Christisrisen! Christisrisenindeed!
THECHURCHGATHERS
LivingChrist,victoroverdeath,grantusyourinfinitelife RisenChrist,breatheyourlifeintous.
CalltoWorship
LivingChrist,whoseforgivenessconquersall,blessus RisenChrist,breatheyourlifeintous.
LivingChrist,whoselovedefeatsfear,grantusyourcourage RisenChrist,breatheyourlifeintous.
LivingChrist,whoseSpiritempowersustolove,giveusyourself. RisenChrist,breatheyourlifeintous.
TheLordbewithyou
Hymn AllHailthePowerofJesus’Name UMH#155
PrayerofConfession
Acolytes -NuriFrancis,VictoriaOffer Liturgists -IanGriffiths,BrookeFoster Reader -HarperAssan Musicians-Children’sChoir, IntergenerationalChoir,JuliaHanna Ushers -LouDavelman,ReggieCann, MomoWolapaye,PaulManulik,PhilDoren Pre-ServiceMusic MorningfromChildren’sMusic Prokofiev
Andalsowithyou. Joinmeasweconfessourneedforgrace. MostmercifulGod,weconfessthatwehaveseparatedourselvesfromyou, fromothers,fromcreation,andevenfromadeeperpartofourselves.We havenotdonethegoodwewanttodo.Wehavecausedharminwayswe didn'tintend. Wehavenotbeenmindfulofyourpresence.Wehavenotlived inyourSpirit.Wehavenotclaimedyourresurrectionandnewlifefully.
Forgiveoursin,healourhearts,andrestoreusinyourgrace.
Whowillrescueusfromthedeathofsin?
GodisalreadyrescuingusthroughJesusChristourLord! InthenameofJesusChristweareforgiven! InthenameofJesusChristweareforgiven!ThanksbetoGod!Alleluia! Amen. WordsofAssurance
TOHEARTHEWORDANDREFLECT
Children'sTime
ScriptureReading
Sermon
WhereChildrenBelong
Romans7:14-25(p.147)
ThisistheWordofLife.ThanksbetoGod.
TheStruggleWithin Rev.JennySmithWalz
TORESPONDINFAITH
PrayersofthePeople
Offertory
KeepYourLamps AndréThomas
HolyCommunion UMH#13
TheLord'sPrayer
OurFatherinheaven,hallowedbeyourname,yourkin-domcome, yourwillbedoneonearthasitisinheaven.Giveustodayourdaily bread.Andforgiveusoursinsasweforgivethosewhosinagainstus. Leadusnotintotemptation,butdeliverusfromevil,foryoursisthe kingdom,andthepower,andthegloryforever.Amen.
EternalGod,wegiveyouthanksforthisholymysteryinwhichyouhave givenyourselftous.Grantthatwemaygointotheworldinthestrengthof yourSpirit,togiveourselvesforothers,inthenameofJesusChristour Lord.Amen.
PrayerAfterReceiving
Hymn
ANDSCATTERSTOBEINTHEWORLD
CristoVive/ChristisRisen
UMH#313
Benediction
Postlude BransledeBourgognefromSuitefrançaised’après Poulenc
PRAYERCONCERNS
Prayers for the Gordon family at the death of Richard.
Prayers for all giving and receiving hospice care. May strength, calm, compassion, and rest be available to them as they process life and death.
Prayers of thanksgiving for the courageous journey of the crew of Artemis II, may the awe of our beautiful universe re-inspire our commitment to compassionate stewardship of earth and all creation. Prayers for all children of God living in Iran, Israel, and the Middle East during this time of war. Prayers that we may learn from the plentiful errors of history, and instead seek peaceful avenues to resolve our differences.
HAVEPRAYERCONCERNS?
