Fully Alive with the Passion of Christ
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FULLY ALIVE WITH THE PASSION OF CHRIST “If you want holy boldness, begin to cultivate someone with loving-kindness to the point where they ask, ‘What is your secret?’ Wait for them to ask you. Don’t preach at them. Let them inquire ’What animates your spirit?’ Then you can tell them. Love them. Be gracious to all in the City. The best place to begin is where you work. Take God to your job with you. Also find some part of the great problems of today and hold a personal conviction for justice and stand up for it. When you begin to feel the pressure of opposition, you will know that you are getting near to the point where Jesus Christ is making you His servant to witness there. Thus all of us can move off our dead-center cultural accommodations to practice creative love and graciousness as we demonstrate holy boldness. One reason some churches are less effective today is because they have lost the offensive ap- proach to a healing, holy application of the Easter message, ‘Christ is alive and at work today.’ ” ~Bryant Kirkland SOUTH HIGHLAND 131 PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH CELEBRATING OUR 131st YEAR OF FAITHFUL SERVICE NO MATTER WHERE YOU ARE FROM, WE ARE GLAD YOU ARE OUR NEIGHBOR. ALL ARE WELCOME IN THE NAME OF JESUS CHRIST! 2035 Highland Ave S • Birmingham, Alabama 35205 www.southhighland.org • (205) 933-0790 CELEBRATION FOR THE LORD’S DAY 11:00 AM • Internet - southhighland.org/radio AM 850 and FM 101.1 May 17 , 2020 SIXTH SUNDAY OF EASTER Prayer OF Preparation Brightness of God’s glory and exact image of God’s person, whom death could not conquer nor the tomb imprison, as you have shared our frailty in human flesh, help us to share your immortality in the Spirit. Let no shadow of the grave terrify us and no fear of darkness turn our hearts from you. Reveal yourself to us this day and all our days, as the first and the last, the living one, our immortal Savior and Lord. Amen. Dr. Jim Dorroh, organ PRELUDE Variations: Jesu meine Freude Johann Walther Abby Gatliff, Ministry Intern WELCOME Chancel Ensemble CHORAL INTROIT “Introit for Easter” Doris Paul and Esther Mary Fuller *CALL TO WORSHIP from Psalm 66 Make a joyful noise to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name; Words in bold text are spoken in unison by the congregation. give to Him glorious praise. All the earth worships You; they sing praises to You, sing praises to Your name. Come and see what God has done: He is awesome in His deeds among mortals. He turned the sea into dry land; they passed through the river on foot. There we rejoiced in Him, Bless our God, O peoples, let the sound of His praise be heard, Blessed be God, because He has not rejected our prayer or removed His steadfast love from us. †*PROCESSIONAL HYMN “I Sing the Mighty Power of God” Ellacombe Entrance of the Word and the Light Chancel Ensemble: Heather Batey, Abbey Grauberger, Virginia Barr, Matthew Grauberger, and Rick Atkerson. from the Glory to God Hymnal *PRAYER OF ADORATION Abby Gatliff *CALL TO CONFESSION Daniel Killilea *PRAYER OF CONFESSION Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak and abuse the earth you made. Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen LORD. Amen. *CONFESSIONAL CHORAL RESPONSE Daniel Killilea *DECLARATION OF GRACE & FORGIVENESS Friends, believe the good news of the gospel. In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. O Lord open our lips, and our mouths shall show forth Your praise. *Congregational RESPONSE “Jesus Christ Is Risen Today” EASTER HYMN Sing we to our God above, Alleluia! Praise eternal as God’s love; Alleluia! Praise our God, ye heavenly host, Alleluia! Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Alleluia! Greet your family and friends and check in Online to let us †*PEACE OF CHRIST The peace of Christ be with you! know who all is present and And also with you! watching with you! Rev. Dr. Ed Hurley CELEBRATIONS, JOYS, CONCERNS All children please get your favorite stuffed animal and let’s TIME FOR YOUNG DISCIPLES worship together - Katya O’Leary Daniel Killilea CELEBRATION OF OUR GRADUATES HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE GRAD SCHOOL Sydney Cross Madeline Borden Virginia Barr Taniyah Dyer Lindsey Brakefield Austin Falk John Love Kathryn Cotton Cort Gatliff William Love Sam Cross Kevin Giattina Andrew Messier Kemp Featheringill, Jr. Mary Katherine (Cook) Weeks Katie Powell Meredith Featheringill Daisy Pratt Sophia Giovanelli Danielle Retief Abby Heiser Stanton Spencer Megan Retief Lillian Troiano Claire Tucker Annie White Congregational RESPONSE “Fight the Good Fight” Duke Street Fight the good fight with all thy might; Christ is thy strength and Christ thy right; Lay hold on life, and it shall be Thy joy and crown eternally. Faint not nor fear, God’s arms are near; God changeth not, and thou art dear; Only believe, and thou shalt see That Christ is all in all to thee. PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION Rick Atkerson LESSON FROM ACTS OF THE APOSTLES Rick Atkerson Acts 5:12-32 12 Now many signs and wonders were done among the people through the apos- tles. And they were all together in Solomon’s Portico. 13 None of the rest dared to join them, but the people held them in high esteem. 14 Yet more than ever believers were added to the Lord, great numbers of both men and women, 15 so that they even carried out the sick into the streets, and laid them on cots and mats, in order that Peter’s shadow might fall on some of them as he came by. 16 A great number of people would also gather from the towns around Jerusalem, bringing the sick and those tormented by unclean spirits, and they were all cured. 17 Then the high priest took action; he and all who were with him (that is, the sect of the Sadducees), being filled with jealousy, 18 arrested the apostles and put them in the public prison. 19 But during the night an angel of the Lord opened the prison doors, brought them out, and said, 20 “Go, stand in the temple and tell the people the whole message about this life.” 21 When they heard this, they en- tered the temple at daybreak and went on with their teaching. When the high priest and those with him arrived, they called together the council and the whole body of the elders of Israel, and sent to the prison to have them brought. 22 But when the temple police went there, they did not find them in the prison; so they returned and reported, 23 “We found the prison securely locked and the guards standing at the doors, but when we opened them, we found no one inside.” 24 Now when the captain of the temple and the chief priests heard these words, they were perplexed about them, wondering what might be going on. 25 Then someone arrived and announced, “Look, the men whom you put in prison are standing in the temple and teaching the people!” 26 Then the captain went with the temple police and brought them, but without violence, for they were afraid of being stoned by the people. 27 When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, 28 saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name,[a] yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” 29 But Peter and the apostles an- swered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. 30 The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. 31 God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. 32 And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.” This is the Word of the Lord. Thanks be to God. Chancel Ensemble ANTHEM “If Ye Love Me” Philip Wilby If ye love me, keep my commandments, and I will pray the Father, and He shall give you another Comforter, that He may abide with you forever; E’en the spirit of Truth. And ye know Him, for He dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. I will not leave you comfortless. I will come to you. *EPISTLE LESSON 1 Peter 3:8-22 Rev. Dr. Ed Hurley 8 Finally, all of you, have unity of spirit, sympathy, love for one another, a tender heart, and a humble mind. 9 Do not repay evil for evil or abuse for abuse; but, on the contrary, repay with a blessing. It is for this that you were called—that you might inherit a blessing. 10 For “Those who desire life and desire to see good days, let them keep their tongues from evil and their lips from speaking deceit; 11 let them turn away from evil and do good; let them seek peace and pursue it.