Author: firstchristiancovington

These are the worship resources for Sunday, April 5, 2020.

Welcome
Welcome to worship from wherever you are.  Please work through this liturgy at the time that is familiar or convenient to you and at a pace that is meaningful to you.  When you click on a link to a YouTube video, watch the video then click the back arrow on your browser to return to this worship outline.

There are a couple things you’ll want to get for worship.  Please get some elements for communion and a candle and lighter.

Please take a moment to check-in to First Christian Church, Covington on Facebook to let your friends know where you are worshiping today.  You may also share a link to this service on your page to invite others to worship too.

Passing the Peace
Send a text to someone whom you normally greet on Sunday mornings.  Send a “thinking of you” message.  Consider a waving hand emoji.

Prelude                                     St. Anne by Organist, Randy Gudvangen
Please prepare your hearts and minds for worship as you listen to the Prelude.  Please watch the following video while you listen to the Prelude.

Palm Sunday Celebration    Virtual Palm Parade

The Light of Christ
It is our practice to light the candles on the Communion Table during the Prelude to remind us of the Presence of Christ in our worship.  Please take a moment to light a candle to symbolize Christ’s Presence in your worship space.

Symbol of the Season           Palms by Stephanie Borchers
It is our practice during the Lenten season to place something at our cross creating a collage of symbols that coincide with our seasonal theme.  The symbol today is a palm branch.  The prompt for Stephanie was to share about a time she was overcome with joy.

Prayer Hymn                           He Leadeth Me by Andra Moran
A list of our prayer concerns list was sent out on Thursday afternoon.  Please refer to that list for friends in need of prayer.  If you did not receive that list, please email the office: firstonfifthcc@gmail.com.

There will be an online prayer meeting at noon on Sunday.  Please join that meeting at by logging into the meeting at this link. 

The 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the
Kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

Scripture                                 John 12: 12 – 19

          Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King
¹² The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. ¹³ They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
     “Hosanna!”
     “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
     “Blessed is the king of Israel!”

¹⁴ Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
¹⁵ “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
     see, your king is coming,
     seated on a donkey’s colt.”

¹⁶ At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.

¹⁷ Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. ¹⁸ Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. ¹⁹ So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”

Hymn of Response                Holy is the Lord by Christ Tomlin

Symbol of the Season           Bread by Jim Hopkins and Lettie Van Hemert
It is our practice during the Lenten season to place something at our cross creating a collage of symbols that coincide with our seasonal theme.  The symbol today is bread.  The prompt for Lettie and Jim was to share about practicing communion in this time of virtual worship and social distancing.

Scripture                                  John 13: 1 – 5

          Jesus Washes His Disciples’ Feet
13 It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

² The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. ³ Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; ⁴ so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. ⁵ After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

Invitation to Communion & Words of Institution     Liminal Spaces 
by Alex Gallenstein and Pastor Tracy Siegman
The Christian Church (Disciples of Christ) practices an open table at which all believers are welcome.  You are welcome to partake of communion with us while the Communion Hymn plays below.  If you have a piece of bread and a cup of grape juice, you may use those elements for communion.  If you do not have those items, you are welcome to use what you have in your home to put on a plate and fill a cup that will represent for you Christ’s body and blood.

Blessing of the Bread         Prayer by Sue Rehfuss

Blessing of the Cup             Prayer by Steve Rehfuss

Communion Hymn             Take and Receive by Charity V.
Play this song while you take a moment to eat and drink the elements of communion.  Reflect on the gift of grace and the sacrificial love of our Savior.  Pray about the grace you need for the coming week and give thanks for the grace you received in the past week.

Moment for Mission
First Christian Church, Covington continues to serve God’s people and be the heart of Jesus in the heart of Covington.  Last week,
* We hosted 2 recovery groups through our Zoom account.
* We served 456 breakfasts through the partnership with Breakfast Mission of Covington.
* We served 75 dinners with the volunteers and support of our church.

Offering
The church appreciates your continued gift of your tithes and offerings.  If you would like to send a gift by mail, please send your check to: First Christian Church, 14 W 5th St., Covington, KY 41011.  If you would like to give a gift online, please visit the Give a Gift link at the top of this page.

A Time for Children            Lego Easter Story by BW Animations
The link above is to a video of the story that corresponds to today’s Scripture stories.

Symbol of the Season           Shroud by Rev. Sheri Jackson
It is our practice during the Lenten season to place something at our cross creating a collage of symbols that coincide with our seasonal theme.  The symbol today is a burial shroud.  The prompt for Sheri was to share words of comfort she has received.

Scripture                                 John 19: 25 – 37

        The Death of Jesus
²⁵ Near the cross of Jesus stood his mother, his mother’s sister, Mary the wife of Clopas, and Mary Magdalene. ²⁶ When Jesus saw his mother there, and the disciple whom he loved standing nearby, he said to her, “Woman, here is your son,” ²⁷ and to the disciple, “Here is your mother.” From that time on, this disciple took her into his home.

²⁸ Later, knowing that everything had now been finished, and so that Scripture would be fulfilled, Jesus said, “I am thirsty.” ²⁹ A jar of wine vinegar was there, so they soaked a sponge in it, put the sponge on a stalk of the hyssop plant, and lifted it to Jesus’ lips. ³⁰ When he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

³¹ Now it was the day of Preparation, and the next day was to be a special Sabbath. Because the Jewish leaders did not want the bodies left on the crosses during the Sabbath, they asked Pilate to have the legs broken and the bodies taken down. ³² The soldiers therefore came and broke the legs of the first man who had been crucified with Jesus, and then those of the other. ³³ But when they came to Jesus and found that he was already dead, they did not break his legs. ³⁴ Instead, one of the soldiers pierced Jesus’ side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water. ³⁵ The man who saw it has given testimony, and his testimony is true. He knows that he tells the truth, and he testifies so that you also may believe. ³⁶ These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: “Not one of his bones will be broken,” ³⁷ and, as another scripture says, “They will look on the one they have pierced.”

Sermon                                     It is Finished by Rev. Tracy Siegman

The Light of Christ
Following the sermon, please extinguish the Light of Christ burning while you worshiped.  This extinguished candle with signify Christ’s death.

Closing Hymn                       We’re You There by VIGIL feat. Andrea Thomas

Benediction                           Saturday Silence
by Ann Weems, Kneeling in Jerusalem: Poetry for Lent and Easter, p. 87.
The shadows shift and fly.
The whole long day the air trembles, thick with silence,
until, finally, the footsteps are heard, and the noise of the voice of God is upon us.
The Holy One is not afraid to walk on unholy ground.
The Holy Work is done and the world awaits the dawn of Life.

Postlude                         Now, Rest Beneath Night’s Shadow by Organist, Randy Gudvangen

Share God’s Love
Please contact someone on our list of friends that do not have internet.  That list was emailed with the link to this worship resource.  You may: read the Scripture and read the Pastoral Prayer.  You may also discuss the Scripture reading or provide a summary of the sermon.