1. Shout with gladness! Dance for joy! 

O come before the Lord. 

And play for God on glad tambourines, 

and let your trumpet sound.

2. Rise, O children, from your sleep;

your Savior now has come. 

He has turned your sorrow into joy, 

and filled your soul with song.

3. 3. Glad my soul for I have seen the glory of the Lord.

The trumpet sounds; the dead shall be raised.

I know my Savior lives.              

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN             More Than Enough

CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made. 

Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen. 

DECLARATION of FORGIVENESS  

ONE: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

MANY: Thanks be to God!

*GLORIA PATRI #579 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, 

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON                                              Luke 9:43b-50

And all were astounded at the greatness of God.

While everyone was amazed at all that he was doing, he said to his disciples, ‘Let these words sink into your ears: The Son of Man is going to be betrayed into human hands.’ But they did not understand this saying; its meaning was concealed from them, so that they could not perceive it. And they were afraid to ask him about this saying.

An argument arose among them as to which one of them was the greatest. But Jesus, aware of their inner thoughts, took a little child and put it by his side, and said to them, ‘Whoever welcomes this child in my name welcomes me, and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me; for the least among all of you is the greatest.’

John answered, ‘Master, we saw someone casting out demons in your name, and we tried to stop him, because he does not follow with us.’ But Jesus said to him, ‘Do not stop him; for whoever is not against you is for you.’

ANTHEM      Didn’t My Lord Deliver Daniel arr. Lloyd Larson 

SECOND LESSON                                        Philippians 1:1-18a

Paul and Timothy, servants of Christ Jesus,

To all the saints in Christ Jesus who are in Philippi, with the bishops and deacons:

Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

I thank my God every time I remember you, constantly praying with joy in every one of my prayers for all of you, because of your sharing in the gospel from the first day until now. I am confident of this, that the one who began a good work among you will bring it to completion by the day of Jesus Christ. It is right for me to think this way about all of you, because you hold me in your heart, for all of you share in God’s grace with me, both in my imprisonment and in the defense and confirmation of the gospel. For God is my witness, how I long for all of you with the compassion of Christ Jesus. And this is my prayer, that your love may overflow more and more with knowledge and full insight to help you to determine what is best, so that on the day of Christ you may be pure and blameless, having produced the harvest of righteousness that comes through Jesus Christ for the glory and praise of God.

I want you to know, beloved, that what has happened to me has actually helped to spread the gospel, so that it has become known throughout the whole imperial guard and to everyone else that my imprisonment is for Christ; and most of the brothers and sisters, having been made confident in the Lord by my imprisonment, dare to speak the word with greater boldness and without fear.

Some proclaim Christ from envy and rivalry, but others from goodwill. These proclaim Christ out of love, knowing that I have been put here for the defense of the gospel; the others proclaim Christ out of selfish ambition, not sincerely but intending to increase my suffering in my imprisonment. What does it matter? Just this, that Christ is proclaimed in every way, whether out of false motives or true; and in that I rejoice.

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON                         “Love Letter”                      Aaron Ochart

 RESPONSE

RECOGNTION of GRADUATES      

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Theological Declaration of Barmen: 

Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and obey in life and in death.

As Jesus Christ is God’s assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins, so in the same way and with the same seriousness is he also God’s mighty claim upon our whole life. Through him befalls us a joyful deliverance from the godless fetters of this world for a free, grateful service to his Creatures.

The Christian Church is the congregation of the brethren in which Jesus Christ acts presently as the Lord in Word and Sacrament through the Holy Spirit. As the church of pardoned sinners, it has to testify in the midst of a sinful world, with its faith as with its obedience, with its message as with its order, that it is solely his property, and that it lives and wants to live solely from his comfort and from his direction in the expectation of his appearance.

The various offices in the church do not establish a dominion of some over the others; on the contrary, they are for the exercise of the ministry entrusted to and enjoined upon the whole congregation.

The church’s commission, upon which its freedom is founded, consists in delivering the message of the free grace of God to all people in Christ’s stead, and therefore in the ministry of his own Word and work through sermon and Sacrament.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY            He Is Exalted arr. Fred Bock

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures high and low. Alleluia, Alleluia!

