They were both high school football players. They consumed gallons of milk and juice a day, not to mention the tons of food. When the last one went away to college, a gallon of milk spoiled in the refrigerator. As Sandy was pouring the spoiled milk down the drain the tears were flowing right along with it. A new era of life had arrived. A high school girl went to a religious gathering at her school and found Christ. She had not been raised in the church, and had no idea how to express her newfound faith to her family, so she decided to live it instead of announce it. A spoiled, selfish, irritable teenager started being kind to her parents. Her attitude changed. She even cleaned up her room. Finally her parents asked, “What has happened to you? You are different.” She replied, “I have become a Christian. I am trying to do what Jesus would do.” Her parents responded, “If Christ can do that for you, we want to know more.” Paul teaches us that, if any one is in Christ they are a new creation. The old is gone and the new has come. Christ is making all things new. May His love abide in your home. May His comfort come to your soul. May He create in you a new heart and a steadfast spirit that His kingdom may come on earth as it is in heaven. Into our homes, into our homes, come into our homes, Lord Jesus, Come in today, come in to stay. Come into our homes, Lord Jesus. ChristianGlobe Networks, Inc., Faith Breaks, by J. Howard Olds CSS Publishing Company, Inc., Sermons for Sundays in Lent and Easter: But!, by Steven E. Albertin I recently heard a story about an urban congregation in a changing neighborhood of one of our eastern cities. The congregation had decided not to flee to the suburbs but to stay in the city and serve the needs of its crumbling neighborhood. The congregation had decided that in order to save souls, it had to start by saving its neighborhood. As a result, the church council decided that instead of repairing aging stained-glass windows, it would simply replace them with a more functional clear glass. Repair would not only have been costly but also would have meant repairing the glass of an image of the heavenly Jerusalem. The council felt that such an image was too otherworldly for a congregation committed to justice in the city. Then someone pointed out that when you stood in the sanctuary and looked out through that old stained-glass image of the heavenly Jerusalem and saw the neighborhood surrounding the church, suddenly that decaying neighborhood appeared in a whole new light. That window literally reflected the mission of that congregation. Through their ministry of compassion and to the needs of their neighborhood, they would be a bit of heaven on earth. Through them the people in their neighborhood, struggling to eke out a meager living in a hostile world, could catch a glimpse of the victory already won through the blood of the lamb.

Everyday is a New Day

Fifth Sunday of Easter Revelation 21:1-6 A New Day Year C May 15, 2022 Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship L: How wondrous! A new heaven and a new earth! P: The old, bruised and angered, fearful and alienated, will pass away L: In its place God will offer new hope and peace P: God will dwell with God’s people forevermore. L: Worship the Lord who is about to do a new thing. P: Praise God who establishes God’s reign in the heart of God’s people. AMEN. (Ministry Matters – Nancy Townley) Song This is a Day of New Beginnings UMH 383 Prayer of Reflection and Growth God of Awe and Harmony- We were given the great commandment to love one another the way you, the Christ, the Spirit loves us. And yet, the way we love becomes conditional. What events have distorted our view of Divine Love? How can we return to a simple but radical way of loving? Transform our hearts as we work to understand one another, creating an earth which reflects God’s heaven. Amen. Assurance of Grace The Spirit of God heals our hearts, blessing us with grace as the Divine One works to transform our world into a realm of peace and joy. Amen. (UCC Worship Ways – Rev. Michelle Torigian) Scripture Revelation 21:1-6 Sermon Every Day is a New Day When you think of the place that you live, what are the things that you love about it? What are the things that need to be improved? What are the issues that have been longstanding that only God can fix? Now is the place that you live a town, a village, or a city, or Or do you live in an unincorparated place, near a town, a village, or a city? Since the beginning of history – humans have gathered together in some form of municipality. Some have chosen to live in smaller clusters or villages, and some have chosen to live in larger gatherings called cities. Historically, cities have been known to be the center of business, the center of culture, but as more and more people flock to cities, they are also places of great need, places of crime, places where you can feel unsafe. there are so many jokes about the drawbacks of living in a city. Comedian Anita Weiss says, “I moved to New York City for my health. I’m paranoid, and it was the only place where my fears were justified.” In a standup routine about traffic in Boston, Massachusetts comedian Lewis Black said, “The last person to get across that town in under three hours was yelling, ‘The British are coming! The British are coming!’” A lot of us would agree with comedian Jason Love’s opinion of Las Vegas: “All the amenities of modern society in a habitat unfit