Online Worship for May 17, 2020

Welcome to Church of the Holy Cross’s live streaming worship service for May 17th, 2020. Feel free to follow the service text by scrolling down, or you may download and print the service in PDF format from this link.

Online Worship, May 17, 2020
Sixth Sunday of Easter

Rev. Eric S. Anderson, Pastor

WE GATHER TO WORSHIP GOD

Welcome                                                                                 Rev. Eric Anderson

Prelude: Bach: Sinfonia 6                                                                                             Kanako Okita

Call to Worship based on Psalm 66:8-20
Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of praise be heard: We remain among the living. Our feet have not slipped. Truly we still live in a time of stress and testing, when we fear the ensnaring net and we feel the weight of our burdens. We have not fully passed through the fire and the water, but God has come with us through it so far, and God will see us through. Come worship the One who has listened to our prayers. Come worship the source of steadfast love.

Opening Prayer based on Acts 17:22-31
Leader: Let us pray.
All: In an ancient city, O God, they raised an altar to “an unknown god,” a god whom Paul declared to be you. Maker of the universe and all its spheres, you do not live in things that we have built. You live in our breath, you live in our life, you live in our hearts. As your children we come, offering our love and praise and worship to you, the God whom Jesus has made known. Amen.

Scripture: John 14:15-21
If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. “I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.

Story and Meditation:  Not Alone                                   Rev. Eric Anderson

Prayer                                                                                     Rev. Eric Anderson

Offering Call and Dedication
We are not sending ushers through the neighborhoods of Hilo to collect your gifts this morning, or any morning. We invite you to send your offering to support the spiritual, emotional, and physical ministries of this church in this time. Please mail your gifts to us at Church of the Holy Cross, 440 West Lanikaula Street, Hilo, Hawai’i 96720.

Please pray with me:
May we love you, O God. May we keep your commandment to love one another. You have come to us in prophets’ word, in liberating acts, in energizing Spirit, and in a risen Savior. Accept our gifts, O Holy One, as we offer them in love. Amen.

Music: What a Friend We Have in Jesus — Joseph Scriven & Charles C. Converse
                                                                                                Eric Anderson
                                                                                                Doug Albertson

Benediction                                                                             Rev. Eric Anderson