Community United Methodist Church
Quincy, CA
May 2, 2021
Fifth Sunday of Easter
WELCOME EVERYONE!! We are happy you are worshiping with us today!! Let us know how we can best connect with you, pray for you, or hold space for you. We are a church where EVERYONE is welcome
and strive to live into welcoming EVERYONE!!
UMC Mission:
To Make Disciples of Jesus Christ For the Transformation of the World
Community UMC Mission:
We are a Christ-centered community, joyfully committed to being His ambassadors. In the fellowship of His love and grace, we grow in Christ through the study of God’s word, prayer and worship; living out our faith in service to others.
Please participate as fully as you wish, or simply take it all in. Please turn off your cell phones or other electronic devices (if possible). Please keep face coverings on the entire time and maintain social distancing practices. Soft singing or humming is allowed. To greet each other, wave, nod your head, or give the peace sign for greeting, as we are not able to shake hands or hug quite yet. If you need to use the restroom, please let the usher in the back get you the key.
UMH – United Methodist Hymnal (Red Hymnal)
FWS – The Faith we Sing (Black Hymnal)
Gathering Music: Charlotte Walters, 9:00am
Alice King, 10:30am
Welcome & Housekeeping: Rev. Andrew Davis
Opening Prayer: Sandra Yalung, 10:30am
Lord, we are living in a world that behaves as though you never lived. Our eyes behold atrocities and insults that we never thought possible and that our grandparents thought they would never see again. We live in a world that is longing for proof of the Resurrection, proof of the Living Lord.
Lord, show us how to prove your living through our lives. Put our hands to doing what you would have done were you still on this earth. Place our feet on a path that leads others to salvation. Pull us out of our caves of isolation so that we might be seen as ordinary, living, breathing, caring people of the Resurrection.
When the people of the land cry out for proof that you are alive, or even that you ever existed, may we be able to offer our hands and feet and our lives as living proof. Amen.[I]
*Hymn of Praise: Easter People, Raise Your Voices – UMH 304, vs. 1 & 3
Easter people, raise your voices,
sounds of heaven in earth should ring.
Christ has brought us heaven’s choices; heavenly music, let it ring.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Easter people, let us sing.
Every day to us is Easter, with its resurrection song.
When in trouble move the faster to our God who rights the wrong.
Alleluia! Alleluia! See the power of heavenly throngs.[ii]
Gospel Lesson: Luke 24: 36-48 (NRSV)
36 While they were talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, “Peace be with you.” 37 They were startled and terrified, and thought that they were seeing a ghost. 38 He said to them, “Why are you frightened, and why do doubts arise in your hearts? 39 Look at my hands and my feet; see that it is I myself. Touch me and see; for a ghost does not have flesh and bones as you see that I have.” 40 And when he had said this, he showed them his hands and his feet. 41 While in their joy they were disbelieving and still wondering, he said to them, “Have you anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he took it and ate in their presence.
44 Then he said to them, “These are my words that I spoke to you while I was still with you—that everything written about me in the law of Moses, the prophets, and the psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the scriptures, 46 and he said to them, “Thus it is written, that the Messiah is to suffer and to rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and that repentance and forgiveness of sins is to be proclaimed in his name to all nations, beginning from Jerusalem. 48 You are witnesses of these things.
May God add a blessing to the reading, hearing,
understanding and living of this word.
Sermon: “Touch and See”
Rev. Andrew Davis
Response: Surely the Presence – UMH 328
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;
I can feel his mighty power and his grace,
I can hear the brush of angels’ wings,
I see glory on each face;
Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.[iii]
Invitation to Holy Communion
Confession:
God, we confess that we rarely recognize the Holy Spirit at work, even
when it smacks us in the face. Worse yet, even when we do recognize this work of the Spirit, we don't acknowledge that it is you at work in our lives and in the world.
This week you sent angels to watch over us. We barely uttered our thanks; then hurried on our way. Forgive us our inattentiveness and reluctance to credit you loudly and joyously. Teach us to tell our children and our children's children of your goodness. Teach us to tell our parents of your goodness.
Teach us to tell even the supermarket clerk of your goodness!
