Calendar

April 16, 2023 | Second Sunday of Easter

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Events and Announcements

Explore the calendar of events and recent announcements to take another step into our life together this week.

“Thomas,” Hanna Cheriyan Varghese (1938-2009).

Prelude

All Creatures of Our God and King, Arr. Robert J. Powell

Call to Worship

Christ is risen!
He is risen, indeed!

God has given us a new birth
in the living hope of the resurrection.

Come, let us worship God!

Hymn #248, “Christ Is Risen! Shout Hosanna”

1. Christ is risen! Shout Hosanna!
Celebrate this day of days!
Christ is risen! Hush in wonder:
all creation is amazed.
In the desert all-surrounding,
see, a spreading tree has grown.
Healing leaves of grace abounding
bring a taste of love unknown.

2. Christ is risen! Raise your spirits
from the caverns of despair.
Walk with gladness in the morning.
See what love can do and dare.
Drink the wine of resurrection,
not a servant, but a friend.
Jesus is our strong companion.
Joy and peace shall never end.

3. Christ is risen! Earth and heaven
nevermore shall be the same.
Break the bread of new creation
where the world is still in pain.
Tell its grim, demonic chorus:
“Christ is risen! Get you gone!”‘
God the First and Last is with us.
Sing Hosanna everyone!

Prayer of Adoration

Call to Confession

Prayer of Confession & Assurance of Pardon (Responsive)

Before God, with the people of God, I confess to my brokenness:
To the ways I wound my life, the lives of others
and the life of the world,
May God forgive you, Christ renew you, 
and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
Amen.

Before God, with the people of God, we confess to our brokenness:
To the ways we wound our lives, the lives of others and the life of the world.
May God forgive you, Christ renew you, and the Spirit enable you to grow in love.
Amen.

Response of Praise: Hymn 582, “Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me”

1 Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me,
and to the Son, whose grace has pardoned me,
and to the Spirit, whose love has set me free.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.

2 World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.

Passing of the peace

Life in Community

Thank you for joining us for worship! Explore the calendar of events and recent announcements to take another step into our life together this week. If you’re joining us for the first time or would like to learn more about Catonsville Presbyterian, you’re welcome to share your email with us. We’ll send some information that will help you get connected.

Children’s Message

Prayer for Illumination

Holy One, you’ve gifted us with the Holy Spirit as our advocate and guide.
Open us to the Spirit’s breath. Carry us on the wings of your wisdom.
Set us on the solid foundation of your Word read and proclaimed.
May we hear the truth you intend for us today. Amen.

Scripture: John 20:19-31

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.

Sermon: “Making Room for Doubt”

Hymn #482: “Baptized in Water”

1. Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
cleansed by the blood of Christ our King;
heirs of salvation,
trusting the promise,
faithfully now God’s praises we sing.

2. Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
dead in the tomb with Christ our King;
one with his rising,
freed and forgiven,
thankfully now God’s praises we sing.

3. Baptized in water,
sealed by the Spirit,
marked with the sign of Christ our King;
born of the Spirit,
we are God’s children;
joyfully now God’s praises we sing.

Sacrament of Baptism

Presentation of Matthew and Amelia Lupinski

Promise and Commitment

Q: Do you, as members of the church of Jesus Christ promise to guide and nurture Matthew and Amelia by word and deed, with love and prayer?
A: We do.

Q: Will you encourage them to know and follow Christ and to be faithful members of Christ’s church?
A: We will.

Baptism

Prayer

Call to Offering

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Offertory: “Come, Thou Font of Every Blessing,” Arr. Duane Funderburk

Doxology #607, “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ, all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen.

Prayer of Dedication

Risen and redeeming God, you have given us more than we could ever give you in return.
You are gracious and generous in your love.
Accept these offerings as signs of our gratitude and bless our work on Christ’s behalf.
May we love as Christ loved. May we serve as Christ served.
Call us forth into your world, guided by Christ’s spirit. Amen.

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done,
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread;
and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power
and the glory, forever. Amen.

Hymn #257, “The Risen Christ”

1. The risen Christ, who walks on wounded feet
from garden tomb through darkened city street,
unlocks the door of grief, despair, and fear,
and speaks a word of peace to all who hear.

2. The risen Christ, who stands with wounded side,
breathes out his Spirit on them to abide
whose faith still wavers, who dare not believe;
new grace, new strength, new purpose they receive.

3. The risen Christ, who breaks with wounded hand
the bread for those who fail to understand,
reveals himself, despite their lingering tears,
enflames their hearts, then quickly disappears.

4. May we, Christ’s body, walk and serve and stand
with the oppressed in this and every land,
till all are blessed and can a blessing be,
restored in Christ to true humanity.

Benediction (Responsive)

“Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have come to believe.”
We leave this sanctuary a blessed people.
Let us go now and be a blessing to others.
May the grace, hope, peace and love of God our Creator,
Redeemer, and Sustainer
be with us all, now and forever. Amen.

Postlude

Lobe den Herren, den mächtigen König der Ehren, (“Praise to the Lord, the Almighty”), setting by Johann Gottfried Walther.

Participants

• Dorothy Boulton, Associate Pastor
• Debbie Davis, Ruling Elder, liturgist
• Keith and Kathy Glennan, Ruling Elders, video production
• Wendy Johnston, Organist and Assistant Director of Music
• Greg Knauf, Director of Music
• Kenneth E. Kovacs, Pastor
• Vickie Lord, social media support
• Dottie Marshall, Ruling Elder, sanctuary set up
• Ann Quinn, clarinet

Sources

• Book of Common Worship (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2018).
• Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013).
• Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-734388; CCLI Copyright License B 20481088 + Streaming License B 481071
• Image: “Thomas,” Hanna Cheriyan Varghese (1938-2009).