Sunday Service Bulletin
April 28th
“Sure, everything is ending," Jules said, "but not yet.”
Jennifer Egan
A Visit from the Goon Squad
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“He walked out in the gray light and stood and he saw for a brief moment the absolute truth of the world. The cold relentless circling of the intestate earth. Darkness implacable. The blind dogs of the sun in their running. The crushing black vacuum of the universe. And somewhere two hunted animals trembling like ground-foxes in their cover. Borrowed time and borrowed world and borrowed eyes with which to sorrow it.”
Cormac McCarthy
The Road
Isaiah 12
Leader
Surely God is my salvation; I will trust, and will not be afraid.
All
For the Lord God is my strength and my song; he has become my salvation.
Leader
Sing praises to the Lord, for he has done glorious things; let this be known in all the earth.
All
Shout aloud and sing for joy, people of God, for great in your midst is the Holy One of Israel.
GRAVES INTO GARDENS
I searched the world
But it couldn’t fill me
Man’s empty praise
and treasures that fade
Are never enough
Then You came along
And put me back together
And every desire is now satisfied
Here in Your love
Oh there’s nothing better than You
There’s nothing better than You
Lord there’s nothing, nothing is better than You
I’m not afraid
To show You my weakness
My failures and flaws
Lord You’ve seen them all
And You still call me friend
‘Cause the God of the mountain
Is the God of the valley
There’s not a place
Your mercy and grace
Won’t find me again
You turn mourning to dancing
You give beauty for ashes
You turn shame into glory
You’re the only one who can
You turn graves into gardens
You turn bones into armies
You turn seas into highways
You’re the only one who can
You’re the only one who can
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KING OF MY HEART
Let the King of my heart be the mountain where I run
the fountain I drink from oh He is my song
Let the King of my heart be the shadow where I hide
The ransom for my life oh He is my song
You are good, good oh
You are good, good oh
You are good, good oh
You are good, good oh
Let the King of my heart be the wind inside my sails
The anchor in the waves oh He is my song
Let the King of my heart be the fire inside my veins
The echo of my days oh He is my song
You’re never gonna let
Never gonna let me down
Prayers of the People
Giving
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Almighty God, you are generous in abundance.
You have given us gifts we do not deserve. You have called us from death to life, granted us forgiveness through the death and resurrection of your Son, Jesus Christ, given us the Holy Spirit, and made us your children. You have provided for us, spiritually and materially. Yet we have failed to be thankful and to rejoice in your goodness. We have ignored you and neglected to give you the praise due your name. Forgive us for our ingratitude. Give us eyes that
see your hand at work in all areas of life. Enable us to realize that every good thing comes from you. And deepen our gratitude so that we might serve you with undivided and joyful hearts.
Revelation 6:1-11; 7:9-17
Now I watched when the Lamb opened one of the seven seals, and I heard one of the four living creatures say with a voice like thunder, “Come!” ² And I looked, and behold, a white horse! And its rider had a bow, and a crown was given to him, and he came out conquering, and to conquer. ³ When he opened the second seal, I heard the second living creature say, “Come!” ⁴ And out came another horse, bright red. Its rider was permitted to take peace from the earth, so that people should slay one another, and he was given a great sword. 5 When he opened the third seal, I heard the third living creature say, “Come!” And I looked, and behold, a black horse! And its rider had a pair of scales in his hand. 6 And I heard what seemed to be a voice in the midst of the four living creatures, saying, “A quart of wheat for a denarius, and three quarts of barley for a denarius, and do not harm the oil and wine!” 7 When he opened the fourth seal, I heard the voice of the fourth living creature say, “Come!” 8 And I looked, and behold, a pale horse! And its rider's name was Death, and Hades followed him. And they were given authority over a fourth of the earth, to kill with sword and with famine and with pestilence and by wild beasts of the earth. 9 When he opened the fifth seal, I saw under the altar the souls of those who had been slain for the word of God and for the witness they had borne. 10 They cried out with a loud voice, “O Sovereign Lord, holy and true, how long before you will judge and avenge our blood on those who dwell on the earth?” 11 Then they were each given a white robe and told to rest a little longer, until the number of their fellow servants and their brothers should be complete, who were to be killed as they themselves had been.
9 After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, 10 and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” 11 And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, 12 saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.” 13 Then one of the elders addressed me, saying, “Who are these, clothed in white robes, and from where have they come?” 14 I said to him, “Sir, you know.” And he said to me, “These are the ones coming out of the great tribulation. They have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.
15 “Therefore they are before the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple; and he who sits on the throne will shelter them with his presence.
16 They shall hunger no more, neither thirst anymore; the sun shall not strike them, nor any scorching heat.
17 For the Lamb in the midst of the throne will be their shepherd, and he will guide them to springs of living water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes.”
Sermon
The Seals and the Cosmic Story
Minister
The Lord be with you.
All
And also with you.
Minister
Lift up your hearts.
All
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Minister
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
All
It is right to give him thanks and praise.
THE LORD IS MY SALVATION
The grace of God has reached for me
And pulled me from the raging sea
And I am safe on this solid ground The Lord is my salvation
I will not fear when darkness falls
His strength will help me scale these walls
I’ll see the dawn of the rising sun
The Lord is my salvation
Who is like the Lord our God?
Strong to save, faithful in love
My debt is paid and the vict’ry won
The Lord is my salvation
My hope is hidden in the Lord
He flow’rs each promise of His Word
When winter fades I know spring will come
The Lord is my salvation
In times of waiting, times of need
When I know loss, when I am weak
I know His grace will renew these days
The Lord is my salvation
And when I reach my final day He will not leave me in the grave
But I will rise, He will call me home The Lord is my salvation
Glory be to God the Father Glory be to God the Son
Glory be to God the Spirit The Lord is our salvation
The Lord bless you and keep you; the Lord make his face to shine upon you and be gracious to you; the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.