The Sixth Sunday of Easter
Centering Practice
We invite you to slow down, breathe, and connect with God, each other, and yourself. Begin by taking a couple of slow, deep breaths.
- We invite you to stand and to make yourself big by holding your arms over your head and standing on your tippy toes for 3 seconds. Breathe in slowly as you do this!
- And now, as you exhale slowly, lower yourself to stand flat on your feet and give yourself a big hug for 3 seconds
Call to Worship
Adapted from the Brief Statement of Faith
In sovereign love, God created the world good
and makes everyone equally in God’s image,
to live as one community.
In life and in death, we belong to God.
Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,
the steadfast love of God,
and the faithful presence of the Holy Spirit,
we trust in the one triune God,
whom alone we worship and serve.
Amen.
Worship Songs
Called Me Higher
I could just sit
I could just sit and wait for all Your goodness
Hope to feel Your presence
And I could just stay
I could just stay right where I am
and hope to feel You
Hope to feel something again
But You have called me higher
You have called me deeper
And I’ll go where You will lead me Lord
And I could hold on
I could hold on to who I am and never let You
Change me from the inside
And I could be safe
I could be safe here in Your arms
and never leave home
Never let these walls down
And I will be Yours
I will be Yours for all my life
Oh Our Lord
We behold the breaking dawn
The light that shines over everyone
We look to You, we long for You, oh Lord
We behold the rising sun
The earth awaits, Your hope has come
We look to You, we long for You, oh Lord
Oh, oh, oh, our Lord
Oh, oh, oh, our Lord
How majestic is Your name in all the earth
We behold the falling rain
Like waters rise, flood this place
We reach for You, we cling to You, oh Lord
Oh, Your name is a light in the darkness
Oh, Your name is the word of truth
Oh Your name, oh Your name
Prayer of Confession
Faithful God,
You have been our shelter & refuge
from generation to generation.
When we hold onto past hurts or failures;
When we lose hope in the future;
Set us free, O God, we pray:
— Moment of silent prayer —
God of our mothers and forbears,
Walk with us this and every day.
Amen.
Assurance of God’s Love
Prayers of the People
As we celebrate Mother’s Day today, we invite you to pray silently together — I will lead us in a prompt to embody a motion and we’ll hold a moment of silent prayer.
For those who have been mothers to us: gratitude for their love, blessings of health and strength upon them (hands over heart)
For those experiencing grief around motherhood: for broken relationships, loved ones lost, health difficulties and other challenges (hands on lap held upward)
For those who persevere through difficulty, working tirelessly to provide for their households, carrying the weight of responsibility, care, and relationships, especially mothers in areas affected by war and violence (hands held upward)
As the prophet Isaiah proclaims,
O God, You comfort us with Motherly love.
We hold to the words of Jesus:
Gather us, and the world, under the wings of Your protection.
Amen.
Offering Prayer
Announcements
- Thanks for worshiping with us today! We hope you experience meaningful connection with God and others in our community. If you’re visiting for the first time today, we’d love to get to know you better. Please take home a visitor’s card with QR code so that we can stay in touch & build a relationship!
- Happy Mother’s Day: Many blessings upon the wonderful moms, spiritual moms, and givers of care in our church family — and special grace upon each of us who experience sorrow in relation to motherhood. We walk alongside each of you!
- Celebrations during May: We continue to celebrate both Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Heritage Month and Mental Health Awareness Month throughout May.
- Reset Sunday: Our next Reset Sunday is coming up at the end of this month on Sunday, May 31st.
- Save the Date: Please mark your calendars for our church retreat, which will be September 18-20 at Palomar Christian Conference Center.
- Art & Faith Mini Camp: Sunday, July 19th~ details to follow!
- Meal Packing Follow-Up: A quick report from Yang who dropped off our donations at Feeding San Diego this past week!
Passing of the Peace
Let’s greet each other at this time!
Blessing of the Children
Go in peace and go in joy;
Filled with wonder for this day.
Go in faith and go in love;
God will guide you on your way!
Worship Song
Kingdom Come
God, let Your kingdom come
May Your will be done
God, let Your kingdom come
Earth is groaning and we are longing
For Your kingdom to come
All creation and all of heaven
Join their voices as one
Hope is stirring, joy arising
As we look to the day
When all injustice will bow
And every voice will cry out
Holy is Your name
Lift up your heads, all the weak and the poor
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
Lift up your hearts, all who suffer and mourn
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
Lift up your eyes, all who hunger for more
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
Lift up a shout, let the earth hear your voice
The Lord is at hand and His kingdom is yours
I will build my life upon Your love
It is a firm foundation
I will put my trust in You alone
And I will not be shaken
Scripture Reading
John 7:53-8:11
53 Then each of them went home, 1 while Jesus went to the Mount of Olives. 2 Early in the morning he came again to the temple. All the people came to him, and he sat down and began to teach them. 3 The scribes and the Pharisees brought a woman who had been caught in adultery, and, making her stand before all of them, 4 they said to him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in the very act of committing adultery. 5 Now in the law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?” 6 They said this to test him, so that they might have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and wrote with his finger on the ground. 7 When they kept on questioning him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let anyone among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 And once again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 When they heard it, they went away, one by one, beginning with the elders, and Jesus was left alone with the woman standing before him. 10 Jesus straightened up and said to her, “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” 11 She said, “No one, sir.” And Jesus said, “Neither do I condemn you. Go your way, and from now on do not sin again.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Together: Thanks be to God.
Sermon
Reasons to Love Myself:
Restored by Jesus
Pastor Dan
Worship Song
Open Space w Hosanna tag
Heal my heart and make it clean
Open up my eyes
to the things unseen
Show me how to love like You
have loved me
Break my heart for what breaks Your
Everything I am
for Your Kingdom’s cause
As I walk from earth into eternity
Pull me in closer
Close to Your heart
May I be a pure reflection of all You are
Love that is patient
Love that is kind
And love that keeps no offences
or wrongs in my mind
Make me like Jesus
Make me like Jesus
You’re faithful to find me
Right where I am
Though even in my wandering You call me friend
And mercy receives me
and lifts me to my feet
And I’m caught up in the wonder and mystery
Of knowing Jesus
Of knowing Jesus
My heart is an open space
for You to come and have Your way
I’m open, I’m open
Hosanna, Hosanna
Hosanna in the highest
Anchor & Hope Church 