ForourPrayerChain,callYvonneMacdonaldat609-577-8369 oremailheratyvonnee.mac@verizon.net.EmailTylerattyler@princetonumc.org whenyouorafamilymemberisinthehospitalorinneedofapastoralcall
Nevertheless,WeRise
ExemplarsofPerseveranceandResilience
ThroughoutthisEasterseason,we’rehighlightingexemplarsofperseveranceandresilience: peoplewhoseliveshelpusseewhatitlooksliketoliveasresurrectionpeople. Thesearenotperfectheroes,butrealpeoplewhofacedstruggle,uncertainty,andchallenge, anddiscoveredGod’sgraceinthemidstofit.Theirstoriesremindusthatresilienceisnotabout havingitalltogether,butabouttrustingthatGodisatworkwithinus, helpingusriseintothefullnessoflife.
AugustineofHippo(354–430CE)
RestlessHeartsandResilientGrace
AugustineofHippolivedinNorthAfricaduringthelate4thand early5thcenturies,atimewhentheChristianchurchwasstill definingitselfinachangingRomanworld.Borninwhatisnow Algeria,Augustinewasbrilliant,ambitious,anddeeplyrestless.He pursuededucation,success,andpleasurewithintensity, searchingformeaninginphilosophy,relationships,and achievement.Yetbeneathitall,hecarriedagrowingsensethat somethingessentialwasmissing
Augustine’sstoryisnotoneofearlycertaintyoreasyfaithItisa storyofinnerstruggle.Hewrestledwithconflictingdesires,habits hecouldnotseemtochange,andalongingfortruththatwould notleavehimalone.Hisfamousprayercapturesthistension: “Grantmechastityandself-control butnotyet.”Itishonest, evenhumorous,butalsodeeplyrevealing
Afteryearsofsearching,Augustineexperiencedaprofound conversion,whichhelaterdescribedinhisbookConfessions.But eventhen,hislifedidnotbecomesimpleorfreeofstruggle. Instead,hebecameabishop,teacher,andtheologianwho continuedtowrestleopenlywithquestionsoffaith,desire,grace, andhumanlimitation.
Augustineremindsusthatresiliencebeginswithhonesty.Hislife echoesthewordsofPaul:“IdonotdothegoodIwant,buttheevil IdonotwantiswhatIdo.”Augustinerefusedtohidefromthis realityInstead,hebroughtitintothelightofGod’sgrace Perhapshismostenduringinsightisthis:
“Ourheartsarerestlessuntiltheyrestinyou.”
Augustine’sresiliencewasnotfoundinmasteringhimself,butin returningagainandagaintoGod,trustingthatgracewas alreadyatworkwithinhim,eveninhisstruggle. Hislifeinvitesustobelievethat: wearenotaloneinourinnerconflict honestyisnotfailure,butthebeginningoftransformation Godmeetsusnotafterwefixourselves,butrightinthemiddle ofourunfinishedlives
Whythisweek?
Aswereflectonour innerstruggles, Augustineremindsus thathonestyaboutour conflictisnotfailure.It’s thebeginningofgrace atworkwithinus. BecauseChristisrisen, werise.
Weareadiversefaithcommunity, engagedinenliveningspirituallythirstypeople tojoyfullyrespondtoGod’slove andgrowasdisciplesofChrist, sothattogetherwemayexperiencethefullnessoflife.
Our VBS signup is now open! Join us in our ‘Discover of Adventure Island,’ where we will have games, crafts, music, and more! VBS will be here at PUMC from July 31-August 2 Use the QR link to sign up or find more information! Email blesssing@princetonumcorg foranyquestionsyoumayhave.
VBSSIGNUPISNOWOPEN
If you are a visitor or interested in learning more about PUMC or joining the church, we invite you to come to our Newcomer’s program! Starting today, April 12, andcontinuingonthe19,May3,and17,wewillholdourNewcomer’sGroupon Sundays after worship from 11:30am-12:30pm in the Library and on zoom. We hopetoseeyouthere! NEWCOMERSGROUP
Our quarterly Congregational Meeting is coming up on April 26th, at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship hall or on zoom In this meeting we will keep you up-to-date on the going-ons of Princeton UMC and where we as a church stand We would love toseeyouthere!
QUARTERLYCONGREGATIONALMEETING
This month our special Communion Offering will go toward Creation Justice Ministries. CJM advocates, educates and equips Christian individuals and congregationstoprotect,restore,andrightlyshareGod’screation. APRILCOMMUNIONOFFERING
