April '23

April 1

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!

Zechariah 9:9

It is April Fool’s Day, of course, and I wish you fun and laughter today.

With Psalm Sunday tomorrow: I hope to see you in worship at either the 8:30 service, with the choir presenting the cantata “What A Morning” or the 11:00 service led by BASICS. I hope, also, that you can be a part of worship throughout Holy Week. The schedule is included at the end of this email.

I simply want to share with you this reading from Zechariah…

Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your king is coming to you;

righteous and having salvation is he,
Humble and mounted on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
I will cut off the chariot from Ephraim

and the war horse from Jerusalem;
And the battle bow shall be cut off,

and he shall speak peace to the nations;
His rule shall be from sea to sea,

and from the River to the ends of the earth

Zechariah 9:9-10.

PALM SUNDAY

April 2

A blessed Palm Sunday to you, I hope to see you in worship today.

A Palm Sunday service will be posted online

The Prayer of the Day

Everlasting God,

in your endless love for the human race

you sent our Lord Jesus Christ

to take on our nature

and to suffer death on the cross.

In your mercy enable us

to share in his obedience to your will

and in the glorious victory of his resurrection,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen

April 3

The house was filled

with the fragrance of the perfume.

John 12:3b

There are texts assigned for each day in Holy Week.

The Gospel for today is John 12:1-11, the story of Mary anointing Jesus’ feet, perhaps out of gratitude for his raising Lazarus. John tells us that Judas questioned this gift, suggesting the money could have been better spent…

Jesus reply is instructive: “She bought it so that she might keep it for the day of my burial”

I like the insight that criticizing one for doing a good thing, because they should have done a different good thing, might be a fool’s errand.

When Mary performed this extravagant act, she did more than she knew. We don’t know how the little things we do for those around us, bear immense significance in their lives.

I read a nice reflection on the Palm Sunday story. The disciples who went to get the donkey for Jesus were doing the most important thing they could do. This might have seemed overly mundane, other tasks might appear much more noble, but this was of NEEDED in that time and in that place for Jesus to fulfill his mission.

A simple kindness shown to another can bear more significance than we might imagine. How would it animate your Holy Week, if you saw that every kindness you show this week, is an extending of God’s love for the world, the love we see in all we commemorate in Holy Week?

Blessings to you, Pastor Phil

Prayer of the Day

O God, your Son chose the path that led to pain before joy and to the cross before glory. Plant his cross in our hearts, so that in its power and love we may come at last to joy and glory, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit one God, now and forever. Amen

April 4

“Sir, we wish to see Jesus.”

John 12:21

The Gospel for today is John 12:20-36

Gold Hill Lutheran Church in Butte, Montana, has a bible verse carved into the pulpit. There on the place where a preacher might set his or her sermon manuscript John 12:21 is carved into the wood: “We Wish to See Jesus”

I’ve heard it said that Martin Luther contended that in the sermon, when Jesus is proclaimed, then he is walking around the room by the work of the Holy Spirit.

While later this week we sing “Were You There”, in reality, the remarkable gift of the Gospel is not that we are transported back in time, to be there when Jesus gave his life for the world. The great gift is that Jesus is here, bearing God’s creative and redeeming love to all the world.

Peace, Pastor Phil

Prayer of the Day

Lord Jesus, you have called us to follow you. Grant that our love may not grow cold in your service, and that we may not fail or deny you in the time of trial, for you live and reign with the Father and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

April 5

“Jesus was troubled in spirit…”

John 13:21

The Gospel for today is John 13:21-32. This sad passage begins:

“Jesus was troubled in spirit, and declared, ‘Very truly, I tell you, one of you will betray me.’”

The passion reading from the Gospel of Matthew concluded our worship service on Sunday. When Jesus tells the Disciples that one of them will betray him, we hear: “And they became greatly distressed and began to say to him one after another, ‘Surely not I, Lord?’” Matthew 26:22

I sometimes think we would be wise to adopt the humility of the Disciples. Perhaps we should join them and ask Jesus; “Surely not I?”

The answer to that question might help us to turn to Christ for forgiveness, to exercise forgiveness toward those around us, and to increase our efforts to feed the hungry, help the lost and serve God’s world.