Praise God, in Jesus fully known: 

Creator, Word, and Spirit one.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER 

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

*HYMN [Blue Hymnal #419]  How Clear is Our Vocation Lord

How clear is our vocation, Lord,

When once we heed your call:

To live according to your word,

And daily learn, refreshed, restored,

That you are Lord of all,

and will not let us fall.

But if, forgetful, we should find

Your yoke is hard to bear;

If worldly pressures fray the mind,

and love itself cannot unwind

Its tangled skein of care:

Our inward life repair.

We mark Your saints, how they became

In hindrances more sure;

Whose joyful virtues put to shame

The casual way we wear your name,

And by our faults obscure

Your power to cleanse and cure.

In what you give us, Lord, to do,

Together or alone,

In old routines or ventures new,

May we not cease to look to you, 

The cross you hung upon –

All you endeavored done.

*PARTING PRAYER

Glory to you, O God: you have won victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave and giving us eternal life. Glory to you, O Christ: for us and for our salvation you have overcome death and opened the gate to everlasting life. Glory to you, O Holy Spirit: you lead us into the truth. Glory to you, O Blessed Trinity, now and forever. Amen. 

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE                      “Alleluia!”                    CELTIC ALLELUIA

Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia!

POSTLUDE                    Lord of All Life Edward Broughton            

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Sam Garnett, Music Director; and Kelly Cuppett, Asst. Music Director. Appreciation to Dennis Lauland, Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service. 

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.  

Church Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504.888.1375

Playschool Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .504.888.1378

The Reverend Aaron Ochart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Head of Staff

Louise Ochart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christian Education Leader

Sam Garnett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Music Director

Kelly Cuppett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Music Director

Lauren Oufnac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Playschool Director

Stephanie Galliano. . . . . Playschool Administrative Assistant

For more information, visit our website at www.JohnCalvinChurch.org

 or find us @JohnCalvinMetairie on

1. Shout with gladness! Dance for joy! 

O come before the Lord. 

And play for God on glad tambourines, 

and let your trumpet sound.

2. Rise, O children, from your sleep;

your Savior now has come. 

He has turned your sorrow into joy, 

and filled your soul with song.

3. 3. Glad my soul for I have seen the glory of the Lord.

The trumpet sounds; the dead shall be raised.

I know my Savior lives.              

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN 

 Right Where It’s Supposed to be

CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made. 

Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen. 

DECLARATION of FORGIVENESS  

ONE: In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!

MANY: Thanks be to God!

*GLORIA PATRI #579 

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, 

world without end, Amen, Amen.

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON                                                                  John 1:1-18

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things came into being through him, and without him not one thing came into being. What has come into being in him was life, and the life was the light of all people. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not overcome it.

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. He came as a witness to testify to the light, so that all might believe through him. He himself was not the light, but he came to testify to the light. The true light, which enlightens everyone, was coming into the world.

He was in the world, and the world came into being through him; yet the world did not know him. He came to what was his own, and his own people did not accept him. But to all who received him, who believed in his name, he gave power to become children of God, who were born, not of blood or of the will of the flesh or of the will of man, but of God.

And the Word became flesh and lived among us, and we have seen his glory, the glory as of a father’s only son, full of grace and truth. (John testified to him and cried out, ‘This was he of whom I said, “He who comes after me ranks ahead of me because he was before me.” ’) From his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. The law indeed was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has ever seen God. It is God the only Son, who is close to the Father’s heart, who has made him known.

ANTHEM            “Cantate Domino” by Hassler, arr. Schroth    

SECOND LESSON                                                        Acts 17:16-34

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON                    “Interfaith Dialogue”            Aaron Ochart

 RESPONSE     

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH           Westminster Shorter Catechism 

Q1. What is the main purpose for humanity?

1. The main purpose for humanity is to glorify and enjoy God forever.

Q2. What rule has God given to tell us how we may glorify and enjoy God?

1. The Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments is the only rule to tell us how we may glorify and enjoy God.

Q3. What do the Scriptures mainly teach?

1. The Scriptures mainly teach what we are to believe about God, and what duty God requires of us.

Q6. How many Persons are there in the Trinity?

