PRELUDE: Second Sonata, Felix Mendelssohn
WELCOME
* CELEBRATION OF FRIENDSHIP
* SANCTUS (pew card)
* CALL TO WORSHIP AND SALUTATION, Gerry Mendler
Leader: The LORD is my chosen portion and my cup; you hold my lot.
People: The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places; I have a goodly heritage.
Leader: I bless the LORD who gives me counsel; in the night also my heart instructs me.
People: I keep the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be moved. Therefore my heart is glad and my soul rejoices!
Leader: Grace and peace to you from God our Father, the Risen Lord Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit.
ALL: Amen.
– from Psalm 16: 5-9
* HYMN No. 247: The Day of Resurrection
* PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Holy God, you gather the whole universe into your radiant presence and continually reveal your Son as our Savior. Bring healing to all our wounds, make whole all that is broken in us, speak truth to all our illusions, and shed light in every darkness that all creation will see your glory through us and know your Christ. Amen.
* KYRIE (pew card)
* ASSURANCE OF PARDON
* SUMMARY OF THE LAW
* Gloria Patri (pew card)
JUNIOR SERMON
ANTHEM: Lord, We Pray Thee, Franz Josef Haydn
Lord, we pray Thee that Thy grace may always prevent, and follow us, and make us continually to be given to all good works, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
MORNING PRAYER AND LORD’S PRAYER
Lord’s Prayer (pew card)
Prayer Response, George Frideric Handel
Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won. Angels in bright raiment rolled the stone away, kept the folded grave clothes where thy body lay. Thine is the glory, risen, conquering Son; endless is the victory thou o’er death hast won.
* HYMN No. 242: In the Garden
SCRIPTURE READINGS
1 Peter 1: 3-9. Pew Bible, page 983
Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who are being protected by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.
In this you rejoice, even if now for a little while you have had to suffer various trials, so that the genuineness of your faith—being more precious than gold that, though perishable, is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed.Although you have not seen him, you love him; and even though you do not see him now, you believe in him and rejoice with an indescribable and glorious joy, for you are receiving the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.
John 20: 19-31. Pew Bible, page 883
When it was evening on that day, the first day of the week, and the doors of the house where the disciples had met were locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.”After he said this, he showed them his hands and his side. Then the disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent me, so I send you.” When he had said this, he breathed on them and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained.” But Thomas (who was called the Twin), one of the twelve, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, “We have seen the Lord.” But he said to them, “Unless I see the mark of the nails in his hands, and put my finger in the mark of the nails and my hand in his side, I will not believe.”
A week later his disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. Although the doors were shut, Jesus came and stood among them and said, “Peace be with you.” Then he said to Thomas, “Put your finger here and see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it in my side. Do not doubt but believe.” Thomas answered him, “My Lord and my God!”Jesus said to him, “Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.” Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book. But these are written so that you may come to believe that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son of God, and that through believing you may have life in his name.
The Word of God for the people of God. Let the people of God say - AMEN!
THE SERMON: What More Proof Do We Need!, Rev. Douglas Estella
WORSHIP OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS
Offering
Offertory: Crown Him With Many Crowns, arr. Craig Courtney
Crown Him with many crowns! Crown Him the Lord of love! Behold His hands and side, rich wounds, yet visible above, in beauty glorified: no angel in the sky can fully bear that sight, but downward bends his burning eye at mysteries so bright.
Crown Him with many crowns, the lamb upon His throne; Hark! How the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own! Awake, my soul, and sing of Him who died for thee, and hail Him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
Crown Him the Lord of life, who triumphed o'er the grave, and rose victorious in the strife for those He came to save; His glories now we sing who died and rose on high, who died, eternal life to bring, and lives that death may die.
Crown Him the Lord of years: the potentate of time, Creator of the rolling spheres, ineffably sublime. All hail, Redeemer, hail! For Thou hast died for me; Thy praise and glory shall not fail throughout eternity. Crown Him with many crowns!
* The Doxology (pew card)
* Prayer of Dedication
* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
* Apostles’ Creed (pew card)
* HYMN No. 239: I Know That My Redeemer Lives
* BENEDICTION
Response: Alleluia, Amen!, Charles Villiers-Stanford
POSTLUDE: Fuga (Second Sonata), Felix Mendelssohn
ANNOUNCEMENTS
WE WELCOME back the Rev. Douglas Estella to the pulpit. Rev. Estella served as pastor of the Sunnyside Reformed Church from 2000 to 2006. Currently he is a teacher at the Academy of Urban Planning in Brooklyn. Doug and his wife, Janet, live in Sunnyside with their daughter, Renee.
THE COFFEE HOUR is hosted by the Congregational Care Committee in honor of the April birthdays. Please join us in this time of fellowship.
CONGREGATIONAL LUNCHEON & MEETING on MAY 18, 12:00 pm
Reports from Church organizations.
Election of Elder and Deacons. The slate is as follows:
Elder nominee: Judie Kellaway
Deacon nominees: Emerson Chen, Irma Schubert
OUR APPRECIATION FOR TODAY’S VOLUNTEERS:
Van Driver: Jorge Alamilla
Greeters: Vivian and Peter Sclafani
Ushers: Gina and Sal Lombardo, Nina and Bill Proschel and Jerry Good
Children and Worship: Michael Iovale and Sharon Rivilli
VAN SERVICE: If you need a ride to church on Sunday, speak with Gerry Mendler at (917) 362-6284 (day) or (718) 464-3464 (evening).
CHILDCARE during the worship hour
Children through age 3 in the Educational Building, 1st floor, in Room 1A.
Children ages 3 through 2nd grade will share in the service through the Junior Sermon, then go to Room 2E for the Children and Worship Program.
COFFEE HOUR VOLUNTEERS NEEDED – To host a coffee hour after church, speak with Rhoda Jabbour.
YEAR-ROUND COLLECTIONS –
- Donations for the Food for Kids Ministry should be brought to the Church office. This food will be given to families in need in Jamaica, New York.
- Donations for pets brought to the church office will be given to Worthy Pause to be distributed to local animal shelters.
- Christmas cards (with Forever Stamps on the envelopes) are collected in a basket at the back of the sanctuary. These cards will enable inmates at the Nassau County Correction Center to correspond with their loved ones.
THE COTH SCHOLARSHIP FUND provides assistance to students who are part of our church community. Scholarships are available to graduating high school students and students enrolled in post high school studies. Applications are available in the church office and must be returned by May 1st.
PRAYER REQUESTS: Grace Attanasio, Ruth Bailey, John Benik, Letty Delgardo, Ed Diercks, Dombrowski Family, Edythe Durney, Patricia Hamill, Jenny Hampton, Robert Keller, Hope Kingman, Fritz Kunisch, John Molino, Josephine Rivera, Janice Serra, Evelyn Stuedly.