CCLI license #1913561
Lakeview Presbyterian Church Service, May 9, 2021
The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Prelude “Spirit, Spirit of Gentleness” James T Manley, 1974
Refrain
Spirit, Spirit of gentleness, blow through the wilderness calling and free,
Spirit, Spirit of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea.
You moved on the waters, you called to the deep,
then you coaxed up the mountains from the valleys of sleep;
and over the eons you called to each thing:
""Awake from your slumbers and rise on your wings.""
You swept through the desert, you stung with the sand,
and you goaded your people with a law and a land;
and when they were blinded with idols and lies,
then you spoke through your prophets to open their eyes.
You sang in a stable, you cried from a hill,
then you whispered in silence when the whole world was still;
and down in the city you called once again,
when you blew through your people on the rush of the wind.
You call from tomorrow, you break ancient schemes.
From the bondage of sorrow all the captives dream dreams;
our women see visions, our men clear their eyes.
With bold new decisions your people arise.
Call to Worship (Pastor/People)
Praise God for children’s delight, for parents’ love, and for grandparents’ wisdom.
Praise God with bouquets of joy and miles of laughter!
Praise God for the slant of sunlight and the eagles’ flight.
Praise God with deeds of love and words of compassion and care.
Praise God for quiet moments and joyous celebrations.
Praise God with the sound of strings and voices raised in song.
For life, for love, for meaningful work and refreshing rest,
Let us indeed praise God!
Opening Prayer
God of apostles and prophets, of loving mothers and faithful fathers, your promises to us are great and sure. We come before you, acknowledging your holy majesty, demonstrated to us in your creation and revealed to us fully in your Son, Jesus Christ. In him we have come to know the depth, breadth, and height of your love. By your Holy Spirit, empower us to glorify you with heartfelt worship and humble service, for the sake of Jesus, who loved us and gave himself for us. Amen
Hymn “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” Van Dyke 1907 Beethoven 1824
Joyful, joyful we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love
Hearts unfold like flowers before thee Opening to the sun above
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness, Drive the dark of doubt away,
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
All Thy works with joy surround Thee, Earth and heaven reflect Thy rays,
Stars and angels sing around Thee, Center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain, Flowery meadow, flashing sea,
Chanting bird and flowing fountain, Call us to rejoice in Thee.
Mortals, join the happy chorus Which the morning stars began
Father love is reigning o'er us, Brother love binds man to man.
Ever singing, march we onward, Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us sun-ward In the triumph song of life.
Prayer for Illumination
Come, Holy Spirit, that through your word we may be guided into the love of God for all the world. Amen
A Reading from the Acts of the Apostles: Acts 8:26-40 NRS
Then an angel of the Lord said to Philip, "Get up and go toward the south to the road that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a wilderness road.) So he got up and went. Now there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of the Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, in charge of her entire treasury. He had come to Jerusalem to worshipand was returning home; seated in his chariot, he was reading the prophet Isaiah. Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go over to this chariot and join it."So Philip ran up to it and heard him reading the prophet Isaiah. He asked, "Do you understand what you are reading?" He replied, "How can I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to get in and sit beside him. Now the passage of the scripture that he was reading was this: "Like a sheep he was led to the slaughter, and like a lamb silent before its shearer, so he does not open his mouth. In his humiliation justice was denied him. Who can describe his generation? For his life is taken away from the earth." The eunuch asked Philip, "About whom, may I ask you, does the prophet say this, about himself or about someone else?"Then Philip began to speak, and starting with this scripture, he proclaimed to him the good news about Jesus. As they were going along the road, they came to some water; and the eunuch said, "Look, here is water! What is to prevent me from being baptized?" He commanded the chariot to stop, and both of them, Philip and the eunuch, went down into the water, and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord snatched Philip away; the eunuch saw him no more, and went on his way rejoicing.But Philip found himself at Azotus, and as he was passing through the region, he proclaimed the good news to all the towns until he came to Caesarea.
A Reading from the Gospels: John 15:9-17 NRS
As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you; abide in my love.If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his love. I have said these things to you so that my joy may be in you, and that your joy may be complete. "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you. No one has greater love than this, to lay down one's life for one's friends. You are my friends if you do what I command you. I do not call you servants any longer, because the servant does not know what the master is doing; but I have called you friends, because I have made known to you everything that I have heard from my Father. You did not choose me but I chose you. And I appointed you to go and bear fruit, fruit that will last, so that the Father will give you whatever you ask him in my name. I am giving you these commands so that you may love one another.
Sermon “Boundless Love” The Rev. Lois Lehman
Hymn “For the Beauty of the Earth” Pierpoint 1864, Kocher 1838
For the beauty of the earth, For the beauty of the skies,
For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the wonder of each hour Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun and moon and stars of light,
Lord of all, to thee we raise This our grateful hymn of praise.
For the joy of ear and eye, For the heart and mind's delight,
For the mystic harmony Linking sense to sound and sight.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the joy of human love, Brother, sister, parent, child,
Friends on earth and friends above, For all gentle thoughts and mild.
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.
For thyself, best gift divine To the world so freely given,
For that great, great love of thine, peace on earth and joy in heaven:
Lord of all, to Thee we raise, This our hymn of grateful praise.
Sharing Joys and Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Lord’s Prayer (Ecumenical Version)
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
your will be done on earth as in heaven
Give us today our daily bread.
Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and forever. Amen
Statement about Offering our Gifts
How does God’s love abide in anyone who has the goods of the world and sees a brother or sister in need, yet refuses to help? With love for God and neighbor, let us offer our lives to the Lord.
Donations can be mailed to Lakeview Presbyterian Church at 1310 22 nd Av S, St Petersburg, FL, 33705 or given online through our website lakeviewpresbyterianchurch.org
Special Music Sung by Keisha Prime
Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, we give you thanks that you have shown us the meaning of love through Jesus Christ, who gave his life for us. Show us how to share Christ’s love by giving our lives for one another; to the glory of your holy name. Amen.
Charge and Blessing
Postlude: “Guide my Feet” African-American Spiritual sung by Keisha Prime
Guide my feet while I run this race; (yes, my Lord!)
guide my feet while I run this race; (yes, my Lord!)
guide my feet while I run this race,
for I don’t want to run this race in vain! (race in vain!)
Hold my hand…
Stand by me…
I’m your child…
Search my heart…
Guide my feet…