April 19 – Second Sunday of Easter

April 19 – Second Sunday of Easter
(Sunday closest to Earth Day – April 22)

 

Worship Materials for April 19 to May 10 have been contributed by Ian Manson, Sheila Murray, and Lydia Pederson, Royal York Road United Church, Etobicoke, Ontario.

 

Lectionary

Lectionary readings from Vanderbilt Divinity Library online

(http://divinity.library.vanderbilt.edu/lectionary/BEaster/bEaster2.htm)

 

Acts 4:32–35

The believers shared everything in common.

Psalm 133 (VU pg. 856)

How pleasant it is when God’s people are together.

1 John 1:1—2:2

God is light; walk in the light.

John 20:19–31

Jesus appears to the disciples, but Thomas is not there.

 

Spark

Use pictures, graphs, and/or newspaper clippings to share the idea that we share everything in common on this earth. We have no other source for our daily needs.

 

With Children

Picking up on both the John and 1 John passages, talk about light/darkness. Perhaps use the example of how much more fun it is with the recent time change…more time to play outdoors. Maybe throw a thick blanket or quilt over all of your heads as you talk to create the feeling of darkness, then shine a flashlight. Perhaps talk about being afraid of the dark and how we like to keep a night-light. God’s presence brings us the same reassurance. If you can find an inexpensive source, provide each of the children with a tiny flashlight to take home as a reminder of God’s light that brightens our pathway. Or make night lights in church school using beads and safety pins. [Note: Be aware that light/dark contrasts have sometimes been used in racist contexts. Avoid examples where light is related to goodness and darkness to evil. Ed.]

 


Sermon Starter

Some time ago, a friend talked about having had several night-time “visits” from her recently deceased husband. She found them to be comforting, but confessed her reluctance to share these experiences with her friends. “I’m sure they’d think I’m crazy,” she said. And she’s probably right. While some of us may enjoy fictional ghost stories, we can become very uncomfortable when someone we know talks openly of seeing some kind of apparition. That was certainly true of Jesus’ followers. But as today’s gospel reading reminds us, once the disciples got over their initial shock of seeing Jesus among them, they experienced a three-fold peace that led them onward.

 

First, Jesus’ appearance freed them from fearing that the forces that had conspired to crucify Jesus would also destroy them, and assured them that the powers of evil do not triumph. Second, this appearance freed the disciples from the guilty knowledge that they had betrayed their friend, and reassured them that they had been forgiven. Finally, Jesus’ appearance empowered the disciples to embrace the new life that he had laid out for them. He gave them a new purpose, assurance, and power; and still does for all those who follow his way.

 

Hymns

Acts

VU 563            “Jesus, you have come to the lakeshore”

 

Psalm

VU pg. 856      “Miren qué bueno!” (use small percussion instruments)

 

Epistle

VU 82              “A light is gleaming”

VU 264            “Immortal, invisible”

 

Gospel

VU 396            “Jesus, stand among us” (good as an introit)

MV 215           “Peace be with you” (kids can teach actions)

 

For Earth Day

VU 307            “Touch the earth lightly”

MV 135           “Called by earth and sky”