Epworth United Methodist Church

Along Wilderness Roads: May 14, 2006

5th Sunday in Easter (Year B)

Welcome. Our focus in Easter is the presence of the risen Christ, through which we discover new life for ourselves. Today's keyword is "movement." We seek Jesus in movement along the roads of life. At the same time we reflect on our national observance of Mothers' Day. Feminine and maternal images are biblical and historic means of discerning the divine. Our 9:30 worship also includes the Baptism of Tyler Jacona, son of Amanda and Anthony. Do you know God as paternal or maternal, as near or far? How does Christ's Spirit manifest itself along the journey of your life? How are we called to nurture and display tender and self-sacrificing love in God's world?

Gospel Lesson
John 4:5-15

So he came to a town in Samaria called Sychar, near the plot of ground Jacob had given to his son Joseph. Jacob's well was there, and Jesus, tired as he was from the journey, sat down by the well. It was about the sixth hour.

When a Samaritan woman came to draw water, Jesus said to her, "Will you give me a drink?" (His disciples had gone into the town to buy food.)

The Samaritan woman said to him, "You are a Jew and I am a Samaritan woman. How can you ask me for a drink?" (For Jews do not associate with Samaritans.)

Jesus answered her, "If you knew the gift of God and who it is that asks you for a drink, you would have asked him and he would have given you living water."

"Sir," the woman said, "you have nothing to draw with and the well is deep. Where can you get this living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well and drank from it himself, as did also his sons and his flocks and herds?"

Jesus answered, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life."

The woman said to him, "Sir, give me this water so that I won't get thirsty and have to keep coming here to draw water." (via)

Sermon - Along Wilderness Roads Rev. Jack Abel
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Sharing the Spirit: May 07, 2006 Worship Celebration

4th Sunday in Easter (Year B)

Welcome. The Easter season is fifty days, a week of weeks. Our focus is the presence of the risen Christ, and the resulting discovery of new life for ourselves. Today's keyword is "inspiration." Our celebration includes Holy Communion. The elements we use are wheat bread and unfermented grape juice. All are welcome at the table of the Lord. As we prepare for worship, you may wish to consider your own sense of inspiration this morning, and the inspiration you have witnessed in others. How does inspiration contribute to your practice of love in God's world?

Greeting
Psalm 23

Lord, you are my shepherd, I need nothing more.
You give me rest in green meadows setting me near calm waters
where you revive my spirit.
You guide me along sure paths, you are true to your name.
Though I should walk in death's dark valley, I fear no evil with you
by my side, your shepherd's staff to comfort me.
You spread a table before me as my foes look on.
You soothe my head with oil; my cup is more than full.
Goodness and love will tend me every day of my life.
And I will dwell in the house of the Lord as long as I shall live.

Historical Bible Lesson
Acts 4:5-12

The next day the rulers, elders and teachers of the law met in Jerusalem. Annas the high priest was there, and so were Caiaphas, John, Alexander and the other men of the high priest's family. They had Peter and John brought before them and began to question them: "By what power or what name did you do this?"

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them: "Rulers and elders of the people! If we are being called to account today for an act of kindness shown to a cripple and are asked how he was healed, then know this, you and all the people of Israel: It is by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified but whom God raised from the dead, that this man stands before you healed. He is the stone you builders rejected, which has become the capstone. Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to men by which we must be saved." (via)

Sermon - Sharing the Spirit Rev. Jack Abel
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eBible.com

From TechCrunch:

eBible, a new Bible search engine, is currently in private beta

Search any of a number of versions of the Bible with eBible by keyword (and switch between Bible versions once you’ve selected text you are interested in). eBible pulls additional information relevant to your query from a library of Bible reference sites, such as dictionaries, topicals, encyclopedias, handbooks, etc. Expert commentary is also included in the margin of Biblical text.

http://www.techcrunch.com/2006/05/09/jesus-loves-web-20-ebible/

Fixed- Last week's audio

Last week's sermon was conking out at 4 minutes and 30 seconds.   We re-uploaded the file, and now you can hear the entire audio.

Faith Seeking Understanding: April 30, 2006 Worship Celebration

3rd Sunday in Easter (Year B)

Welcome. The Easter season is fifty days, a week of weeks. Our focus is the presence of the risen Christ, and the resulting discovery of new life for ourselves. Our worship format is contemporary at all three services. Our choir is away at St. Mark's in Wilmington for its annual exchange. Today's keyword is "understand." The Gospel describes the risen Jesus opening the minds of the disciples to understand the Scriptures. What does understanding mean to us? How do you understand the Scriptures? How are we called to manifest an inspired understanding in God's world?

Gospel Lesson
Luke 24:36-48

While they were still talking about this, Jesus himself stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you."

They were startled and frightened, thinking they saw a ghost. He said to them, "Why are you troubled, and why do doubts rise in your minds? Look at my hands and my feet. It is I myself! Touch me and see; a ghost does not have flesh and bones, as you see I have."

When he had said this, he showed them his hands and feet. And while they still did not believe it because of joy and amazement, he asked them, "Do you have anything here to eat?" They gave him a piece of broiled fish, and he took it and ate it in their presence.

He said to them, "This is what I told you while I was still with you: Everything must be fulfilled that is written about me in the Law of Moses, the Prophets and the Psalms."

Then he opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures. He told them, "This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things.

Sermon - Faith Seeking Understanding Rev. Jack Abel
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In the Upper Room: April 23, 2006 Worship Celebration

2nd Sunday in Easter (Year B)

Welcome. The Easter season is fifty days, a week of weeks. Our focus is the presence of the risen Christ, and the resulting discovery of new life for ourselves. Today's keyword is "peace," Jesus' gift to the disciples in his appearance to them in the Upper Room as described in the Gospel of John. Have you received this gift? Do you know peace? How does serenity manifest itself amid the storms and tribulations in your world? How are we called to manifest peace in God's world?

Gospel Lesson
John 20:19-31

On the evening of that first day of the week, when the disciples were together, with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" After he said this, he showed them his hands and side. The disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord.

Again Jesus said, "Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you." And with that he breathed on them and said, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven."

Now Thomas (called Didymus), one of the Twelve, was not with the disciples when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord!"

But he said to them, "Unless I see the nail marks in his hands and put my finger where the nails were, and put my hand into his side, I will not believe it."

A week later his disciples were in the house again, and Thomas was with them. Though the doors were locked, Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you!" Then he said to Thomas, "Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe."

Thomas said to him, "My Lord and my God!"

Then Jesus told him, "Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed."

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may[a] believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.

Sermon - In the Upper Room Rev. Jack Abel
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