Come,allwholongforpeaceintheirheartsandsouls
WelongtoknowourGodwhoisalmighty,allwise,allgood,andwhoisrest itself.
THECHURCHGATHERS
ThegoodnessofGodisthehighestobjectofprayersanditreachesdownto ourlowestneed.
CalltoWorship
WeturntoGodwhoquickensoursoul,givesitlifeandmakesitgrowingrace andvirtue.
Come,letusworshipGod.
Wecome,turningourheartstowardGodinworshipandpraise.
TheLordbewithyou
Andalsowithyou.
TrustinginGod’severlastinglove,letusconfessoursin.
PrayerofConfession
MercifulGod,weoftenfindourselveseitherfallingtoolowintodespairforour ownweaknessorbeingtoorecklessinourcarelessness.Weoftenfailto recognizeourownthornswithoutconcealment,forgettingthatwecannot standevenforthetwinklingofaneyeunlessweareprotectedbygrace.
Forgiveusfornotclingingreverentlytoyou,forourfailuresintakingtheleap offaithintoyoureternallove.
Hearthegoodnews:ThroughGod’sgoodness,oursoulcannowbeunited withGod,sothatnothingcancomebetweenGodandthesoul. Throughthepowerofthepreciousunion,God’sgraceempowersustolove ourMakerandendlesslyrejoiceinGod.
WordsofAssurance
InthenameofJesusChrist,weareforgiven!
InthenameofJesusChrist,weareforgiven!ThanksbetoGod!Alleluia! Amen.
Merciful Jesus Lord, grant to them rest.
TOHEARTHEWORDANDREFLECT
Musicians -TrebleEnsemble,JuliaHanna Ushers -RichHadley,JamesFrisbee, UlandaFrisbee,RalphNewhall, DavidBell MusicMinistry
Lamb of God, who takest away the sins of the Grant them rest everlasting. SHARINGINWORSHIPTODAY
Acolytes -AjubeHagan, AmissahHagan
Liturgists-MedinaArthur, Rev AllieRosnerBass
Reader -MomoWolapaye
Children'sTime WhereChildrenBelong TFWS#2233
ScriptureReading 2Corinthians12:6-10
ThisistheWordofLife.ThanksbetoGod.
Sermon “TheThorninMyFlesh” IsaacShin
TORESPONDINFAITH
HymnofResponse
PrayersofthePeople
TheLord'sPrayer
IHaveDecidedtoFollowJesus
OurFather,whoartinheaven,hallowedbethyname.Thykingdomcome; thywillbedoneonearthasitisinheaven.Giveusthisdayourdailybread; andforgiveusourtrespassesasweforgivethosewhotrespassagainst us.Andleadusnotintotemptation,butdeliverusfromevil.Forthineisthe kingdom,thepower,andthegloryforever.Amen.
Offertory
Hymn
PrayerofThanksgiving Hymn
FWS#2129
Méditation Bonis
ANDSCATTERSTOBEINTHEWORLD
Benediction
Recessional
Postlude EasyVariations-Toccata Kabalevsky
PRAYERCONCERNS
Prayers for all giving and receiving hospice care. May strength, calm, compassion, and rest be available to them.
Prayers for all those participating in ongoing diplomatic negotiations around peace May all sides come together, transcend their differences, and seek to elevate human flourishing as the most crucial priority. Prayers especially for the Nudel family for health and happiness
HAVEPRAYERCONCERNS?
ForourPrayerChain,callYvonneMacdonaldat609-577-8369 oremailheratyvonneemac@verizonnet EmailTylerMathiasenat tyler@princetonumc.orgwhenyouorafamilymemberisin thehospitalorinneedofapastoralcall
Nevertheless,WeRise ExemplarsofPerseveranceandResilience
ThroughoutthisEasterseason,we’rehighlightingexemplarsofperseveranceandresilience: peoplewhoseliveshelpusseewhatitlooksliketoliveasresurrectionpeople. Thesearenotperfectheroes,butrealpeoplewhofacedstruggle,uncertainty,andchallenge, anddiscoveredGod’sgraceinthemidstofit.Theirstoriesremindusthatresilienceisnotabout havingitalltogether,butabouttrustingthatGodisatworkwithinus, helpingusriseintothefullnessoflife.
JulianofNorwich(1342–c.1416)
AllShallBeWell
JulianofNorwichlivedin14th-centuryEngland,duringatime markedbyplague,politicalunrest,andwidespreaduncertainty.
TheBlackDeathhaddevastatedentirecommunities,andfear wasaconstantcompanionformany.Inthemidstofthisworld, Julianchosealifeofprayerasananchoress,livinginasmallcell attachedtoachurch,devotedtocontemplation.
Attheageof30,JulianbecamegravelyillandnearlydiedDuring herillness,sheexperiencedaseriesofvividvisionsofChrist’s sufferingandlove.Thesevisionsbecamethefoundationofher writings,laterknownasRevelationsofDivineLove,oneofthe earliestknownbookswritteninEnglishbyawoman.
WhatmakesJulianremarkableisnotthatsheavoidedsuffering, butthatshelookeddirectlyatit,anddiscoveredsomething unexpectedInthefaceofpain,sin,anduncertainty,shecameto trustdeeplyintheunshakableloveofGod.
Hermostfamouswordshaveechoedthroughcenturies:
“Allshallbewell,andallshallbewell, andallmannerofthingsshallbewell”
Thisisnotnaïveoptimism.Juliandidnotdenytherealityof suffering.Instead,sheheldsufferingandhopetogether,trusting thatGod’slovewasatwork,evenwhenitcouldnotyetbeseen.
WeturntoJulianthisweekbecausesheteachesushowtotella grace-filledstory.Wherewemightseefailure,shesawthe possibilityoftransformation.Wherewemightseeendings,she trustedinGod’songoingworkofrenewal.
Julian’sresiliencewasrootedin: contemplationanddeeptrust thebeliefthatlovehasthefinalword thecouragetoreinterpretsufferingthroughthelensofgrace
Herlifeinvitesustoask:
WhatifGodispresent,evenhere? Whatifthisstoryisnotfinishedyet?
Whythisweek?
Aswelearntotellour grace-filledstories, Julianhelpsustrust that,evenin uncertaintyand suffering,God’sloveis stillatwork,holdingall things.
Weareadiversefaithcommunity, engagedinenliveningspirituallythirstypeople tojoyfullyrespondtoGod’slove andgrowasdisciplesofChrist, sothattogetherwemayexperiencethefullnessoflife
Our quarterly Congregational Meeting is coming up on April 26th, at 11:30 a.m. in the Fellowship hall or on zoom. In this meeting we will keep you up-to-date on thegoing-onsofPrincetonUMCandwhereweasachurchstand Wewouldlove toseeyouthere!
QUARTERLYCONGREGATIONALMEETING
IfyouareinterestedinlearningmoreaboutPUMCorjoiningthechurch,weinvite you to come to our Newcomers' program! On April 19, May 3, and 17, we will hold our Newcomer’s Group after service from 11:30-12:30 in person or on zoom We hopetoseeyouthere!
PUMCNEWCOMERS’PROGRAM
Our VBS signup is now open! Join us in our ‘Discover of Adventure Island,’ where we will have games, crafts, music, and more! VBS willbehereatPUMCfromJuly31-August2 UsetheQRlinktosign up or find more information! Email blesssing@princetonumc.org foranyquestionsyoumayhave.
VBSSIGNUPISNOWOPEN