Peace, Pastor Phil

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God, your Son our Savior suffered at human hands and endured the shame of the cross. Grant that we may walk in the way of his cross and find it the way of life and peace, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen

Maundy Thursday

April 6

“I give you a new commandment,

that you love one another.

Just as I have loved you,

you also should love one another.”

John 13:34

Maundy Thursday. The name Maundy comes from “mandate.” The new commandment. The real power of this command lies in Jesus grounding his call to love in this: “Just as I have loved you…”

As we gather together to remember and re-visit “the night in which he was betrayed” - let us listen passionately for Christ’s call.

Love one another.

Love.

One.

Another.

As I have loved you…

The Prayer of the day

Holy God, source of all love, on the night of his betrayal, Jesus gave his disciples a new commandment: To love one another as he had loved them.

By your Holy Spirit write this commandment in our hearts; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit. Amen

Good Friday

April 7

When Jesus had received the wine,

he said,

“It is finished.”

Then he bowed his head

and gave up his spirit.

John 19:30

Throughout the history of the Church, we have sought to make sense of the cross. Many theories have been proposed to explain how God has used the cross to make us God’s own. Theories may help give some measure of understanding, but generally, they leave one cold.

It is God’s love for you - a love that will venture into the very depths of suffering and death - that restores you to relationship with the God who created you, loves you and redeems you.

No theory will do.

And so, listen to the story. Or maybe we should capitalize it: “The Story.”

The Story of God entering our humanity in the person of Jesus.

The Story of Jesus, entering fully into our world and our lives.

The Story of Jesus venturing into death itself - in order to conquer death, in order to give birth to a new humanity, in order to set you free to live out God’s reign of love and forgiveness on earth.

No theory can touch that.

Only Jesus will do.

“It is finished.”

Death once again, has done it worst. . .

We know the rest of The Story, though, and this finish will give birth to resurrection life!

Prayer of the Day

Almighty God, look with loving mercy on your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, to be given over to the hands of sinners, and to suffer death on the cross; who now lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and forever. Amen

Holy Saturday

April 8

So they went with the guard and

made the tomb secure by

sealing the stone.

Matthew 27:66

Until recently, I had overlooked Easter Saturday. However, in this time between the cross and the resurrection, we might want to consider this time when - as Luther’s hymn says it - “Christ Jesus lay in death’s strong bands…” (Hymn #370 in the ELW.)

What might it mean to us that Jesus, as God incarnate, has spent that liminal time in the tomb? It is instructive to consider that we live much of our lives in Holy Saturday, betwixt and between.

In Jesus, God has entered all the between times of your life, and God assures you that, between loss and hope, God is with you bearing love and forgiveness and healing and life and resurrection for you and for all the world.

I liked this reflection on Holy Saturday by Dr. Christine Valters Paintner, a spiritual writer and teacher…

“For me, Holy Saturday

evokes much about the human condition —

…The suffering that we experience

because of pain or grief or great sorrow

and we don't know if we will ever grasp joy again.

Much of our lives rest

in that space between loss and hope.

Our lives are full of Holy Saturday experiences.”

Christine Valters Paintner

Blessings to you this Holy Saturday- Easter Vigil Service - 7:00 p.m.

The Prayer of the Day

O God, you are the creator of the world, the liberator of your people, and the wisdom of the earth. By the resurrection of your Son free us from our fears, restore us in your image, and ignite us with your light, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

EXTRA EMAIL…

The Easter Vigil service begins with an ancient Easter litany and procession, this is followed by the rich and age-old Easter Proclamation, which begins

. . . “This is the night, in which, in ancient times, you delivered your forebears, the children of Israel, from the land of Egypt. . . . This is the night in which all who believe in Christ are rescued from evil and the gloom of sin, are renewed in grace, and are restored to holiness. This is the night in which, breaking the chains of death, Christ arises from hell in triumph.”

Indeed, this is the night. The night which is the source of our resurrection hope, and our new life in God’s grace. This is the night that defines our existence, and from whence we live into God’s world as bearers of hope and love, life and forgiveness, healing and grace. This is the night!

I hope to see you in worship tomorrow!

