South Church in Andover
United Church of Christ

THE WORSHIP OF GOD
ORDER FOR THE SERVICE

April 30, 2006
The Third Sunday of Easter

Let the prelude be a curtain of music which brings us into the sanctuary to worship God.
 Let necessary conversation be gentle and the preparation we make together be prayerful.

PRELUDE     Prelude and Fugue in G Major     F. Mendelssohn
                

WELCOME       

Introduction of Visitors and Guests
Announcements  Hunger Walk, May 7  Linda Zimmerman
Exchange of Peace

The peace of Jesus Christ be with you.

And also with you.

 

INTROIT O God of Morning E. Diemer

CALL TO WORSHIP     

The eternal God is our refuge
and underneath are the everlasting arms.

Let us worship God in whom we live
and move and have our very being.

In Jesus Christ, God has come to us and shared our common lot,
conquering sin and death and reconciling the world to God.

Let us worship Jesus Christ our Savior and Redeemer.

Through the Holy Spirit, God surrounds us with power
to be the church through all generations.

We declare God’s everlasting love and amazing grace
as the first and final fact of our life.

For God is great.

And greatly to be praised.
Holy is the name of God forever.  Alleluia!

* HYMN  Come, Christians, Join to Song # 150 Red

INVOCATION AND the LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)

scripture   I John 3:1-3     (insert)

     Children in grades K-High School may move to their church school classrooms.
Parents of children up to age 7, please go to your child’s classroom after worship.

* HYMN  Lift Up Your Hearts, Ye People  # 190 blue

SCRIPTURE     Luke 24: 13-48     (insert)

SERMON  The Ghost in the Village     Dr. Mike Penn-Strahl
               What does it mean to be a witness to the risen Christ?

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE         

OFFERING OF OUR GIFTS IN THANKSGIVING

Invitation      

Offertory Anthem       Jesus Christ the Apple Tree       F. Sargent

* Doxology     

* Dedication Prayer            

* HYMN  Good Christians All, Rejoice and Sing!  # 111 Red

* BENEDICTION

* RESPONSE     Choral Amen  Barrow

POSTLUDE   Sonata in C Minor: Fugue       F. Mendelssohn

* Those who are able may stand.

Participating in Today's Service:
Acolytes:  Samantha Beati & Sarah Appleton
Greeters: Carol & Dave Floreen

Deacon: Lee Piver
Youth: Matt Hoyt

The flowers today are given in loving memory of
William Phillips Foster and Harry Edward Newton
by sisters, Margaret Foster and Ann Newton and their families.

Scriptures for This Day              New Revised Standard Version

I John 3: 1-3

See what love the Father has given us, that we should be called children of God; and that is what we are. The reason the world does not know us is that it did not know him. Beloved, we are God’s children now; what we will be has not yet been revealed. What we do know is this: when he is revealed, we will be like him, for we will see him as he is. And all who have this hope in him purify themselves, just as he is pure.

Luke 24: 13-48

Now on that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles from Jerusalem, and talking with each other about all these things that had happened. While they were talking and discussing, Jesus himself came near and went with them, but their eyes were kept from recognizing him. And he said to them, ‘What are you discussing with each other while you walk along?’ They stood still, looking sad. Then one of them, whose name was Cleopas, answered him, ‘Are you the only stranger in Jerusalem who does not know the things that have taken place there in these days?’ He asked them, ‘What things?’ They replied, ‘The things about Jesus of Nazareth, who was a prophet mighty in deed and word before God and all the people, and how our chief priests and leaders handed him over to be condemned to death and crucified him. But we had hoped that he was the one to redeem Israel. Yes, and besides all this, it is now the third day since these things took place. Moreover, some women of our group astounded us. They were at the tomb early this morning, and when they did not find his body there, they came back and told us that they had indeed seen a vision of angels who said that he was alive. Some of those who were with us went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said; but they did not see him.’ Then he said to them, ‘Oh, how foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have declared! Was it not necessary that the Messiah should suffer these things and then enter into his glory?’ Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things about himself in all the scriptures.

As they came near the village to which they were going, he walked ahead as if he were going on. But they urged him strongly, saying, ‘Stay with us, because it is almost evening and the day is now nearly over.’ So he went in to stay with them. When he was at the table with them, he took bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him; and he vanished from their sight. They said to each other, ‘Were not our hearts burning within us while he was talking to us on the road, while he was opening the scriptures to us?’ That same hour they got up and returned to Jerusalem; and they found the eleven and their companions gathered together. They were saying, ‘The Lord has risen indeed, and he has appeared to Simon!’ Then they told what had happened on the road, and how he had been made known to them in the breaking of the bread.