April 11, 2021 Second Sunday of Easter www.AstoriaChurch.org

REFLECTION the Lord Jesus. And God’s grace was so powerfully at “Triumphant from the grave work in them all that there were no needy persons Rose Jesus strong to save. among them. For from time to time those who owned He crushed – O Christian, mark it well! land or houses sold them, brought the money from the Sin, Satan, death and hell.” – Werner H. Franzmann sales and put it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to anyone who had need. CALL TO WORSHIP Reader: This is the word of the Lord. Leader: The Lord is my strength and my People: Thanks be to God. might; he has become my salvation. People: There are glad songs of victory in PRAYER OF ADORATION the tents of the righteous: “The right hand of the LORD does CALL TO CONFESSION valiantly; the right hand of the The proof of God’s amazing love is this: While we LORD is exalted; the right hand of were sinners, Christ died for us. Let us therefore the LORD does valiantly.” approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we Leader: The stone the builders rejected has may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of become the chief cornerstone. need. People: This is the Lord’s doing; it is marvelous in our eyes. PRAYER OF CONFESSION Leader: Christ is risen! All: Almighty God, you have raised Jesus from the All: He is risen indeed! Alleluia! grave and crowned him Lord of all. We confess that we have not always bowed before him or SONG OF PRAISE acknowledged his rule in our lives. We have often “Thine be the glory” gone along with the way of the world and failed to Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son; give him glory. Forgive us and raise us from sin, Endless is the vict’ry thou oe’r death has won; that we may be your faithful people, obeying the Angels in bright raiment rolled stone away, commands of our Lord Jesus Christ, who rules the Kept the folded graveclothes, where thy body lay. world and is head of the church, his body. Amen. Thine be the glory, risen, conqu’ring Son; Endless is the vict’ry thou oe’r death has won. SILENT CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON Lo! Jesus meets us, risen from the tomb; Ephesians 2:4-7 Lovingly he greets us, scatters fear and gloom; God, who is rich in mercy, out of the great love with Let the church with gladness, hymns of triumph sing, which he loved us even when we were dead through our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by For her Lord now liveth, death hath lost its sting. grace you have been saved—and raised us up with No more we doubt thee, glorious Prince of life; him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Life is naught without thee: aid us in our strife; Christ Jesus, so that in the ages to come he might Make us more than conqu’rors, show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Thro’ thy deathless love: Bring us safe thro’ Jordan to thy home above. MACCABAEUS; Edmund Budry SONG OF RESPONSE “He will hold me fast” EASTER READING Acts 4:32-35 When I fear my faith will fail, All the believers were one in heart and mind. No one Christ will hold me fast; claimed that any of their possessions was their own, When the tempter would prevail, he will hold me fast. but they shared everything they had. With great power I could never keep my hold through life’s fearful path; the apostles continued to testify to the resurrection of For my love is often cold; he must hold me fast.

1 He will hold me fast, he will hold me fast; will forgive us our sins and purify us from all For my Savior loves me so, he will hold me fast. unrighteousness. If we claim we have not sinned, we make him out to be a liar and his word is not in us. My Those he saves are his delight, dear children, I write this to you so that you will not Christ will hold me fast; sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an Precious in his holy sight, he will hold me fast. advocate with the Father—Jesus Christ, the Righteous He’ll not let my soul be lost, his promises shall last; One. He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not Bought by him at such a cost, he will hold me fast. only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world.

Reader: This is the word of the Lord. For my life he bled and died, he will hold me fast; People: Thanks be to God. Justice has been satisfied, he will hold me fast.

