The Fifth Sunday of Easter: May 2nd 2021

 BURTON JOYCE 

COMMUNITY CHURCH

Sunday 2 May 2021 

EASTER 5

Prepared this week by Phil Colbourn

Hymns from Songs of Fellowship (SoF)

Call to worship 

Psalm 22 v25-31 

All the ends of the earth will remember and turn to the Lord

Hymn: SoF:597 

When morning gilds the skies

Let's pray 

We come to you, O Lord. 

Meet us as we pray

Thank you for the sun & the rain. 

Your love is new every morning

We come to worship. 

You are beyond all we know or understand

Thank you that you came to the rescue 

when we were in need

We come in response to your call. 

Receive us in your love.

Forgive us, Lord. 

Hear us, Lord.

Jesus says:

“You are forgiven, go and sin no more.” 

Bible Reading: John 15 v1-8 

Jesus says: I am the vine

Hymn: SoF:629 

You are the vine

Reflection 

Making the connection 

It is the Last Supper and Jesus is trying to say everything that needs to be said before it’s too late and he hits upon this picture. It’s an old picture, familiar from Jewish Scriptures: the vine. 

But Jesus gives the story a new twist. He is the vine, he says, we are the branches. It is all about being connected and, these days, we are only too familiar with the problems and advantages of being connected. 

With Jesus,

1) How do we get connected? 

2) How does the connection work? 

How do we get connected? In the terms of the picture: How are we grafted onto the rootstock? Simply, by responding to the invitation. God says: Come! Jesus says: Follow me! The invitation is open to all and it is still valid today. 

God invites everyone everywhere to come. So, all we have to do is to say: “Yes”. Everything else follows. When we say “Yes”, the connection is established.

There will be things to sort out in our lives but all that comes later as a natural part of our daily relationship with God. If you are not used to talking to someone you cannot see, it may seem odd to start with but, if you think about it, it is no worse than talking on the phone. 

How does it work? With the vine, it is a two-way connection: the root supplies the branches with water and nutrition; the branches, leaves & buds give back what they have. 

So, we draw sustenance from Jesus and respond from out of our everyday experience in prayer. The Holy Spirit becomes the life-stream of our relationship with God.

When we tell God everything about our situation, God supplies what we, & others, need. 

Millions of people have found this to be true.

Hymn SoF:238 

In heavenly love abiding

Prayers of Intercession 

Thank you, Lord, for your love. We need your help 

Thank you for our world. Please help 

  world leaders, Covid19

  the planet

Thank you for our neighbourhood. Please help

  schools and colleges, hospitals and clinics

  the local elections candidates

Thank you for our church family and friends. Please help

  the lonely, sick and dying; the anxious 

  those joyful and full of celebration 

Thank you, Lord, for your love. 

We need your help 

In your mercy Lord: 

Hear the cries of our hearts 

The Lord’s Prayer 

Hymn: SoF:344 

Like a river glorious 

Blessing 

May we know the One who says “Come” and be filled with peace; 

live in the Living One and be filled with grace; 

be connected to the Source of Life and be filled with love, 

now & always. Amen.

Go in peace, to love & serve the Lord. Amen.