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Sunday, April 26 | Third Sunday of Easter

we’re glad you can join us for worship!

This worship guide is meant to be a companion to the Livestream service. You can join us live at 11am on Sunday morning, or watch the recorded service later, following along with the words to hymns, etc. in a separate window or on your phone, or print this guide out if you like!

PRELUDE: Judy Fiske

CALL TO WORSHIP: “We have not seen…and we believe” (Joseph T. Nolan)

We believe in God whom we do not see because of Jesus who was seen and people who live by His Spirit.
We believe in God whom we do not see because of truth and beauty, love, goodness, and integrity, which make the divine a part of human life.
We believe in a heaven we have not seen because love is stronger that death and all our hopes cannot find fulfillment in this life.
We believe in the Spirit we cannot see because we see the Creator Spirit at work in our lives and hear the Spirit’s voice in our silence.
We believe in the earth and its people in spite of the evil we see because we have shared their goodness.
We believe in a providence we do not always see because God made us, and here we are, with ten billion years behind us.
We believe in the resurrection in spite of the death we see because we have been raised up many times, and passed from death to life.
We believe in God whom we do not see because of the One who said, “He who sees me sees the Father.”
We have seen him in our humanity, in His risen body, and we believe.


HYMN #606: “Lord, I Lift Your Name on High”

Lord, I lift Your name on high,
Lord, I love to sing Your praises
I’m so glad Your’re in my life,
I’m so glad You came to save us!
You came from heaven to earth to show the way;
from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay.
From the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky,
Lord, I lift Your name on high.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by Thy Name.Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in Heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory forever. Amen.

Gospel Reading: John 20:19-29

SOLO: Anna Tuckwiller, ““I Never Leave Your Hands” by JJ Heller


HYMN #196: “Alleluia No. 1”

Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to His name.

V.1:  Jesus is Lord of all the earth. He is the King of creation.

Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to His name.

V. 2: Spread the good news o’er all the earth; Jesus has died and has risen.

Chorus: Alleluia, alleluia! Give thanks to the risen Lord.
Alleluia, alleluia! Give praise to His name.

DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow,
praise Him all creatures here below,
praise Him above ye heavenly hosts,
praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost.
Amen.

We hope you’ll join us this afternoon at 2PM for our quarterly Church-Wide Business Meeting! Members and visitors are welcome; this is a key opportunity to participate in the life of our church. This will be one of the more unique business meetings we’ve had over the last 130+ years, but we look forward to praying together, celebrating the ways God is at work among us, and offering updates on our financial status and other operations of the church. We encourage you to read through the written reports before the meeting.

We also have a need for members to vote before 5PM today on a decision about whether or not to accept funding from the CARES Act Paycheck Protection Program in order to help with payroll expenses for our Childcare Center Ministry and church staff. Additional information and instructions for voting are available in video and audio formats, as well as a written Q&A, here.


Whether you’ve been coming to Tabernacle for years, or just started worshiping with us online recently, we are glad you’re here, and invite you to participate in other opportunities for fellowship and discipleship as well! There are several new groups starting up or starting new studies, and our Community Ministry is actively serving neighbors on a weekly basis. The Soul Care Project is a new digital series that started this week. It will offer a weekly theme promoting practices to help us care for our souls by connection with ourselves, God, and the world. We encourage you to listen to this week’s podcast and interact with the resources available on our Facebook and Instagram feeds.

MEMBER ACTION REQUIRED: THIS WEEK’S VOTE ON RECEIVING FUNDS FROM THE PAYCHECK PROTECTION PROGRAM.

Member Action Required. from Sterling W. Severns on Vimeo.

This video features Kristen O’Sullivan, Director of our Child Care Center Ministry, and Terry McMahon, Chair of our Administrative Board. They offer timely and specific information on this week’s vote on church approval of receiving funds from the Paycheck Protection Program. 

We have no idea when to expect a call from the bank to secure the $212,900 grant/loan. However, when the call comes we need to be ready. If we miss our window, we may not have access to the funds anytime in the foreseeable future. Thus, we need to break our usual protocol in providing two weeks notice prior to this type of vote. The grant/loan effectively becomes “forgivable” as long as we abide by the specific guidelines. It will make a significant/positive impact on life and ministry in the church. The Administrative Board unanimously recommends that we proceed with securing the grant/loan.

CLICK HERE FOR INFORMATION ON HOW TO VOTE and the Q&A Sheet.

Please help us spread the word, church members can vote anytime BETWEEN the bookends of Thursday, April 23 through 5:00 PM on Sunday, April 26.

We’re in this together!

Soul Care Week One: Becoming Present

The best preparation 

for a life of prayer

is simply to become

more intensely human


-Kenneth Leech

The practice of presence is about paying attention, waking up to the world around us. Each day this week we will post meditations, images, poetry and activities inviting us to become present–in our surroundings, with our deepest selves, and with the Spirit of God.

Pray As You Go: Breath Prayers

Breath prayers are brief prayers found in scripture that we can offer in any moment, using the inhale and exhale of our breath. They are a link that help us stay connected to God’s presence within us, and within the world. Below are some examples of prayers, but there are limitless possibilities if there is a particular Scripture you wish to pray. Each of these prayers follows the rhythm of the breath, the first line being offered on the inhale and the second line being offered with the exhale.

When I am afraid,
I will trust in you.

The Lord is my Shepherd,
I shall not want.



Be still,
and know.

Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.

(this is a form of the Jesus prayer)

Family Activity: BLOWING BUBBLES

Rainbow bubbles, bouncing bubbles, big bubbles, and small bubbles — bubble blowing can be  fun family activity as the weather gets warmer. This practice brings awareness to your breath and your child’s breath as they blow out bubbles. “Listen to your breath” is a gentle way to focus attention on Practicing the Presence.

Communion

Partaking in Communion this Sunday.

We will partake of communion each Sunday during this Easter Season.

The diversity of our unique theological heritages is one of our God’s greatest gifts at Tabernacle. One of markers of the gift is our diverse convictions about the Lord’s Supper. We believe that Jesus opens the table to everyone. That said, we also believe that each person should remain true to their convictions.  Some of us were raised in traditions that believe communion should only be received after someone has been baptized or confirmed, while others were raised to believe that no specific criteria is required for participation. There is a wide assortment of beliefs about the symbolism and meaning of communion.


We are a priesthood of all believers, an eclectic and beautiful circle of Jesus followers. We celebrate our differences. We make space for people to grow in their understanding of theology while also honoring the places we’ve come from. 


We want you to know that it’s okay for you, or your loved ones, to partake of the elements if you feel that it is appropriate.

Easter Ritual

We gather in quiet. Sunlight streams into the darkness as doors are opened. The very candle we extinguished on Good Friday enters the room. The candle is passed throughout the Sanctuary until it is finally placed amid a wreath of flowers. 

We light the candle and proclaim, “He is Risen”!

….and the celebration begins.