Raised with him to endless life, he will hold me fast SONG OF RESPONSE Till our faith is turned to sight when he comes at last! Ada Habershon and Mathew Merker “The same power” There is pow'r in his name For the stone was rolled away. OLD TESTAMENT READING Psalm 133 Mountains bow down before How good and pleasant it is Jesus Christ, our risen Lord, when God’s people live together in unity! Jesus Christ, our risen Lord. It is like precious oil poured on the head, running down on the beard, Mighty Savior lifted high, running down on Aaron’s beard, King forever, Jesus Christ. down on the collar of his robe. Crowned in glory, raised to life; It is as if the dew of Hermon The same power lives in us. were falling on Mount Zion. (The same power lives in us) For there the LORD bestows his blessing, even life forevermore. We will rise, stand and sing Of our great and matchless King. Reader: This is the word of the Lord. Seated high on the throne, People: Thanks be to God. You shall reign forevermore,

You shall reign forevermore. EPISTLE READING I John 1:1-2:2

That which was from the beginning, which we have The grave could not contain heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we The power of his name. have looked at and our hands have touched—this we Death you overcame proclaim concerning the Word of life. The life Once and for all. appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we Cantelon, Herbert proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. We proclaim to you PRAYER OF THE PEOPLE what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with SCRIPTURE READING John 20:19-23 NIV 19 the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. We write On the evening of that first day of the week, when this to make our joy complete. This is the message we the disciples were together, with the doors locked for have heard from him and declare to you: God is fear of the Jewish leaders, Jesus came and stood 20 light; in him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to among them and said, “Peace be with you!” After he have fellowship with him and yet walk in the said this, he showed them his hands and side. The darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. But if disciples were overjoyed when they saw the Lord. 21 we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have Again Jesus said, “Peace be with you! As the Father 22 fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, has sent me, I am sending you.” And with that he his Son, purifies us from all sin. If we claim to be breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy 23 without sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth is not Spirit. If you forgive anyone’s sins, their sins are in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and

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forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not Worthy is the Lamb who was slain forgiven.” Glory be unto his name (2x)

Reader: This is the word of the Lord. The table is now spread People: Thanks be to God. The table is now spread MESSAGE “Words of the Risen Savior” J. David Ellis This wine and bread, broken body and blood shed The table is now spread THE LORD’S TABLE Leader: The Lord be with you. The day is drawing near People: And also with you. The day is drawing near Leader: Lift up your hearts! He shall appear and will wipe away each tear People: We lift them up to the Lord! The day is drawing near Leader: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. People: It is right to give him thanks and praise. Worthy is the Lamb who was slain Leader: It is always right and proper, and our moral Glory be unto his name (4x) Luke Morton duty, that we should at all times and in all places give thanks to you, O Lord, holy Father, Almighty and THE LORD’S SUPPER Everlasting God. Therefore, with angels and archangels, and with all the inhabitants of heaven, we MUSIC OF COMMITMENT honor and adore your glorious name, evermore “The day of resurrection” praising you and saying: The day of resurrection! Earth tell it out abroad; The Passover of gladness, the Passover of God. People: Holy, holy, holy, Lord God of hosts! From death to life eternal, from this world to the sky, Heaven and earth are full of your glory. Our Christ hath brought us over Glory be to you, O Lord, most high. Amen With hymns of victory. The Gloria Patri Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Our hearts be pure from evil, that we may see aright Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now and ever The Lord in rays eternal of resurrection light; shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. And listening to his accents, May hear, so calm and plain, Leader: Christ our Passover has been His own “All hail!” and hearing, sacrificed for us. May raise the victor strain. People: Therefore, let us keep the feast. Leader: The gifts of God for the people of God. Now let the heav’ns be joyful, Come eat and drink with thanksgiving. Let earth her song begin; Let the round world keep triumph, “The Lamb has overcome” And all that is therein. The Lamb has overcome Invisible and visible, The Lamb has overcome Their notes let all things blend, The battle’s done and the victory is won For Christ the Lord hath risen, For the Lamb has overcome Our joy that hath no end. LANCASHIRE; John of Damascus (8th cent) No grave could hold him down No grave could hold him down BENEDICTION from Revelation 1 Up from the ground, “He is risen!” was the sound Grace and peace to you from him who is, and who No grave could hold him down was, and who is to come, and from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and At God’s right hand is he the ruler of the kings of the earth. At God’s right hand is he Our Perfect Plea as he lives to intercede At God’s right hand is he