to grow a tomato.” And my favorite putdown about cities is from comedian Richard Jeni: “This is how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New York said, ‘Gee, I’m enjoying the crime and the poverty, but it just isn’t cold enough.’” (1) The history of people, have been the history of cities. Jerusalem. Rome. there are so many jokes about the drawbacks of living in a city. Comedian Anita Weiss says, “I moved to New York City for my health. I’m paranoid, and it was the only place where my fears were justified.” In a standup routine about traffic in Boston, Massachusetts comedian Lewis Black said, “The last person to get across that town in under three hours was yelling, ‘The British are coming! The British are coming!’” A lot of us would agree with comedian Jason Love’s opinion of Las Vegas: “All the amenities of modern society in a habitat unfit to grow a tomato.” And my favorite putdown about cities is from comedian Richard Jeni: “This is how Chicago got started. A bunch of people in New York said, ‘Gee, I’m enjoying the crime and the poverty, but it just isn’t cold enough.’” (1) Today, especially here in Illinois the lines between what defines a village, or a town or a city has become blurred. Wilmington has a population of a little over 5000 is considered a city. Cicero with a population of over 81,000 is a unincorparated town, elk grove village is a village of 31,000 people. So much for the definition being determined by size, I think it is more a distinction of the organization of the municipal government. Wilmington is one of 7 cities in will county. Parts of Aurora and Naperville are in will county. Braidwood, Wilmington, Joliet, crest hill and lockport are the only cities, everything else is a village. Coal City and Diamond , custer Parkof 32 villages in will county. Each of the places that we live have a very distinct personality, a distinct sense of what it community, they are organized differently, their way of providing services is different. And yet no matter where we live in the world – the basic needs of life are the same. And as borders inside our country become blurred – the issues are the same to a different degree. Whereever we are, the police get domestic violence calls. Drug calls. Fights, traffic accidents and the like. So it is interesting that revelation would say that salvation comes to us in the form of a city New Jerusalem. A new city, with a new form of government. In new Jerusalem, not only with the roads be free of potholes, the water pressure will always be great, and the internet access always 100 percent. But the good news is that all of the things that we have been struggling with will disappear. No one will get sick, no one will go hungry, we will live together in harmony, we will all be on the same page. Things that seem to be impossible in a human city, but possible in a city where God is the municipal government. The message of revelation says that in God’s city is the place of our hopes and dreams. Three things will be so- God will build it, God will care for our needs, and Jesus christ will be the center of everything. It will be the city of our dreams. It will be the city, village, town, township of our faith. New Jerusalem is the present whereever God’s people are. In rome, at the top of st peter’s cathedral, are what appears to be life size statues of the disciples, because that it believed to be the place that christ will come when he returns. The good news is that God is with us wherever we are in the midst of our ordinary lives. When we have faith, god is with us in the midst of our problems. While we deliberate, god reigns, when we decide to choose wisely, god reign, when we serve god in humble lpyalty, God reigns, when we serve god self assuredly, god reigns, when we have hope god reigns, when we pray God reigns. I truly believe that one day all people will see the new Jerusalem – the place where God reigns for all to see clearly. But in the meantime, it is important for us to work to make our city, our town, our village, our world a better place. To stay connected to God and to God hopes for the world. We have to serve where we are. Song Help Us Accept Each Other UMH 560 Prayer When the news is loudly proclaiming anger, hostility, hatred, we are called by Christ to love one another. How hard that is, O Lord! Prejudice abounds in our land, and it is our shame, as we proclaim our faith in you. You call us to love one another, but we put conditions on that love: some of these conditions regard race, economic status, gender, age, nationality. It is easy to love people with whom we feel comfortable. It is more difficult to love those who are different from us. And that, O Lord, is our dilemma. Teach us how to love and accept the diversity in our land. Help us to treasure each other for the wondrous gifts and talents each person has. Sharpen our ears to hear words of love when whispered and shouted. Tune our hearts to your healing message of acceptance and compassion for all. Help us to be the people of the Resurrection - who have been freed from the bonds of death. We place our lives in your care, merciful Lord. AMEN. (Ministry Matters – Nancy Townley) Stewardship Moment Invitation to the Offering (Acts 11, John 13) God has given us the gift of faith. Through this gift we see all people as God’s children. Respond to God’s generous love, that we may love one another as God has loved us. Let us share this love as we bring our tithes and offerings. (Ministry