We long to hear the good news of the resurrecting love of Christ Jesus. Still our hearts long enough for us to hear that you are with us. Amen.
Silent Reflection and Confession
Jesus said, "If we confess our sins, God is faithful and just, and will forgive our sins and cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9).
. . . Thanks be to God for this marvelous gift!
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
The Great Thanksgiving (Please Respond in Bold Print):
Lift up your heads
We lift them up to God
Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to the Lord
Lift up your hands
We dedicate our heads, our hearts, and our hands to the worship of God.
We offer our entire being to the God of Creation,
who made the sun and the moon to govern by day and by night and hung the stars in the sky.
We offer our entire being to the great God
who hollowed out the valleys and bulged up the mountains, who spat out the seven seas, and populated the world with glorious creatures.
Blessed be the name of the Lord who created us and fashioned us from the dust
and breathed into us the breath of life.
Blessed be the name of the Lord Jesus Christ who came to us in spite of our destructive ways. He healed the sick,
raised the dead and cast out demons.
In the brief time that he was with us,
Jesus sided with the oppressed,
had compassion for those who suffer,
and gave dignity to women and children.
He taught us in word and deed about a God we had been unable to understand.
In spite of his glory-revealing presence among us,
we turned him into a man of sorrows, acquainted with grief. Jesus was persecuted by certain religious leaders and betrayed by one of his own.
He was lied about, tortured, and hung on a cross to die.
Yet, even on the day of his crucifixion,
Jesus continued to teach those who would listen.
When evil people came with his betrayer,
Jesus did not respond with violence,
choosing instead to remind us that
those who live by the sword will die by the sword.
When he was falsely accused and condemned to death, Jesus refused to do harm.
And while hanging on the cross, he prayed:
"Father forgive them, for they know not what they do."
But we give you thanks that nothing ever was, or ever will be,
able to separate us from the love of God
in Christ Jesus our Lord.
Early on the morning of the third day Jesus laughed at death,
shed his grave clothes,
and walked among us alive!
Forty days later, he ascended into heaven,
where he is seated at the right hand of the God of our ancestors. Our eyes are turned toward the skies looking for the day
when Jesus shall return to a kingdom without end,
where the lion will lie down peaceably with the lamb,
where sickness and disease are not known
where the wicked will cease from troubling
and we will study war no more!
On the night that Jesus was betrayed, He shared a meal with his disciples. He took bread from the table,
gave thanks to God,
and gave it to his disciples saying:
"Take, eat; this is my body which is given for you. Do this in remembrance of me."
When the meal was over he took the cup, gave thanks,
and gave it to his disciples saying:
"Drink from this, all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me."
Today, Jesus, we remember the bread and the cup.
Today, we remember your life and your death.
We remember your resurrection; we remember eternal life.
As we receive these gifts in praise and thanksgiving we proclaim the mystery of our faith:
Christ has died; Christ is risen; Christ will come again!
Holy God,
pour out your Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine; make them be for us the body and blood of Christ. Wonder-working God, pour out your Spirit upon us;
as we offer ourselves to be God's presence in the world until Jesus returns in glory.[iv]
Prayers of the People:
Lord Jesus Christ, the light of your love shines on, illuminating the places where you are present. As the bewildered disciples pondered the stories of your appearance, you penetrated the darkness of their fear and doubt with your word of peace. You showed them the appalling marks of evil pierced on your hands and feet. You opened their minds to understand why you had to die to defeat such evil and death. Increase our understanding, we pray, and open our minds and hearts to receive you . . .
Lord, hear our prayer . . .
Bring to us O God, the sense of your living presence as we go into this new week. Renew in us the faith you want us to have, the faith that is not afraid to reach out in your name and to share the treasure you have given us, that treasure which is greater than silver and gold . . .
Lord – you know our hearts, you know our needs, and you know the hearts of those around us and their needs. We lift ourselves and them before you at this time . . .
Lord, hear our prayer . . .
Lord, we specially hold before you today...
(intercessions are shared)
Lord hear our prayer . . .