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ANNOUNCEMENTS WELCOME TO ASTORIA COMMUNITY CHURCH

VISITORS: We are so glad that you joined us for WORSHIP: Sundays, 10:30AM (Mixed Style) worship. If you are a visitor to ACC, please email MAILING ADDRESS: P.O. Box 2102, Astoria, NY 11102 admin@astoriachurch .org to be added to our email list. Or OFFICE: 22-07 Astoria Blvd., Cellar Entrance, Astoria, NY 11102 fill out a communication card at the Welcome Table (hard PHONE: 718-721-3440 WEBSITE: www.astoriachurch.org copy or QR code). We send out a weekly electronic WORSHIP LOCATION: Astoria Center of Israel Bldg newsletter and other announcement emails. 27-35 Crescent Street, Astoria, NY 11102 MINISTRY COORDINATOR: Andrea Mungo ([email protected]) ONE YEAR COVID REVIEW SURVEY: Thank you all PASTOR: J. David Ellis ([email protected]) who responded! We will be compiling the answers and responding to comments and questions in the near future.

EASTER OUTREACH OFFERING: We have Facebook.com/AstoriaCommunityChurch received over $15,000 towards our goal of $25,000. Thank you, ACC, for your sacrificial offerings! If you Our mission is to proclaim the good news of haven't given yet, it's not too late! You may give your Jesus Christ to our neighbors, offering online (designate Easter Offering), by sending in a to welcome them into loving community, and to equip them to glorify God. check to our PO Box or placing it in the offering basket at the end of our in-person services. Thank you so much! Helpful Information: ESL MINISTRY: Please be praying for our ESL ministry Children and Youth Ministries as it begins the last trimester before summer break. They will continue to teach English on Zoom with the hopes of Currently we are not offering children’s programing on th reopenin g in person classes in the Fall. Sundays due to COVID. Pre- K – 6 Grade children are welcome to join our Tuesday Bible Club at 7PM on COMMUNITY GROUPS: The next round of CGs will be Zoom. Email [email protected] to receive the zoom link. Our Youth Group meets by Zoom on Fridays. a 6-week series studying passages on the Holy Spirit. See below for more info. Community Groups will begin the week of April 18th. Sign up link is in the newsletter and on our website. Babies - Toddlers: There will be no nursery until further notice. ([email protected]) CHRISTIAN EDUCATION CLASS - Pre-K - Grade 2: There will be no children’s church until APOLOGETICS: We will be offering a 6-week class further notice. ([email protected]) studying Tactics: A Game Plan for Discussing Your Grades 3 - 5: Bryan Taylor ([email protected]) There will be no Sunday school until further notice. Christian Convictions (Greg Koukl) on Thursdays, 7:45pm (zoom) starting April 22. Instructors: David Ellis Grades 6 - 12: Jeffrey Choi (remote on Fridays, Sept – & Rainy Worzella. Sign up link is in the newsletter and on June) ([email protected]) our website. Community Groups PRAYER MEETINGS: If you haven't joined our weekly Small groups that meet on Zoom for fellowship, study, and prayer meeting, please consider joining! We get to pray as prayer. Email: [email protected] for info God's family together and it's a very powerful time. We Physical, Financial, or Emotional Need pray every Thursday at 7PM on Zoom. An email goes out Church leaders are available to meet with you if you have a Thursday morning with the Zoom link. need. Please email [email protected] or call 718-

721-3440. For the Meals Ministry, email FOOD PANTRY: The Hour Children food pantry now has [email protected] an Amazon Wish List in case you would like to donate food that way. The link is in the weekly newsletter or you can English as a Second Language Classes email Andrea for the link. The economic fall out of the (Saturdays) Info: [email protected] pandemic is still very real for so many. Our city's food Outreach Ministries pantries are being utilized more than ever. For info on service opportunities in Queens:

[email protected] MEMBER AND REGULAR ATTENDER NEWS: Men’s and Women’s Ministry Email [email protected] or Andrea at 4 Info for women, contact: [email protected] [email protected] with your news! Info for men, contact: [email protected]