Matters – Mary Petrina Boyd) Offering Prayer (John 13) Loving God, you have given us the task to love one another. May the gifts we offer bring love and life to others. May the love we share bring hope to a world that has forgotten how to love. Amen. (Ministry Matters – Mary Petrina Boyd) Announcements Closing Prayer for Facebook As the week begins again, May we dance as we celebrate God’s presence. May we sing as we proclaim Christ’s love. May we create as we embrace the Spirit’s vision. May we love boldly, care radically, and share courageously to glorify the Spirit of God in our midst. Amen! (UCC Worship Ways – Rev. Michelle Torigian) Community Time Benediction from John 13 Jesus gave a new commandment: to love one another. Because Jesus loves us, we should love one another. Go forth to serve. Go forth to love. We go with God’s love and blessing. (Ministry Matters – Mary Petrina Boyd) Children’s Sermon Hello, children of God! You know what I’ve noticed? Life can be tough. It is full of challenges and difficulties. And there are a lot of things that we need in order to face the hardships that come our way. (As you describe, hold up items one by one.) For instance, tissues! Sometimes we feel sad, and need a tissue to dry our tears. Or you might get a cold and need that tissue to blow your nose. You might also feel sick and need medicine to help you get better. Or sometimes you get hurt, and you need a band-aid to patch things up. Or how about this? Flashlights! There are times when things get dark, or perhaps the power goes out. It’s important to have a flashlight ready to guide your way. Oh, and don’t forget about sustenance! We need snacks and plenty of water to keep us going. Phew, this sure is a lot of gear to lug around! Wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t need all of this? In fact, wouldn’t it be nice if we didn’t face sickness, or sadness, or darkness at all? Well, guess what? I have some great news for you. Someday we won’t need tissues or band-aids or medicine, or even water! We have some beautiful promises from God about how things will be in Heaven. God tells us that He is going to make all things new. When we finish this life on Earth, a new home awaits us, better than anything that we can imagine now. God says that He will wipe away every tear. We won’t need tissues! There will be no more sorrow or sickness. There won’t be pain. We won’t even need the light of flashlights or the sun, because the light of Jesus will shine brightly. We won’t need water, because God will give us living water. All of these things that trouble us now will be gone. No burdens, no hardships at all! Of course, we don’t know all of the details. We don’t know when we will go to Heaven, and we don’t know exactly what it will be like. But we have the hope that it will be wonderful. It’s sort of like when you have a rough week at school, but you know there’s something special or fun waiting for you when you get to the weekend. You can think about that special thing and feel a little better when times get rough. It is the same way in our lives. Yes, we have joyous moments, and we want to make the most of every day. But sometimes things get hard. When those times come, we know that this world is not our home, and difficulties won’t last forever. God promises us eternal life with Him, free from all trials and pain. We can rest assured that something spectacular is waiting for us! So when we feel sad or encounter challenges, we remember that there is hope in Heaven. God will make all things new, including our lives! Let’s say a prayer to thank God for the hope of Heaven and a future with Him. Children’s Prayer Moment: (Have kids repeat each line, if desired) Dear God, Thank you for the hope of Heaven We know you will comfort us with your peace And wipe away our tears. Help us to remember that when things are hard. Thank you for loving us We love you, God! Thank you for Jesus In His name, Amen! Additional Illustrations

The Resurrection of Tabitha

May 4, 2022 Acts 9:36-43 Mother’s Day Fourth Sunday of Easter Tabitha’s Resurrection Year C Opening Song Welcome Call to Worship (from Revelation 7) One: ALL, and that means ALL (here, on-line and in spirit), come to worship God! Many: With the multitude from all ages, we cry out with a LOUD voice, “Holy victory belongs to God and to the Lamb!” One: Together, we are ready to worship the God who shelters us. Many: Together, we claim the Lamb as our shepherd. One: Together, we sing praise to God, who guides all to the water of life. Many: With grateful hearts, let us worship God. (Center for Faith and Giving) Opening Prayer God of the ages, we offer you our praise this day, for the ways you continue to make your presence known to believers in every age. Thank you for the Lamb, who is our shepherd. Thank you for your tender care for each and for all. Thank you for welcoming those who come with joy, and those yearning for you to wipe away every tear from our eyes. We offer you our hearts, our hands and our voices. AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Song Great is Thy Faithfulness UMH 140 Candle Lighting for Mothers (Just print the bold responses and the line before) Leader: We gather this day in worship esteeming the Light of Jesus Christ—-who is both God and human, born of his mother Mary through the power of the Holy Spirit. It is from God, the source of all light, that every good and perfect gift has come, including the gift of Mothers. May