Sunday Gathering

You hold the reins on the sun and the moon

Like horses driven by kings

You cover the mountains, the valleys below

With the breadth of your mighty wings

.

All treasures of wisdom and things to be known

Are hidden inside your hand

And in this fortunate turn of events

You ask me to be your friend

You ask me to be your friend

.

And you, You are my first, You are my last

You are my future and my past

And you, You are my first, You are my last

You are my future and my past

.

The constellations are swimming inside

The breadth of your desire

Where could I run, where could I hide

from your hearts jealous fire

.

All treasures of wisdom and things to be known

Are hidden inside your hand

And in this fortunate turn of events

You ask me to be your friend

You ask me to be your friend

.

And you, You are my first, You are my last

You are my future and my past

And you, You are my first, You are my last

You are my future and my past

.

You are the beginning and the end

You are the beginning and the end

You are the beginning and the end

You are the beginning and the end

Digital Connection Card - Tell us about yourself & get connected!

Our Call to Worship today comes from Psalm 147:

Praise the Lord. How good it is to sing praises to our God, how pleasant and fitting to praise him!

The Lord builds up Jerusalem; he gathers the exiles of Israel. He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds. He determines the number of the stars and calls them each by name.

Great is our Lord and mighty in power; his understanding has no limit.

Sing to the Lord with grateful praise!

God and Father, great and holy, fearing not, we come to Thee

Fearing not, though weak and lowly for Your love has set us free

And by the blue sky bending over, by the green earth's flowery home

Teach us, Lord, the angel chorus: You are Love and Love alone

.

You are Love and love alone

You are Love and love alone

You are Love and love alone, You are

.

Though the worlds in flame should perish, sun and stars in ruin fall

Trust in Thee our hearts should cherish, O Lord, be our all in all

With Your name the heavens praising, angels hymn no sweeter tone

Than the songs our hearts are raising: You are Love and love alone

.

You are Love and love alone

You are Love and love alone

You are Love and love alone, You are

Oh. Oh. Oh

.

How perfectly our hearts are made for love

How perfectly our hearts are made for love

I want to be where my feet are

I want to breathe the life around me

I want to listen as my heart beats right on time

I want to be where my feet are

.

I chase my worries

I flee my sorrows

But what you give me is now

So take my burdens

And my tomorrows

I want to be where my feet are

.

I want to be where my feet are

I want to breathe the life around me

I want to listen as my heart beats right on time

I want to be where my feet are

.

I run to capture

The next horizon

But what you give me is here

I get no farther

And still I find you

I want to be where my feet are

.

I want to be where my feet are

I want to breathe the life around me

I want to listen as my heart beats right on time

I want to be where my feet are

.

I want to be where my feet are

I want to breathe the life around me

I want to listen as my heart beats right on time

I want to be where my feet are

I want to be where my feet are

I want to be where my feet are

As a part of our worship every Sunday, we believe in taking time to reflect on our lives and the condition of our hearts, and confess our sins to God. Through this mystery of repentance, God’s Love and grace is able to break through our walls of guilt and shame and heal the fractured parts of our souls.

Let us take a moment to silently confess our sins to God.

Father, we thank you for hearing our prayers of confession. Thank you for your Spirit who intercedes for us. And thank you for your son, Jesus, in whom we put our hope.

Amen.

We can find our Assurance in the book of Romans, chapter 8:

“If God is for us, who can ever be against us?...for God himself has given us right standing with himself.

Who then will condemn us? No one—for Christ Jesus died for us and was raised to life for us, and he is sitting in the place of honor at God’s right hand, pleading for us.

Can anything ever separate us from Christ’s love? Does it mean he no longer loves us if we have trouble or calamity, or are persecuted, or hungry, or destitute, or in danger, or threatened with death?...

No, despite all these things, overwhelming victory is ours through Christ, who loved us.” ‭‭

Amen.

Please take this time to greet one another. This will also be when Gateway Kids are dismissed on weeks they have class.

Holy Father, there is nothing I have that You have not given me.
All I have and am belong to You, bought with the blood of Jesus.
To spend everything on myself, and to give without sacrifice,
is the way of the world that You cannot abide.

But generosity is the way of those who call Christ their Lord;
who love Him with free hearts and serve Him with renewed minds.
Who withstand the delusion of riches that chokes the word;
Whose hearts are in your kingdom and not in the systems of the world.

