Easter Sunday – April 4, 2021.
Thank you for worshipping with us at Calvary Moravian Church. To support our ministries, you can mail the office a check (948 N. 21st St. Allentown 18104). An online giving portal is at: https://mmfa.info/calvary-moravian-church-pa-donation-form/
Every Sunday morning, continue to use this Zoom address at 10 a.m. for Sunday school check-in and 10:45 a.m. for worship.
https://zoom.us/j/673028163, Meeting ID: 673 028 163
You can call this number and listen to the service on any telephone as well:
(929) 205-6099 (enter 673028163#).
Coming up in April: We remain virtual throughout the month of April. Stay tuned for future planning soon.
Please consider taking our brief survey to help us determine the format for worship in May.
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/C8597JF
April 18: Third Sunday of Easter, Celebration of the Resurrection with Holy Communion, Luke 24:36-48
April 25: Fourth Sunday of Easter, Celebrating God’s Creation, Warren Gericke will share with us about his journey into beekeeping as an act of stewardship for creation.
Worship – Sunday, April 11, 2021.
Welcome and Announcements
Call to Worship: Mark 1:1
Hymn 362. Christ is Alive!
Christ is alive! Let Christians sing. The cross stands empty to the sky.
Let streets and homes with praises ring. Love, drowned in death, shall never die.
Christ is alive! No longer bound, to distant years in Palestine,
but saving, healing, here and now, and touching every place and time.
In every insult, rift and war, where color, scorn or wealth divide,
Christ suffers still, yet loves the more, and lives, where even hope has died.
Women and men, in age and youth, can feel the Spirit, hear the call,
and find the way, the life, the truth, revealed in Jesus, freed for all.
Christ is alive, and comes to bring, good news to this and every age,
till earth and sky and ocean ring, with joy, with justice, love and praise.
Scripture Acts 4 (summary)
Prayers of the People
Prayers of the Good News – “The Kingdom of God Feels Like . . . “
(Used with permission from Sanctified Art, by Sarah Are, all rights reserved)
For today’s prayer of confession, we will pray with our whole selves—mind, body, heart,
and soul.
Let us pray:
Jesus of Nazareth walked this earth seeing and giving to those in need—the Samaritan
woman, the child, the blind man, the Pharisee—yet too often we close our eyes, allowing
fear or prejudice to hold us back.
If you have ever ignored someone who was in need, please close your eyes.
Jesus modeled a life of grace, whispering from the cross, “Father, forgive them, for they
know not what they do.” Even with his example, we struggle to live lives of grace, often
speaking words of hostility and shame over forgiveness or patience.
If you have ever dealt harshly with someone, embracing hostility instead of peace, or
shame instead of grace, please clench your fists.
Jesus gave thanks before breaking bread, modeling a life of gratitude before consumption.
However, we easily find ourselves in entitled mindsets and habits, taking this earth and
God’s creation for granted, consuming before caring.
If you have ever chosen consumption without gratitude, or comfort over care, please
cross your arms.
Jesus said from the cross, “Behold your son; behold your mother.” It was a reminder that
we belong together, as all of us are made in God’s good image. However, too often we
forget that we are worthy of belonging, denying God’s image in ourselves or others.
If you have ever been ashamed of who you are, or have denied the divine image in
another, bow your head.
Friends, this is what sin feels like—being cut off from others, closed off from the world, left
in the dark, alone and disconnected from God. However, God knows us and loves us. Like a
mother with her children, God will not abandon us!
Thus, if you have ever seen someone in need and responded with care, open your eyes.
If you have ever seen God in another, or trusted God’s promise that you are worthy of
love, lift your head.
If you have ever chosen forgiveness and grace over hatred and hostility,
unclench your fists.
And if you have ever chosen gratitude over entitlement, or willingly made a sacrifice
for the care of God’s creation,
uncross your arms now.
If your eyes are still closed, open them.
If your head is still bowed, raise it.
If your fists are still clenched, release them.
If your arms are still crossed, uncross them,
for God’s grace is for all of us no matter who we are or what we’ve done or left undone.
Friends, hear and believe the good news of the gospel: this is what the kingdom of God
feels like—eyes open, heads up, connected and united in grace.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God!
Hymn pg. 160. “Good News is Ours to Tell!”
Good News is ours to tell!
Let no one fail to hear!
God gives us life; God conquers death!
What’s left for us to fear?
Special Message. “Good News: A Virtual Easter Pageant”
Purchased and used with permission from the Illustrated Ministry, all rights reserved.
Hymn 793. “I Serve a Risen Savior” (He Lives).
I serve a risen Savior, He’s in the world today.
I know that He is living, Whatever others may say.
I see His hand of mercy; I hear His voice of cheer;
And just the time I need Him, He’s always near.
Chorus: He lives, He lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, He lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know He lives? He lives within my heart.
In all the world around me, I see His loving care,
And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair;
I know that He is leading, Through all the stormy blast;
The day of His appearing, Will come at last.
Rejoice, rejoice, O Christian, Lift up your voice and sing
Eternal hallelujahs to Jesus Christ the King!
The Hope of all who seek Him, the Help of all who find,
None other is so loving, so good and kind.
Benediction.
Calvary Moravian Church 