35A - Easter 5A — 37A - Ascension Day
See also my posts from 2014, 2017, 2020, 2023
Psalm 66:8-20 (A version for today)
Bless our God far and wide;
let the praise of the LORD be heard;
the LORD, the one who set us among the living,
who has not let our feet slip.
But you tested us, O God;
refining us as silver is refined.
You brought us into the wilderness,
and burdened us with wretchedness.
You let sickness control us;
we went through fire and water,
having been led out from abundance.
I shall enter your house with my burnt offerings
and fulfil my vows to you;
those which my lips promised
which my mouth spoke when I was in trouble.
I shall offer burnt offerings of fat lambs
and the smoke of burning rams.
I shall prepare an ox and goats.
Come and hear, all you who hold God in holy awe;
I will tell you what the LORD has done for me.
I cried out to God with my mouth,
and high praise was on my tongue.
If I had cherished the bad things of life in my heart
my Lord would not have listened.
But God has truly listened,
and has been attentive to the words of my prayer.
Blessed be God,
because the LORD God has not rejected my prayer;
the steadfast love of the LORD I will retell
over and over and over.
OFFERING
Holy and mysterious God,
as the psalmist brought offerings
in gratitude
we too bring an offering;
our lives
and the gifts of our living
that by the power of your Spirit within us,
we may extend your hospitality and generosity
to our neighbour. Amen
A CREATIVE MOMENT – READING REF’CE
Continue to use the swathe of white and/or gold/yellow cloth flowing over the front of the worship/communion table and onto the floor as a basis for creativity and symbols during the Easter season.
Click here for some ideas for worship in Lent and Easter gleaned from the pages of “On the Move” (now out of print), originally published by the Joint Board of Christian Education, Melbourne, Australia.
THE PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
(A prayer, usually with connection to one or more of the lections for the day, to gather the spoken and silent concerns/joys/thanks expressed by the congregation and lead into a more structured Intercession. Sometimes this prayer also borrows lightly from other sources e.g. Uniting in Worship 2 or publications of the Iona Community.)
Holy and mysterious God,
in whom we live and move and have our being;
by the gentle breath of your Spirit
strengthen those we name
in word and in silence;
rejoice with the hopeful;
be company to the lonely,
a comfort to all weighed down with grief
and those whose troubles are known only to you;
in Jesus’ name…
(The Prayers of the People continue)
Looking for contemporary music and song resources?
Try David MacGregor’s Together to Celebrate
| HYMN SUGGESTIONS FOR EASTER 6A |
|
| Acts 17:22-31 | |
| All creatures of our God and King | TIS 100 |
| Bring many names, beautiful and good | TIS 182 |
| Christ is alive! Let Christians sing | TIS 387 |
| For the beauty of the earth | TIS 137 |
| God of many names | TIS 180 |
| Help us, O Lord, to learn | TIS 428 |
| I know that my Redeemer | TIS 202 |
| In water we grow | TIS 494 |
| Jesus, where’er your people meet | TIS 445 |
| Sing, all creation, sing to God in gladness | TIS 61 |
| Spirit of truth, essential God | TIS 426 |
| Thanks to God whose word was spoken | TIS 431 |
| Psalm 66:8-20 |
|
| Joyfully shout, all you on earth | TIS 36 |
| O God of Bethel, by whose hand | TIS 564 |
| Tell out, my soul, the greatness of the Lord | TIS 161 |
| 1 Peter 3:13-22 | |
| By your kingly power, O risen Lord | TIS 386 |
| Come, God’s people, sing for joy | TIS 391 |
| Rejoice, the Lord is king | TIS 216 |
| We know that Christ is raised | TIS 489 |
| John 14:15-21 |
|
| Christ, from whom all blessings flow | TIS 440 |
| Come, gracious Spirit, heavenly dove | TIS 402 |
| Come down, O Love divine | TIS 398 |
| Come now everlasting Spirit | TIS 509 |
| Come, Holy Spirit, our souls inspire | TIS 396 |
| God sends us his Spirit to befriend | TIS 412 |
| Holy Spirit, come confirm us | TIS 413 |
| Lord God, the Spirit blest | TIS 404 |
| O Holy Spirit, enter in | TIS 400 |
| O Spirit of life, O Spirit of God | TIS 401 |
| O Spirit of the living God | TIS 405 |
| O breath of God, breathe on us now | TIS 408 |