Easter Festival

Alleluia! Christ is risen!

He is risen indeed! Alleluia!

Worship at 8:30 and 11 today.

The service will be posted online

The Prayer of the Day

O God,

you gave your only Son

to suffer death on the cross for our redemption,

and by his glorious resurrection you delivered us

from the power of death.

Make us die every day to sin,

that we may live with him forever

in the joy of the resurrection,

through your Son,

Jesus Christ our Lord,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever.

Amen.

April 10

Easter Monday

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead…

I Peter 1:3

A Prayer for Easter Monday

Almighty God, you give us the joy of celebrating our Lord's resurrection. Give us also the joys of life in your service, and bring us at last to the full joy of life eternal, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

In early Orthodox Churches, they gathered on Easter Monday to tell jokes and stories. I’ve shared this before from the web:

“This was a time of celebrating the big joke that God pulled on Satan. It is known as Bright Monday, Dyngus Day, and Emmaus Day in various countries. Wherever it is celebrated, by whatever name; it is characterized by joking around, singing, dancing, and merry-making.”

He is risen! He is risen indeed!

This is the greatest reason there is for “merry-making.”

And so, have a great day, a Blessed Easter as well! Pastor Phil

In the Spirit of Easter joy, here’s a dumb joke for you…

John Galbreath (1897–1988) owned the Pittsburgh Pirates baseball team.

He liked to tell the story of “Tex” who who entered a horse in the Epsom Derby, the most famous race in England…

Tex cut quite a figure with his fancy boots and 10-gallon hat, but the head racing steward, Lord Donamore, was suspicious of him and followed him to the paddock where he saw him take a small white pellet from his pocket and give it to his horse.

Lord Donamore walked up to him and said: “I say there, good man. this is the Darby. We will not tolerate such an act on these grounds.”

Tex replied: "Shucks, Lord Donamore, I just gave my horse a little ol’ sugar pill”Whereupon he popped one into his mouth and offered one to the steward.

Lord Donamore took one and was satisfied that it was harmless.

Tex then led his horse aside and told the jockey, "I want you to keep the horse on the outside, away from trouble. When you come into the stretch, bring him to the rail and let him run. Nobody's going to pass you - unless it’s Lord Donamore or myself.”

April 11

And suddenly there was a great earthquake;

for an angel of the Lord,

descending from heaven,

came and rolled back the stone and sat on it.

Matthew 28:2

I know yesterday was the day for jokes, but I like this one too…

What did one shark say to the other while eating a clownfish?

“This tastes funny.”

(If I were a better person, I would apologize for this!)

The Gospel promise of the resurrection is the greatest reason for laughter and joy, and so a few jokes are fitting in this season.

May Easter joy color your day today and throughout this Easter season.

Rejoice! Pastor Phil

April 12

So it is with the resurrection of the dead.

What is sown is perishable, what is raised is imperishable.

I Corinthians 15:42

I like this quote from Rachel Held Evans, and when I ran across it again a few weeks ago, I set it aside for this week. It is from her book: “Searching for Sunday.” From what I have read by her, I think I should look to see what else she has to offer:

“This book is entitled Searching for Sunday,

but it’s less about searching for a Sunday church and more about searching for Sunday resurrection.

It’s about all the strange ways God brings dead things back to life again.

It’s about giving up and starting over again.

It’s about why, even on days when I suspect all this talk of Jesus and resurrection and life everlasting is a bunch of bunk

designed to coddle us through an essentially meaningless existence,

I should still like to be buried with my feet facing the rising sun.

Just in case.”

Rachel Held Evans

Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil

April 13

Indeed, the word of God is living and active,

sharper than any two-edged sword…

Hebrews 4:12a

Here is another quote from Rachel Held Evans.

“What I love about the Bible is the story isn’t over.

There are still prophets in our midst. There are still dragons and beasts.

It might not look like it, but the Resistance is winning.

The light is breaking through.”

Rachel Held Evans

Indeed, the story isn’t over, and the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it…

May your light shine today, Pastor Phil

April 14

Yesterday I shared a quote from Rachel Held Evans about the Bible. Here is another that makes me smile:

“I have come to regard with some suspicion

those who claim that the Bible never troubles them.