we thank God for this good gift, today and always. All: We light the candle of memory. (gold) Leader: We remember the light of the women in our lives who birthed us, adopted us, fostered us, nurtured us, cared for us, shaped us and disciplined us who are no longer beside us. May God’s light shine upon each one and may God’s comfort embrace each grieving family. All: We light the candle of honor. (pink) Leader: We honor the women in our lives who bring forth new beginnings, embrace us as their own, foster our growth, nurture us, care for us and help form us into better people by the power of their love which comes from God. May God’s blessings be upon each one. All: We light the candle of peace. (blue) Leader: We pray for the mothers who have buried children. We pray for the women who long to be mothers, but are not. We also pray for each mother-child relationship that has been strained or broken by action, in-action, distance or illness. May God grant peace to each one who finds this day difficult. All: We light the candle of hope. (green) Leader: We encourage the many mothers are overwhelmed trying to make ends meet who while exhausted love anyway. We encourage parents who must raise their children alone, grandparents and other guardians who nurture children in their parent’s stead. May God empower each one with hope. All: God, teach us to recognize Your light in all of its many forms as we remember, honor and reflect on especially the gift of Motherhood this day. Fill us with your hope that we might shine your light to the generations after us. Amen. Scripture Acts 9:36-43 Sermon Tabitha’s Resurrection So here we are at the fourth Sunday of Easter – we are looking at the resurrection stories – the stories of Jesus appearing to his disciples after the crucifixion and before the ascension. In these stories, the disciples are grappling with a new sense of faith, all the while grieving the loss of the times of teaching from Their Lord and Savior. They too are trying to understand the significance of the resurrection. Our scripture for today is one of several stories in the new testament about a faithful person being brought back to life. First there is the story of Lazurus, there is the story of the young daughter of a centurion, and we have this story, the story of Tabitha/Dorcas. I wonder if other than in the bible, whether you have a story of experiencing a resurrection for yourself. I do, I was about 4 or 5 years old. My grandmother took me with her to spend a few days with one of her nephews and his family. I think it was a significant birthday for him, and he had invited all of our pretty large family to join him. We travelled a few hours to get to their farm. I remember him talking about how excited he was that his daughter and her boyfriend were driving home from college to be there. So it seemed surreal when we woke up the next morning to be told that she has died in a carwreck. Everyone was already coming for a joyful celebration, the nephew decided that the gathering would go on, but for a different reason. This was the first person that I knew that died, and I spent a lot of time trying to process what this meant. The funeral was packed, I remember her in a pink open casket. Everybody, including me had to pass by the casket. After the funeral I lost it, I cried the whole day because I could not understand why she was not coming back. I was sitting on the bed crying when she came to me to tell me that everything was going to be okay, and that she would always be with me. At least that is what my 4 year old mind heard her say. It was many years later that I realized that she had two younger sisters that looked just like her. I just assumed that she came back alive and spoke to me twice. In my first experienced of death, I was relieved that it didn’t last forever, because they really do come back alive just like the preacher said about Jesus. That is my resurrection story – even today, 50 years later, the baby sister still keeps in touch with me. She has been a real comfort, especially after my mother died. She kept her promise to always be with me. The true significance of the resurrection is in the hope and peace that it gave to those who followed Jesus. Jesus promised to be with us even to the end of the age. Now this woman Dorcas must have been a very special person. She is the only person in the bible with he title mathitrea – or female disciple. We don’t know a lot about her life, but we do know that she served the widows and the poor just as Jesus told her to. Crowds had gathered at her house mourn her and to bathe her body. She died way too soon – if anyone could bring her back to life, it would be one of Jesus disciple. They send for Peter, who is 25 miles away. When he arrives at the house, everyone shows all of the garments Dorcas had made just for them. Funerals are an opportunity for the living to remember the ways that they have been touched and changed by this person. It a chance to gather in community and to share our grief. Jesus has told the disciples that a faith of a mustard seed can move mountains. He also demonstrated the power of resurrection and bringing people to life. Peter sends everyone out of the room and repeats Jesus miracle – she has come back. This resurrection story has a happy ending- Dorcas gets to continue to serve. Unfortunately, not all resurrection stories have a happy ending. In 1977, Dr. Martha Myers moved to Yemen to serve as