1. Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain, 

but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. (refrain)

1. Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend,

and if you lack for knowledge, he’ll not refuse to lend. (refrain)

1. If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

you can tell the love of Jesus and say, “he died for all.” (refrain)

CALL TO CONFESSION        

SILENT CONFESSION                                                          

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. 

We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. 

Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. Amen. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON               

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                                       Isaiah 61:1-4       

   The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

   because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

   to bind up the broken-hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

   and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,

   and the day of vengeance of our God;

   to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

   to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

   the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

   the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

They shall build up the ancient ruins,

   they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

   the devastations of many generations.    

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN    “One Spirit for All”

ANTHEM                          “More Like You” Scott Brown

More like You, Jesus, more like You. 

Fill my heart with Your desire to make me more like You.

More like You, Jesus, more like You.

Touch my lips with holy fire and make me more like You.

Lord, You are my mercy.  Lord, You are my grace.

All my deepest sins have forever been erased.

Draw me in Your presence.  Lead me in Your ways.

I long to bring You glory in righteousness and praise.

Second Lesson                                           Acts 12:6-16

     The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed.                

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON                “Peter Kept Knocking”                The Rev. Zoë Garry

RESPONSE 

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. 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND 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  525                                   Here I Am, Lord

1. I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in deepest sin my hand will save.

I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

(Refrain) Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? 

I have heard you calling in the night. 

I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. 

1. I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have born my people’s pain.

I have wept for love of them, they turn away. 

I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send? (refrain)

3. I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them. My hand will save. 

Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied. 

I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? (refrain)

PARTING PRAYER    Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

O gracious and holy God, give us diligence to seek you, wisdom to perceive you, and patience to wait for you. Grant us, O God, a mind to meditate on you; eyes to behold you; ears to listen for your word; a heart to love you; and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.                                                         

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE       Participating in today’s service are Zoe Garry, Guest Pastor, Julie Hebert, CE Leader, Sandy Cranfill, Music Director, and Sam Garnett, Organist. Appreciation to David Garland and Dennis Lauland for the video production of today’s service.