I am determined to increase in generosity until it can be said that there is no needy person among us.
I am determined to be trustworthy with such a little thing as money that You may trust me with true riches.

Above all, I am determined to be generous because You, Father, are generous.
It is the delight of Your daughters and sons to share Your traits, and to show what You are like to all the world.

 Luke 24: 13-21A

“13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel...”

On the Road to Emmaus

“13 Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem. 14 They were talking with each other about everything that had happened. 15 As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16 but they were kept from recognizing him.

17 He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast. 18 One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19 “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people. 20 The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21 but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel. 

—Luke 24: 13-21A

__________

Isaiah 61:1-6

The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me,
    because the Lord has anointed me
    to proclaim good news to the poor.
He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted,
    to proclaim freedom for the captives
    and release from darkness for the prisoners,

2  to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor
    and the day of vengeance of our God,
to comfort all who mourn,

3     and provide for those who grieve in Zion—
to bestow on them a crown of beauty
    instead of ashes,
the oil of joy
    instead of mourning,
and a garment of praise
    instead of a spirit of despair.
They will be called oaks of righteousness,
    a planting of the Lord
    for the display of his splendor.

4  They will rebuild the ancient ruins
    and restore the places long devastated;
they will renew the ruined cities
    that have been devastated for generations.

5  Strangers will shepherd your flocks;
    foreigners will work your fields and vineyards.

6  And you will be called priests of the Lord,
    you will be named ministers of our God.
You will feed on the wealth of nations,
    and in their riches you will boast.

__________

“And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place. 22 In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this morning 23 but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive. 24 Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

—Luke 24:21-24

__________

1 Maccabees 4:1-11 (NRSVUE)

4 Now Gorgias took five thousand infantry and one thousand picked cavalry, and this division moved out by night 2 to fall upon the camp of the Jews and attack them suddenly. Men from the citadel were his guides. 3 But Judas heard of it, and he and his warriors moved out to attack the king’s force in Emmaus 4 while the division was still absent from the camp. 5 When Gorgias entered the camp of Judas by night, he found no one there, so he looked for them in the hills, because he said, “These men are running away from us.”

6 At daybreak Judas appeared in the plain with three thousand men, but they did not have armor and swords such as they desired. 7 And they saw the camp of the nations, strong and fortified, with cavalry all around it, and these men were trained in war. 8 But Judas said to those who were with him, “Do not fear their numbers or be afraid when they charge. 9 Remember how our ancestors were saved at the Red Sea, when Pharaoh with his forces pursued them. 10 And now, let us cry to heaven to see whether he will favor us and remember his covenant with our ancestors and crush this army before us today. 11 Then all the nations will know that there is one who redeems and saves Israel.”

____________

“25 He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken! 26 Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?” 27 And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, he explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28 As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther. 29 But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening; the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30 When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them. 31 Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight. 32 They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

—Luke 24:25-32

Communion is available at the Coffee Table or in the baskets on the stairs to your left. Contains juice and wafer (gluten-free option available).

God sent His son, they called Him Jesus

He came to love, heal and forgive

He lived and died, to buy my pardon

An empty tomb is there to prove my Savior lives

.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know, He holds the future

And life is worth the living just because He lives

.

And then one day, I'll cross that river

I'll fight life's final war with pain

And then as death gives way to victory

I'll see the light of glory and I'll know that He reigns

.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know, He holds the future

And life is worth the living just because He lives

.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know, He holds the future

And life is worth the living just because He lives

.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow

Because He lives, all fear is gone

Because I know, He holds the future

And life is worth the living just because He lives

Just a closer walk with thee

Grant it Jesus is my plea

Daily walking close to thee

Let it be dear Lord let it be

I am weak but thou art strong

Jesus keep me from all wrong

I'll be satisfied as long

As I walk let me walk close to thee

Through this world of toil and snares

If I falter Lord who cares

Who with me my burden shares

None but thee dear Lord none but thee

When my feeble life is o'er

Time for me will be no more

Guide me gently safely o'er

To thy kingdom shore to thy shore

May the beauty of God
be reflected in your eyes,
the love of God
be reflected in your hands,
the wisdom of God
be reflected in your words,
and the knowledge of God
flow from your heart,
that all might see,
and seeing,
believe.