Finally, O Lord, we ask that you would bless us at [local congregation] with vision for the future and reverence for the past. Guide us each day as we minister to one another and to world for which you gave yourself. Help us each day to bear witness to your name and to do that which you would have us do. We ask it through Christ Jesus our Lord. Amen.
The Lord’s Prayer (Altogether):
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen
Sharing Holy Communion Together (Please have your elements ready if you brought your own or with the provided pre-packaged elements).
Prayer After Receiving
Closing Hymn: He Lives – UMH 310, vs. 1 & 2
1. I serve a risen Savior, he’s in the world today,
I know that he is living, whatever foes may say.
I see his hand of mercy, I hear his voice of cheer,
And just the time I need him, he’s always near.
Refrain:
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along the narrow way.
He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know he lives? He lives within my heart.
2. In all the world around me I see his loving care,
And though my heart grows weary, I never will despair.
I know that he is leading through all the stormy blast;
The day of his appearing will come at last.
Refrain[v]
*Blessing & Sending Forth
*Sending Music (Please remain in your seats until dismissed by Pastor Andrew)
Opportunities to Connect, Grow, & Serve:
Our Fireside group meets on the lawn between the office and sanctuary on Wednesday at 6:00pm. Please bring your own chair. With the updated CDC guidelines, masks will be optional outside, but mandatory inside. Our fireside group is a casual time of conversation, studying scripture, and prayer. Fireside group will be held in the fellowship hall if it rains with the same protocols except for bringing your own chair.
The Thursday Bible Study with Charlotte Walters is back each Thursday at 10:00am in the Fellowship Hall. Please observe all COVD protocols. Please use the Jackson Street entrance to the left of the sanctuary.
We are now offering in-person worship on Sunday at 9:00am in the fellowship hall or 10:30am in the sanctuary with modifications. A signed covenant which will need to be brought the first Sunday you return, but only needs to be signed one time. Masks and social distancing will be required. To accommodate social distancing, attendance is limited to 25 people in the fellowship hall and 30 in the sanctuary. Everyone is asked to RSVP which service you will attend and how many people to our lay leader, Marty Byrne by 5:00pm on Thursdays. We will offer a video service by Sunday afternoon for those not yet comfortable attending in-person.
Connect with Us!!
P.O. Box 766, Quincy, CA 95971
Tel/Fax (530)283-1740
email: quincyumc@sbcglobal.net
Church Website: www.quincymethodist.org
Facebook: CUMCQuincy
YouTube: QuincyUMC95971
Instagram: @QuincyUMC95971
Please mail your tithes/offerings to the church office at the above address.
You can also set up automatic bill pay through your bank for tithes/offerings. Or, you may leave an offering in the little white church at the back of the worship space.
Community UMC Office Hours:
10:00am-2:00pm Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday. One person in office at a time; masks and social distancing protocols must be followed.
Rev. Andrew Davis
Pastor Andrew’s E-mail: Pastor@quincymethodist.org
Pastor Andrew’s Google Voice Number: 530-238-5723
Pastor Andrew is in office between 10:00am-2:00pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays and from 12:00pm-5:00pm on Wednesdays. He is available to meet by phone, e-mail, or text between 9:00am-5:00pm Monday-Thursday and Saturday. He can also meet via Zoom or phone by appointment. Pastor Andrew takes Fridays off and is not available except for emergencies.
[i] Safiyah Fosua, Easter Liturgical Resources from Africana Writers, edited by Safiya Fosua, 2020. Used by Permission.
[ii] “Easter People, Raise Your Voices.” Words: William T. James, 1979, Music: Henry T. Smart. Words ©1979 The United Methodist Publishing House. All Rights Reserved. Streamed/Printed under Permission with ONE LICENSE # A-735696. All Rights Reserved.
[iii] CCLI# 7909. “Surely the Presence of the Lord,” Words & Music by Lanny Wolfe. ©1977 Lanny Wolfe Music. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission. CCLI License #20665172.
[iv] A New Great Thanksgiving for Eastertide - Discipleship Ministries . Used by Permission.
[v] CCLI# 17597. “He Lives,” Words & Music by Alfred H. Ackley. ©1933, renewed 1961 The Rodeheaver Co. All Rights Reserved. Used with Permission. CCLI License ##20665172.