1. There are three Persons in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Q14. What is Sin?

1. Sin is any lack of obedience to, or violation of, the law of God.

Q21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?

1. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continues to be, God and human, in two distinct natures, and one Person forever.

Q30. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?

1. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling. Amen. 

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY  All Hail the Power of Jesus Name 

Oliver Holden arr. Gina Sprunger

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures high and low. Alleluia, Alleluia!

Praise God, in Jesus fully known: 

Creator, Word, and Spirit one.

Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia, alleluia!

RECEPTION of NEW MEMBERS

REMEMBRANCE OF BAPTISM

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 debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

*HYMN [Blue #263]  Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise

Immortal, invisible, God only wise,

in light inaccessible hid from our eyes,

most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise.

2 Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light,

nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might;

thy justice like mountains high soaring above

thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love.

3 To all life thou givest, to both great and small;

in all life thou livest, the true life of all;

we blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,

Then wither and perish but naught changeth thee.

4 Thou reignest in glory, Thou rulest in light,

thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight;

all praise we would render, O help us to see

’tis only the splendor of light hideth thee.

*PARTING PRAYER

Glory to you, O God: you have won victory over death, raising Jesus from the grave and giving us eternal life. Glory to you, O Christ: for us and for our salvation you have overcome death and opened the gate to everlasting life. Glory to you, O Holy Spirit: you lead us into the truth. Glory to you, O Blessed Trinity, now and forever. Amen. 

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*RESPONSE                      “Alleluia!”                    CELTIC ALLELUIA

Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ia! Al-le-lu-ie!

POSTLUDE                   Promenade Gordon Young           

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Sam Garnett, Music Director; and Kelly Cuppett, Asst. Music Director. Appreciation to Dennis Lauland, Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service. 

The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.  

Church Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 504.888.1375

Playschool Office. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .504.888.1378

The Reverend Aaron Ochart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Head of Staff

Louise Ochart. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Christian Education Leader

Sam Garnett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Music Director

Kelly Cuppett. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Music Director

Lauren Oufnac. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Playschool Director

Stephanie Galliano. . . . . Playschool Administrative Assistant

For more information, visit our website at www.JohnCalvinChurch.org

 or find us @JohnCalvinMetairie on

The Flowers in the Sanctuary were donated by Sharon and Mike Fortin In Honor of Cindy Reed and in memory of John and Edith Gregersen.

Presbyterain Women: Presbyterian Women Annual end of year celebration for all ladies of John Calvin Church will be on May 17th at 11:30am at Zea restaurant in Kenner LA. Please Call or text your RSVP to Evelyn T. or Linda L. We will be leaving the church after the circle at 11:00 if you would like a ride please meet at the church.

Youth: We will have confirmation class tonight at 6:00 PM. We will not have Youth Group or dinner. The next Youth Group will be on May 29th at 5:00 PM. The next bible Build is May 29th after Service.

Marriage Announcement: John and Linda Laporte would like to announce the marriage of their grandson Mason Drouant to Kaitlyn Hughes on Saturday May 7th. The Couple will honeymoon in Italy and France. 

PlaySchool Fun Fair: It’s almost here but don’t worry there’s still time to sign up and still many ways you can help.  You can bring individually bagged sweets for the sweet booth. You can Volunteer to help on Saturday. Please see Linda Lowry or Jeremy Moore after the service. There is still time to become a sponsor, $25 gets you a game booth sponsorship or $150 lets you sponsor the petting zoo, slide, or obstacle course.  Contact Stephanie in the Playschool office (504) 888-1378 for a form. And don’t forget to buy your tickets ahead of time. See Jermery after the service. 

• Barbara, Ashley’s next-door neighbor, is having surgery on Monday.
• Rick B. and family.  Rick’s wife, Trish, died unexpectedly.
• Ann F., Jane M.’s twin, in Raleigh NC serious health concerns. 
• Linda F., Jane M.’s youngest sister, in Middletown OH, serious health concerns. 

May 8th

• Cathy B., friend of Ashley M., medical issues.
• Mike M., friend of Aaron O., in hospital with multiple health concerns.
• Unspoken request for healing from depression and sadness.