Call to Worship
Come, let us sing a new song to our God.
Make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Let us enter God’s presence with thanksgiving.
Make a joyful noise with songs of praise!
Prayer of God’s People
Merciful God, it is your amazing grace that we have been saved from our own wrongdoings and shortcomings. We give thanks for the wonderful gift of our Lord, Jesus Christ who died so that we may have new life. And every time, we allow ourselves to go astray from your pathways, glorifying the gods of owning more, caring less, and relying only on our own efforts, you don’t give up on us. You call us back and declare again that we are your people and you are our God. Thank you God for your never-ending redeeming power on earth.
Dear Father, you care over us like a mother hen over her chicks. As children in your big family, we need your constant care and attention in order to grow in faith and vision. Be patient with us when we seem to not learn our lessons the first time around. Grant us a second chance so that we might learn that your love in Christ lasts a lifetime. We pray this morning still thinking and praying for Ed Chan and his whole family as they find time to mourn over Helen’s passing. Bless them with your love and encouragement that Helen is with you and that her spirit of kindness and caring continues to live on through them as well as in each of us.
Be with Lujuan Norris as she continues to struggle each day with cancer. Make your presence known to John Wong as he and his family wait and seek for answers. Help Elsa Ng’s brother Andy to know that there are many who love him and are committed to him. Strengthen our own faith that when all tries have failed and disappointed us, your guidance and healing power are still there. Let us continue to pray believing that our prayers are heard. Give strength and grace to Aprielle Chan as she makes continued good progress in her physical therapy.
O God, touch our lives too. When life’s demands at work, at home, in our communities, and dear God, even at church, overwhelm us and we don’t know what’s up and what’s down, slow us down. Help us to celebrate the Sabbath day to receive the refreshing and re-creating impact of life’s seasons of renewal. As we approach the coming of springtime and the jubilation of Easter, call us to renewal of both body and spirit.
We pray for the 45 Care Partners who have made sacrificial commitments to serve your people through the acts of caring. Instill upon them the identity of “love with skin on it” so that they may represent the love of Christ in both word and deed. Fill us with your Spirit that we may live your truth, share the story of Jesus, and lead others into discipleship, that your plan may be realized among us. In the name of Jesus Christ that we pray together… Our Father…
Communion Service
We offer to you, O God, this bread and wine, to be set apart for the remembrance of the passion of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. We present to you these gifts, thanking you for the strength and skill to do our daily work. Together with them, we offer ourselves, asking you to strengthen us, that all of our work may be your service, all our meals a thankful remembrance of your blessing on us. May we be a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to you; through Jesus Christ our Lord.
Bread
Prayer
Gracious God, in whom we live and move and have our being, we lift our hearts and offer thanks to you for the wonders of the world about us, for humankind and the richness of love, for each new day of forgiveness and grace.
Cup
Prayer
We thank you, O God for his victory on the cross.
We thank you, O God for the hope that comes through his resurrection.
We thank you, O God for the promise that in him all things shall be made new. Amen.
Benediction
The peace of God goes with us and dwells with us.
By God’s grace, we share in the hope of glory.
Go, therefore, to tell your friends and neighbors.
God has done great things for us. Amen.