A Simplified Order of Worship April 3, 2020 4th Sunday of Easter

Call to Worship     [Psalm 23]
    Let us praise our God who tends us like sheep,
        Who has sent the Good Shepherd to care for us,
    Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us
        And we will dwell in God’s house for ever.

Collect
Good Lord, who sent Jesus to be the Shepherd of us all, our redemption and our protection:
Direct us by your presence and watch over our paths with guiding love, that we may keep our hearts fixed on you and so follow in the paths that we may come to where you would have us;
Through the same Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and for ever. Amen.      [Mozarabic Sacramentary; alt, TJC]

Prayer before the Word                                                                                                               Donna McSpadden

Psalm                                                                          Psalm 23
                                                  Psalm Response from “Lord, You Are My Shepherd”*

First Lesson                                                        1 Peter 2:19-25

Hymn                                                  “Savior, Like a Shepherd, Lead Me”   

Gospel Lesson:                                                     John 10:1-10
                                        L: The Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ P: Praise to you, Lord Christ

Message:                                                         “Don't Be Like Chris”                                    Pastor Gilbert Stones

Hymn                                                                    “He Leadeth Me”

Prayers of the People

The Lord’s Prayer
    Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come,
    your will be done, on earth as in heaven.
    Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who
    sin against us.
    Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
    For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours now and for ever.
    Amen.

Offering         [Click link to go to online giving]

Offertory

Prayer of Dedication

Prayer of Thanksgiving
       Our Refuge and our Rock, God of heaven and earth, you have saved your people by your steadfast love. So, we come before you to sing our thanksgiving.
       You have given birth to your Church and have set Jesus Christ as the chief cornerstone. You have called us to be a chosen race, a holy nation and a royal priesthood. But we do not act like we are holy. We are your chosen race, but we take so much pride in it that we scorn those who do not yet believe. We do not freely make intercession for others. Where we have chosen the darkness over the light, where we have denied that we are your people, forgive us and free us for joyful service.
   May your Holy Spirit give us the courage of Stephen; though we may not be called to give up our lives for our faith in you, may we be just as courageous in our proclamation of your holy Name before the world.
   Knowing that you redeem us all, O Lord we commend to you those who need your rescue this day from the assaults of illness and injury upon their bodies, their souls and their spirits. Deliver them from the hands of their enemies and let your face shine upon them.
   Hear your people this day, O merciful God, for we pray in the Name of him who is the Way, the Truth and the Life, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Benediction and Pass the Peace of Christ to one another today
                                                       Join us on Zoom at 11:00 a.m. for fellowship.

Song of Blessing:                                             “Shalom to You”

Passing the Peace of Christ

Music Notes: To the best of our ability to check, all music is either Public Domain or used by permission.

The Psalm response is by my dear friend George Crisp and is used by permission.
The hymns are sung by Dallas First UMC.