Together as One
Service Prayers for the Seventh Sunday of Easter
May 16, 2021

Acts 1:15-17, 21-26	Psalm 1    1 John 5:9-13	John 17:6-19

Since Congregations are returning to “in-person” services at different paces, Worship Ways for will be edited for online use.  “Rubrics” for virtual services will be noted in red;  take and adapt as you need!

Call to Worship
Leader should speak the lines of the people, along with the Leader’s lines.
One: We come and seek the ways of wisdom.
All: 	Out loud but muted
We come as one Body in Christ.
One: We come to find peace and sing songs of love.
All: 	Out loud but muted
We come to be refreshed by the Spirit.
One: Come, let us worship.

Invocation: 	 
One:	Life-giving God, your love and light
guides us on the path of   
courage, compassion, generosity, and grace. 
Lead us we seek to follow your transformative love
that turns sorrow into joy, and despair into hope. 
O God, help us embrace your guiding love that 
calls us to live as your faithful witnesses, 
who reflect your grace and redemptive love.
All: 	Out loud but muted

God, open hearts to receive your gracious love,
and strengthen us 
to carry the Good News of your healing power 
found in the light, love and life of Jesus the Christ. Amen.
 
Prayer of Confession
One:	Gracious God, we confess our doubts that stifle our joy.
Forgive us when we lack faith in you, 
and comfort us when our fears outweigh our praise. 
God, forgive us when we fail to trust you, 
and help us when we do not live as your faithful witnesses.
Guiding God, forgive us when we are self-consumed 
and lack the time needed to serve our neighbors. 
All: 	Out loud but muted
In these times, have mercy on us, O God,
and encourage us to be your love-lived, 
by renewing us daily in your strength. We pray, Amen.
   
Assurance of Pardon
O God, hear our prayers of confession and forgiveness, 
and guide us from disbelief and distress 
by leading us into your hope-filled joy. 
God, we need your loving Spirit
to be among us, to comfort us in our doubt, 
and to strengthen us in our faith. Amen.	

Scripture, Sermon, Prayers of the People
Notes for the worship planners in 2021: 
Consider a simple message or even an  interactive Bible Study that engages people with the scriptures for today.  Some thoughts to begin such a time: 
Narrative Context: 
Jesus prays for the disciples to be guided by God’s love. In chapter 17:6-10, Jesus prays for the disciples to remain united in faithfulness to God, and in spreading God’s love to the world. And in chapter 17:11-14, Jesus prays for God’s guiding love unites and protects them, so that all might live into God’s divine purpose and plan. Then, chapter 17:15-19, presents Jesus prayer for the disciples to become more pure and holy in order to successfully, combat evil, by fully submitting their lives to God.
Conflicts at Play: 
The conflicts at play arise as Jesus prays for the disciples to wholeheartedly trust in God’s protective love, and not merely lean upon their limited capacities. In doing so, Jesus’s prayer is for their faith-filled joy, to replace their fears. As Jesus challenges the disciples to unite in spreading the Good News to all the world, instead of keeping God’s grand reveal amongst themselves.    

For the Prayers of the People, you might use a bidding prayer (“God, we pray today for those who are sick, including ….”) and encourage folk to type in their prayers using Zoom chat or Facebook Live; allow for more time in silence for those prayers to be typed and read. Consider a collective response at the end of each bidding prayer.
o	A caution regarding prayers of the People online: Folks gathered in-person often recount a lot of detail in their prayers concerning other members or family (“Elderly Name, living alone, experiencing isolation…”  In  a private, in-person gathering, this information may be safe, but online, it can expose vulnerable people to harm, since we can’t control who will join the gathering or access it later online.  Invite people to be prudent in offering prayers:  “For First name only, in need of healing”; “For First name only, comfort in grief”  etc.  
Encourage people to contact the pastor directly with news of those needed extra pastoral care.

Invitation to Offering
Today, we hear Jesus pray for the disciples to be guided by God. 
A story about a mother and child offers an example of Jesus’s prayer.	
A small child is trying to lift a heavy stone that he could not budge. 
His mother stopped to watch his efforts. 
Finally, she asked her son, “Are you using all your strength?” 
And the boy says, “Yes, I am using every bit of energy and strength I have.” 
And the more he talked, the more he sounded tired and worn out. 
Then the mother said to the child, 
“No, you are not using all of your strength, 
because you have not asked me to help!”
So, the boy asked his mother to help, but still that stone could not be moved. 
Then the mother asked her older child to help, but still they could not move it. 
Then, a neighbor was asked to help, then another neighbor, and another, 
and finally, with each one giving all their energy and strength to the project, 
the stone was moved! 
After everyone left, the mother turned to her young child and said, 
“You see, when we all work together, 
when we use our strength together, 
we can accomplish some things 
that not one of us by ourselves could accomplish alone.” 

And so, as the beloved community, 
let us join together in moving away the heavy stones of life 
that become stumbling blocks to our faith, 
by serving as witnesses to God’s love through our grateful giving.
 
Dedication
Dear God, 
We offer our generous gifts as a sign of our gratitude 
for creating us to care for one another.
We pray your blessings upon these gifts, and 
hope they serve as our love for you and the world.
Redeeming God, we ask that these gracious offerings 
be a witness your healing and faithful love 
in order to bring hope to a hurting world. 
In the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.
 
Benediction  
Let us go forth in the world, giving thanks that we have come.
	Let us go forth renewed in spirit, knowing that we belong to God.
And, let us go forth as witnesses, carrying the light of Jesus Christ. Amen.

Together as One, Service prayers for  the Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year B, was written by the Rev .Dr. Sheila Harvey Guillaume, pastor of Union Congregational United Church of Christ in West Palm Beach.

Copyright 2021  Justice and Local Church Ministries, Faith INFO Ministry Team, United Church of Christ, 700 Prospect Avenue, Cleveland, OH  44115-1100.  Permission granted to reproduce or adapt this material for use in services of worship or church education.  All publishing rights reserved.