I can only assume this means they haven’t actually read it.”

― Rachel Held Evans

Some want to make Jesus into someone who solves all your problems and makes everything wonderful. Some want the Bible to be a book of answers that settle every question, and provide all the instructions you need for life.

The Bible is not an recipe book for life. It is the story of God’s creating you, losing you, pursuing you, redeeming you, calling you and sending you.

Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil

April 15

Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”

John 20:29

Tomorrow in worship we hear the story of Thomas. While he is often called “Doubting Thomas” - many of us consider him a great blessing, and find the story of his faith in the midst of doubt to be a great gift and comfort.

Here is a prayer grounded in tomorrow’s Gospel reading.

Mighty God,

in whom we know the power of redemption,

you stand among us in the shadows of our time.

As we move through every sorrow and trial of this life,

uphold us with knowledge of the final morning

when, in the glorious presence of your risen Son,

we will share in his resurrection,

redeemed and restored to the fullness of life

and forever freed to be your people. Amen.

Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress. Used by permission.

2nd Sunday of Easter

April 16

Worship today at 8:30 and 11:00 - I hope to see you here.

The service will be posted online.

The Prayer of the Day

Almighty and eternal God,

the strength of those who believe and the hope of those who doubt,

may we, who have not seen, have faith in you

and receive the fullness of Christ’s blessing,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

Amen.

April 17

“Let the floods clap their hands;

let the hills sing together for joy”

Psalm 98:8

I like the Offering Prayer we used in worship yesterday:

Everlasting God,

the whole universe sings a new song of praise:

the rivers clap their hands, the hills ring out for joy.

As you have raised us to new life in Christ,

give us voices ready to cry out for justice

and proclaim resurrection joy wherever your Spirit leads us.

In Jesus' name we boldly pray.

Amen.

It seems that much of this prayer could be the lyrics to a song. As the saying goes, “whoever sings, prays twice.”

May you join in the “new song of praise” Easter ushers in for the universe.

Blessings to you this week, Pastor Phil

April 18

When it was evening on that day,

the first day of the week [Easter]…

Jesus came and stood among them and said,

“Peace be with you.”

After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side.

Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord.

John 20

The disciples, John tells us, recognized Jesus when they saw the wounds from his crucifixion. First Peter understood the wounds of Christ to be a source of healing. This is a challenging and thought provoking reflection on Jesus’ wounds.

"These wounds are there for all ages and all time,

to reveal the humble and forgiving love of Jesus

who accepted to go to the utter end of love.

The risen Jesus does not appear as the powerful one,

but as the wounded and forgiving one.

These wounds become his glory." Jean Vanier

Easter Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil

April 19

While they were talking and discussing,

Jesus himself came near and went with them,

but their eyes were kept from recognizing him.

Luke 24:15-16

The Gospel reading this coming Sunday is the story of the Road to Emmaus. As in many of the resurrection encounters, the Disciples do not recognize the risen Jesus at first.

We hosted a ministerial meeting yesterday, and I shared an Easter quote with them. It is from a book on ministry in inner city contexts, titled: “Geography of Grace, Doing Theology from Below”

I like how the authors suggest that the pattern of the Disciples not recognizing the risen Lord might be more common than we would think...

Seeing things as they actually are usually takes time.

How else are we to explain the fact that no one

- no one! -

noticed the resurrected Jesus at first sight?

Seeing the resurrection requires a second look, another glance.

It takes a while for our eyes to adjust to the light of the resurrection,

and then all of life looks radically different…

Seeing God’s “new thing”

is about seeing an old thing in a new way through a new lens.

Such is the miracle of Gospel sight -

to see what has always been there

in such a radically new way that it becomes a new thing.

This is always a work of grace,

and we can only handle so much of it at once.

- Kris Rocke and Joel Van Dyke

Peace to you, Pastor Phil

April 20

“…And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”

Matthew 28:20

I liked this reflection on the resurrection by preacher, David Bartlett…

“Easter is not a time to dwell on the past,

even if it is a holy past;

Easter is a time for us to be renewed for service

and a time for us to consider the ways that our risen Lord

leads us into today’s responsibilities

and tomorrow’s promises.”

