Fifth Sunday of Easter, May 2, 2021

Pine Street Presbyterian Church in the City of Harrisburg

May 2, 2021 Fifth Sunday of Easter

GATHERING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE RISEN CHRIST

VOLUNTARY Jesus, Lead Thou On Setting by Paul Manz

INTROIT He That Hath My Commandments John Merbecke; arr. Thomas Shorter Pine Street Quartet He that hath my commandments and keepeth them, that same is he that loveth me. If any man love me, he will keep my word, and my father will love him, and we will come unto him, and dwell with him.

SALUTATION

CALL TO WORSHIP

The Reverend Dr. Russell C. Sullivan, Jr.

One: Beloved, let us love one another.

Many: We love because God first loved us.

One: Praise the Lord.

Many: The Lord’s name be praised.

HYMN We Know that Christ Is Raised (No.485, from Glory to God)

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

God of our life, you have called us to bear witness to the cross and resurrection of Jesus, in whose love we have found abundant life. We confess that we keep this good news to ourselves; neither our words nor our actions have faithfully proclaimed his saving goodness. We have failed to show and to tell the love by which we so richly live. Forgive us for denying your divine love and power in which we live, move, and have our being. Enliven us by your Holy Spirit, in all that we say and do, to bear faithful witness to the love, mercy, and justice of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.

SILENCE FOR PERSONAL CONFESSION

KYRIE

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

GLORIA GLORIA PATRI

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

READING AND HEARING THE WORD

PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION

LESSON FROM ACTS: Acts 8:26-40

One: The Word of the Lord.

Many: Thanks be to God.

PSALM 22: 25-31 (Choir and Congregation sing Refrain)

Solo: I come with praise before the Lord, release me from all strife; the poor will feast at tables full and find eternal life. (R)

Solo: The far-flung corners of the earth shall turn to God and sing, and nations of the world shall rise to hail the Lord as King. (R)

Solo: The mighty on their knees will bow; as mortals, they discern that, as from dust God gave them breath, to dust they shall return. (R)

Solo: Descendants of the coming years who walk the paths well-trod will sing to children yet unborn the mighty acts of God. (R)

LESSON FOR YOUNG CHRISTIANS

EPISTLE AND GOSPEL READINGS 1 John 4:7-21; John 15:1-8

SERMON

“God Is …” Dr. Sullivan

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH

The Apostles’ Creed I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth. And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost; the holy catholic church; the communion of saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

FOCUS ON RE-OPENING Elder David Colestock

OFFERING OF TITHES AND GIFTS TO GOD (Text 267-367-4910 to give)

ANTHEM For the Beauty of the Earth

Andrew Carter Pine Street Quartet

For the beauty of the earth, for the beauty of the skies, for the love which from our birth over and around us lies: Father, unto thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise. For the beauty of each hour of the day and of the night, hill and vale, and tree and flower, sun and moon and stars of light: Father, unto thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise. For the joy of ear and eye, for the heart and brain’s delight, for the mystic harmony linking sense to sound and sight: For the joy of human love, brother, sister, parent, child, friends on earth and friends above, for all gentle thoughts and mild: Father, unto thee we raise this our joyful hymn of praise.

SEALING THE WORD

SACRAMENT OF THE LORD’S SUPPER

One: The Lord be with you. Many: And also with you.

One: Lift up your hearts.

Many: We lift them to the Lord.

One: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.

Many: It is right to give God thanks and praise.

COMMUNION PRAYER

…In unending hymns of praise: The prayer continues.

… Great is the mystery of faith:

INTERCESSION, SUPPLICATION, AND CONSECRATION

One: In your mercy, Many: Lord, hear our prayer.

LORD’S PRAYER

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be 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 debts as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the Kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.

DISTRIBUTION OF THE BREAD AND CUP

Please share in your home bread and juice or wine.

BEARING AND FOLLOWING THE WORD OF GOD

INTO THE WORLD

HYMN How Firm a Foundation (No. 463, from Glory to God) FOUNDATION

Amen. Amen. Amen.

LEADING IN WORSHIP TODAY

The Reverend Dr. Russell C. Sullivan, Jr., Pastor Joseph W. Garrison, Minister of Music and Worship Briana Heinly, Kiera Heinly, Timothy Lupia, and Jordan Markham, Pine Street Quartet

COPYRIGHT NOTES

Hymns in the bulletin are used by permission and printed legally under OneLicense.net #A-71074. All rights reserved.

ANNOUNCEMENTS AND NOTICES

ON-SITE, IN-PERSON WORSHIP TO BEGIN

The Session of Pine Street has decided to re-open the sanctuary for on-site, in-person worship on Pentecost Sunday, May 23, 2021, at 10:00 a.m. The service will also be livestreamed and recorded. Masks and social distancing will be required. Our deacons and the Task Force on Re-opening have developed procedures for us to follow.

CALLED MEETING OF THE CONGREGATION AND CORPORATION

The Session of Pine Street Presbyterian Church calls a meeting of the Congregation and Corporation of Pine Street Presbyterian Church for this morning, at 11:15 am, to: l) elect officers for the Congregation; 2) to act upon a request of the Board of Trustees to amend and restate the Articles of Incorporation of Pine Street Presbyterian Church for the purpose of changing the name of the congregation from “The Presbyterian Church of Harrisburg” to “Pine Street Presbyterian Church.”; and 3) to provide an update on plans for the Transitional/Interim pastoral position following the retirement of The Rev. Dr. Russell Sullivan on June 30, 2021.

ON-LINE NEW MEMBER CLASS

Are you interested in joining Pine Street? Membership is the way we stay connected and involved in the mission and work of Pine Street. Pastor Sullivan will be offering a one session on-line class. Contact him at rsullivan@pinestreet.org.

INSIGHT FORUMS, SUNDAY MORNINGS, 8:45

AM.

The email link to these forums via Zoom will be sent weekly in the all-church email. No prior registration is required for those who are on our email list. Here are the coming forums:

May 2, 9 – What God Has Done: God’s Work in Christ and the Sacraments

We welcome to our Sunday Insight Forums the Rev. Dr. Fred R. Anderson. From 1978 to 1991, he served as pastor of Pine Street and is noted for having led Pine Street to adopt the practice of the weekly celebration of the Lord’s Supper. Dr. Anderson has engaged in a life-long quest to understand the atoning work of Christ. An in-depth study of this important teaching began when a faithful church member asked him, “Fred, what does Jesus’ death on the cross have to do with me? How does that save me?” In this series of classes, Dr. Anderson will share his powerful understanding of Christ’s atoning work and its implications for the sacraments of baptism and the Lord’s Supper. We warmly welcome him back to Pine Street!

MUSIC AT PINE STREET TO FEATURE ORGANIST ROBERT MCCORMICK

MAY 23, 2021, 4:00 P.M.

Described as “indomitable and immensely gifted” (Choir & Organ) and as “an artist of rare sensitivity and passion” (The Macon Telegraph), Robert McCormick is widely heralded by his colleagues and deeply admired for his creative and ethereal abilities in organ improvisation and commanding, eloquent performances of repertoire of all styles. He is the Organist and Choirmaster of St. Mark’s Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Join us in the sanctuary at Pine Street at 4:00 p.m. on Sunday, May 23. Masks and social distancing are required.

THIS WEEK IN PRAYER

David Freet

The family of Bonnie Dixon, on her death