a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology. Her target audience was Yemeni women who often lack medical care and, because of their religion, were prohibited from seeing a male doctor. Myers worked at a Yemeni hospital founded by American Baptists. But she also traveled into the most remote areas around the hospital to make house calls for her patients. Her love and commitment earned her both admiration and enemies. One day, a patient of Dr. Myers told her husband that she had never experienced such love and compassion in her life as she did at Dr. Myers’ hospital. That was the wrong thing to say to her husband. Concerned that his wife might be influenced by the doctor’s Christian faith, her husband promptly went to the hospital and gunned down Dr. Myers and two of her colleagues. At the time of her death, Dr. Martha Myers had served the women of Yemen for more than 25 years. The result? Over 40,000 Yemeni people attended Dr. Myers’ funeral. The former president of the Southern Baptist International Mission Board, Jerry Rankin, said, “Martha’s colleagues said the gunman did not take her life. She lost her life to Christ years ago when she trusted him. Martha was not living for herself, but to serve others.” (7) For one moment, I want you to listen to this quote and put your name in it: “She lost her life to Jesus Christ years ago when she trusted him. Martha was not living for herself, but to serve others.” Does that describe your life right now? Is it how people will describe you after you are gone? You and I were made to be Jesus in the world. That means living with a sense of purpose and translating our compassion into action. And if we commit to living this way, then our lives will have an eternal impact too. Resurrection is not just about immortality, but also about new life especially within the community. The message is in how it changes lives and situations. Even in Dorcas story, we never hear about how she is affected. But the story ends by saying that those in mourning, saw the change and not only came to believe themselves, but they brought others to the miracle of resurrection. So let me ask you, how many Dorcas’ do you know. I only know one, and I just remember that she always felt that she had to live up to the reputation of her name. And the only Tabitha that I know is the little girl character in Bewitched. But the good news is that I know countless women with he title Matritea. – female disciple. There are countless women who have been an example for me, who want to make a difference, who are always in service, who opened the doors of life for me and for others. This Mother’s day let us honor those female and male disciples who have made a difference. Just as the resurrection of Dorcas was a bittersweet moment – this day can be bittersweet for so many. Resurrection is always the story of death and life. And yet resurrection shows us how Christ is present with us in the community around us, and the disciples who lead us. Let us pray…. Song Awesome God TFWS 2040 Prayer Help us to move beyond the “sampler” prayer so often found printed on pillows, on wall hangings: "The Lord is my Shepherd." Help us to understand what those words truly mean, O Lord. We can count on you. You are the one who holds our lives, guides our steps, comforts and sustains us. You want for us the lush greenness of verdant pastures and the alluring draw of still waters; yet you know that our lives will not be smooth; there will be rough times. We can count on you, Lord. We can place our trust in you. Help us to feel the power of the Psalmist’s words: "Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me.” Nothing can trouble, nothing can threaten. You are with us. As we reach out in love and service to others, remind us that the work we do in your name, with love and compassion, is an echo of your tender mercy and loving care. Strengthen us and give us enthusiasm to follow the Shepherd all the days of our lives. AMEN. (Nancy C. Townley) Offering Moment for Stewardship (from Psalm 23) Perhaps the most well-known of all 150 Psalms is one you may have memorized as a child. The 23rd Psalm sometimes is a night-time prayer, sometimes recited at funerals, and often is sung in our own time of worship (CH 78 and 79; either of which could be sung during this service, by the congregation, as an offertory, or by the choir). Have you ever thought about this familiar Psalm as a report of what God gives us? Like a shepherd caring for sheep, God gives us abundant nourishment, safe water, and leads us toward peace in life. With God’s leading , we need not fear, knowing God is with us. Our cup overflows! We may not have everything we desire. We may live with challenges and difficulties. But this Psalm speaks to each of us, reminding us we’re followed by goodness and kindness, everywhere we go. What better response could we make to God-the-Giver than to offer back our lives! Offering our time, our abilities, and our finances (which can all work together), becomes a regular and life-long “thank you”. Today, I invite you to be a grateful lamb, filled with all the gifts offered by the Shepherd…and eager to offer more than our words. Let us share our gifts, our tithes and our offerings! Prayer of Thanksgiving Shepherd God, We offer these gifts to you, filled with gratitude for all you offer us. Receive what we’ve presented, and inspire us to use these resources to help create a world in which each person knows abundance, safety, and security. AMEN (Center for Faith and Giving) Announcements Facebook Closing Prayer Let us go forth knowing that we are led by God, that we are sheltered by God, that God never leaves nor forsakes us even in the bleakest valley. In God, may we hunger and thirst no more, and may a peace that surpasses all understanding abide with us, now and forever more. Amen. (Rev. Mia M McClain – UCC Worship Ways) Community Time Benediction Go forth in peace and hope this day, for God is your guardian and guide. Bring news of God’s love to all whom you meet. AMEN. (Nancy C. Townley – Ministry Matters) Childrens Sermon Tell kids: Gifts don’t always come in boxes, especially gifts from God. The gifts God gives are often in the shape of people. He gives us special people, like Moms, to love us and raise us with kindness. (Show kids a gift box with a lid. Place a picture of a Mom in the box.) Do you see this box? Inside it is a gift more valuable than gold and silver. More expensive than jewels or a fast car. No gift is better than this gift. (Open the box and show the picture.) This is my Mom! She’s a nice lady who loves God and taught me all about Him. She is more precious than any gift I have ever received. Additional Illustrations He Knows Our Names There is an old story of a census taker who was making his rounds in the lower East side of New York, who interviewed an Irish woman bending over her washtub. “Lady, I am taking the census. What’s your name? How many children have you?” She replied, “Well, let me see. My name is Mary. And then there’s Marcia, and Duggie, and Amy, and Patrick, and...” “Never mind the names,” he broke in, “just give me the numbers.” She straightened up, hands on hips, and with a twinkle in her eye, said, “I’ll have ye know, sir, we ain’t got into numberin’ them yet. We ain’t run out of names!” The image of God as the Good Shepherd tells us that is the way it is with God. He knows us by name. Donald B. Strobe, Collected Words, www.Sermons.com Numbers. Our lives are filled with numbers. Each year we file our income taxes. Now that's an exercise in numbers to end all numbers games. Pages upon pages of numbers: earned numbers, spent numbers, invested numbers, and saved numbers. When it is finally prepared, we send it off to the Internal Revenue Service with our Social Security number on it. And the IRS takes all those numbers and puts them into a computer, along with the numbers of thousands and thousands of other people. And to them, we become a number. The government knows us by our tax number. The state knows us by our driver's license number. The bank knows us by our account number. And when we retire, we'll be remembered by our Social Security number. And it goes on and on. In fact, sometimes I wonder if anybody knows us at all without a number! And that's why this morning's Gospel reading is so significant, because it tells us that God knows us. He knows us intimately, in fact, better than we know ourselves. And that's important to remember. In spite of the fact that the image of sheep and shepherd is foreign to our experience, the words of the Gospel this morning hearken for us a truth that our human hearts long to hear. The Old Testament writer put it even more clearly when he wrote, "The Lord is my Shepherd, I shall not want." Jesus says it this morning, "My sheep hear my voice and I know them and they follow me, and I give them eternal life." Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company Missionary Herb Schaefer tells about a thirteen-year-old Chinese girl who continued with her family to worship God secretly in their home during the Cultural Revolution in China, that time when religion was forbidden and worship was banned by the Chinese rulers. One evening the Red Guards burst into their small home and threatened them for worshiping Jesus. A small altar with a crude cross stood in one corner of the room. Determined to put a stop to their worship and command complete allegiance to the Communist state, the Red Guard lieutenant demanded they spit on the cross. They refused. The lieutenant became indignant and shouted at them that unless they spat on the cross they would be killed. Finally the elder in the group came forward, spat on the cross and left. One by one they followed, doing the same disgusting thing until only the thirteen-year-old remained. She refused to do what the others had done. "I cannot and I will not," she replied. Then she told the lieutenant the depth of her faith and said that she was willing to die for it. Remarkably the Lieutenant seemed pleased. "This is the kind of devotion we want for the new China: people who will commit themselves so totally that they are willing to die for what they believe." But he wanted that devotion directed toward Chairman Mao. "We will change you," he promised and left. She was spared, but she never saw the rest of her family again. The story doesn't end there, however. For shortly thereafter, that little girl fled to Hong Kong and was taken in. Later she entered the Lutheran seminary there and today she is a pastor of the Hong Kong Lutheran Church, serving the needs of countless souls. She prays for the day when she will be allowed to return to her village and minister to her people there and perhaps even to that Red Guard lieutenant who spared her but murdered her family. She was able to endure, to overcome that tragedy in her life, because she knew the Good Shepherd. Lee Griess, Taking The Risk Out Of Dying, CSS Publishing Company