David Bartlett "Jesus Ahead of Us, Not Behind" Christian Century 1991

Easter blessings to you this day, Pastor Phil

April 21

In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth…

Genesis 1:1

Tomorrow is Earth Day.

I set this aside years ago. I find it a delightful vision of God’s creative activity, and a winsome vision of God.

Because children have abounding vitality,

because they are in spirit fierce and free,

therefore they want things repeated and unchanged.

They always say, “Do it again”;

and the grown-up person does it again until he is nearly dead.

For grown-up people are not strong enough to exult in monotony.

But perhaps God is strong enough to exult in monotony.

It is possible that God says every morning, “Do it again” to the sun;

and every evening, “Do it again” to the moon.

It may not be automatic necessity that makes all daisies alike;

it may be that God makes every daisy separately,

but has never got tired of making them.

It may be that he has the eternal appetite of infancy;

for we have sinned and grown old,

and our Father is younger than we.

G.K. Chesterton

I think of taking our children to the park, and playing on the swings. They would delight in swinging and swinging and swinging. I would eventually tire of the play, and tell them “five more minutes.” Had I not set a time, we might still be there.

I find this vision of God creating each and every daisy in a separate decision to make them each alike to be wonderful.

I hope God invites the sun to rise again this morning, and that you rise to thank God for all of the good gifts that have been poured out for you.

Peace to you, Pastor Phil

April 22

In the beginning

God created the heavens and the earth…

Genesis 1:1

I have shared this before for Earth Day. It is a line that I have often seen attributed to Martin Luther, but I am not certain it is an exact quote. (I found one reference that located this in a compendium of Luther quotes published in 1869. Ha!) I suspect it is close to something he may have written in a commentary on Genesis...

"Our Lord has written the promise of the resurrection,

not in books alone, but in every leaf in springtime."

Martin Luther

While some people suggest that there are biblical roots to attitudes towards the environment that fuel destructive habits; an ethic of care for creation is grounded biblically as well. In verse 28 of Genesis 1 we read: “…and God said to them, ‘Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth and subdue it; and have dominion over… every living thing that moves upon the earth.’”

The “dominion” God calls for might well be a domination, that is true. But there are many who see something quite different than domination. They see a caring stewardship of God’s creation.

Blessings to you this Earth Day, may we join together in loving care for this earth God has created and put under our stewardship! Pastor Phil

3rd Sunday of Easter

April 23

I hope to see you in worship today at 8:30 or 11:00

The service will be posted online.

The Prayer of the Day

O God, your Son makes himself known

to all his disciples in the breaking of bread.

Open the eyes of our faith,

that we may see him in his redeeming work,

who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit,

one God, now and forever. Amen

April 24

O come, let us sing to the LORD;

let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!

Psalm 95:1

Sunday we sang the hymn; “All Creatures, Worship God Most High!”

It is a well known tune - there are 4 hymns in the ELW with this tune, among them the Easter hymn, “Now All the Vault of Heaven Resounds.”

I love the words to this stanza, and as we sang, I decided to post it as our devotion for today. The words are from Saint Francis of Assisi.

Pax, Pastor Phil

All who for love of God forgive,

all who in pain or sorrow grieve:

Alleluia! Alleluia!

Christ bears your burdens and your fears;

still make your song amid the tears:

Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia, Alleluia!

ELW #835

April 25

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ!

By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope

through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead..

I Peter 1:3

As we continue with the season of Easter, I thought I would share this Easter quote by Rev. Dr. David L. Bartlett (1941-2017).

I like this reflection on how resurrection faith calls us to bear God's Easter hope into the future with responsibilities shaped by the love of Jesus.

Easter is not a time to dwell on the past,

even if it is a holy past;

Easter is a time for us to be renewed for service

and a time for us to consider the ways

that our risen Lord leads us

into today's responsibilities and tomorrow's promises.

Rev. Dr. David Bartlett

Blessings to you, Pastor Phil

April 26

But on the first day of the week, at early dawn, they came to the tomb,

taking the spices that they had prepared.

They found the stone rolled away from the tomb,

but when they went in, they did not find the body.

Luke 24:1-2

I think often about the time I had an argument with my Confirmation class.

I had asked them, which is the most important holy day for the Church?

Their answer? “Christmas!”

I’m not sure I convinced them that Easter is our greatest holiday.

One of their points was that we make a bigger deal out of Christmas than Easter. The 5 weeks of Lent and midweek worship, along with Holy Week services, didn’t make up for all we do in December… the Christmas program, the Christmas tree, parties and concerts and shopping and gifts and Christmas cookies as well as a great part of the culture joining us in celebrating Christmas…

That argument comes to mind for me, because the kids had a point. Unlike Christmas, Easter is hard to picture. The creche at our homes, with stable and the Holy Family, with angels and shepherds and more, gives us a vision of the whole scene.

It is rather difficult to create a memorial of the emptiness of the tomb.

And yet! All is transformed by Easter, and each and every week we rejoice in the myriad gifts God has for us in the emptiness that the women found that first Easter morn…

Here is a nice line by 19th century preacher Phillips Brooks:

The great Easter truth

is not that we are to live newly after death,

but that we are to be new here and now

by the power of the resurrection.

- Phillips Brooks, 1835- 1893

Blessings to you today, Pastor Phil

April 27

Teach me to do your will, for you are my God.

Let your good spirit lead me on a level path.

Psalm 143:10

When I served a congregation in the Saint Paul Area Synod, the bishop often quoted this line by Methodist missionary E. Stanley Jones; “Every person who belongs to Christ, belong to every person who belongs to Christ.”

I’ve carried that with me for all these years, and I wonder if we might well be able to spend a great deal of time naming the myriad locations of that belonging. We certainly belong to one another in worship. We also belong to one another when we grieve, when we celebrate, when a little one arrives, when a beloved one dies… Paul touches on this in Romans 12 when he says:“Rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep.”

I sometimes think this is among the greatest gifts of the Church, our shared journeys, and the ways we support one another in challenging times and days of celebration. I hope to see you in Church!

God’s blessings to you this day, Pastor Phil

April 28

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

Psalm 23

I like this prayer by Thomas Merton, from his book, “Thoughts in Solitude.”

It seems a fitting prayer for a Friday in the springtime.

Peace to you this coming weekend! Pastor Phil

A Prayer of Unknowing

My Lord God, I have no idea where I am going.

I do not see the road ahead of me.

I cannot know for certain where it will end.

Nor do I really know myself,

and the fact that I think that I am following your will

does not mean that I am actually doing so.

But I believe that the desire to please you

does in fact please you.

And I hope I have that desire in all that I am doing.

I hope that I will never do anything apart from that desire.

And I know that if I do this you will lead me by the right road,

though I may know nothing about it.

Therefore will I trust you always,

though I may seem to be lost and in the shadow of death.

I will not fear,

for you are ever with me,

and you will never leave me to face my perils alone.

- Thomas Merton

April 29

“The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…”

Psalm 23

Tomorrow is Good Shepherd Sunday. Each year on the 4th Sunday of Easter, we hear from Psalm 23, and the 10th chapter of the Gospel of John, where Jesus proclaims that he is the Good Shepherd…

Here is a prayer for tomorrow…

THE GOSPEL
John 10:1-10

He walks ahead of them and the sheep follow him,
because they recognize his voice.

The
shepherd
knows his sheep.
And the sheep know him.
He calls each of them by name.

O Christ,
we cry out for you to shepherd us right now.
We long to hear you call our names, to
listen to your gentle voice,
and follow you out of
this violent world
to a safe
place.

Please,
walk ahead of us and we will follow.
Let us offer to one another
your abounding life
and love.

As Jesus leads us “out of this violent world to a safe place” we note that this is the same one who called us to take up our cross and follow. So as Jesus leads us to safety, he also compels us to venture again into the perils of this world, and bear God’s creative and redeeming love to all.

Peace, Pastor Phil

4th Sunday of Easter

Good Shepherd Sunday

April 30

I hope to see you at worship today at 8:30 and 11:00

Worship will be posted online.

The Prayer of the Day

O God our shepherd, you know your sheep by name and lead us to safety through the valleys of death. Guide us by your voice, that we may walk in certainty and security to the joyous feast prepared in your house, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.