Online Worship 5/14/2023

Greetings!

This coming week is a full, busy, normal week which is bookended by two very special events.

First, this Sunday, May 14 is Mother’s Day. This is a special time to remember all the people who have nurtured us, loved us, supported us, and sacrificed for us so that we could know the fullness of life as God intended it for us. It really should include parents, siblings, grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, Sunday school teachers, and a host of other caring and dedicated people in our lives. Let’s show them our love and gratitude this year!!!

Then, on Sunday, May 21, we have rescheduled the Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo High School Band to perform a concert for us at 1:30pm in the Large Hall followed by an Ice Cream Social. Spread the word to everyone you know in everyway that you can. We would love to have a large crowd to support this wonderful group of young people who have been chosen to represent the state of Arizona in our National Independence Day Parade in Washington, D.C. this summer.

The full week’s schedule is printed at the bottom of this email. Or you can check out the calendar and watch any of our worship services or read our newsletter on our website: https://streamsinthedesert.us

God bless & keep you safe,

Pastor Tom

Welcome

GATHERING SONGS MORNING HAS BROKEN

Verse 1 Morning has broken like the first morning
Blackbird has spoken like the first bird
Praise for the singing, Praise for the morning
Praise for them springing fresh from the world

Verse 2 Sweet the rain’s new fall, sunlit from heaven
Like the first dewfall on the first grass
Praise for the sweetness of the wet garden
Sprung in completeness where his feet pass

Verse 3 Mine is the sunlight, Mine is the morning
Born of the one light Eden saw play
Praise with elation, praise ev’ry morning
God’s recreation of the new day

LORD OF THE DANCE

Verse 1 I danced in the morning When the world was begun

And I danced in the moon And the stars and the sun

And I came down from heaven And I danced on the earth

At Bethlehem I had My birth

Chorus Dance then wherever you may be

I am the Lord of the Dance said He

And I’ll lead you all Wherever you may be

And I’ll lead you all In the Dance said He

Verse 2 I danced for the scribe And the Pharisee

But they would not dance And they wouldn’t follow Me

I danced for the fishermen For James and John

They came with Me And the dance went on. Chorus

Verse 3 I danced on the Sabbath And I cured the lame

The holy people said it was a shame

They whipped and they stripped And they hung Me on high

And they left Me there On a Cross to die Chorus

Verse 4 I danced on a Friday When the sky turned black

It’s hard to dance With the devil on your back

They buried My body And they thought I’d gone

But I am the dance And I still go on

Verse 5 They cut Me down And I leapt up high

I am the life That’ll never never die

I’ll live in you If you’ll live in Me

I am the Lord Of the Dance said He

CCLI Song #

COME, NOW IS THE TIME TO WORSHIP

Verse Come, now is the time to worship;

Come, now is the time to give your heart;

Come, just as you are to worship;

Come, just as you are before your God. Come

Chorus

One day every tongue will confess You are God;

One day every knee will bow;

Still the greatest treasure remains;

For those who gladly choose You now

Repeat verse and chorus

Come, now is the time, Come, now is the time, Come.

CCLI-License# 1366369

THE CALL TO WORSHIP

Pastor: Christ is risen!

People: He is risen, indeed!

Pastor: Jesus lives! Death’s power over us has been broken!

People: Jesus lives within our hearts as our risen Lord!

Pastor: Christ is risen!

People: He is risen, indeed!

WELCOME TO WORSHIP

SOLO by David Hernandez

Equip

PRAYER OF CONFESSION AND FORGIVENESS

Leader: Gracious God,

People: we often choose to face life alone and ignore Your Holy Spirit. So often we read in the Scriptures only what we want to read, and we forget Your promises to be with us in every way when we will turn to You. Lord, You want to be with us so much in a living way, help us to trust and open the doors of our hearts to Your presence. In Christ we pray. Amen.

(Silence for reflection and personal confession)

Leader:Risen from the dead, risen to new life, Christ Jesus calls you to live in him. May his goodness resound in your voices and may your lives be lived in praise. In him you are a new creation. In him you will live forever. Sisters and Brothers, your sins are forgiven; be at peace.

People: Thanks be to God!

SONG OF PRAISE KUMBAYA

Verse 1 Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya,

Kumbaya, my Lord, Kumbaya,

Oh Lord, Kumbaya.

Verse 2 Someone’s crying, Lord, Kumbaya,

Someone’s crying, Lord, Kumbaya,

Oh Lord, Kumbaya.

Verse 3 Someone’s singing, Lord, Kumbaya,

Someone’s singing, Lord, Kumbaya,

Oh Lord, Kumbaya.

Verse 4 Someone’s praying, Lord, Kumbaya,

Someone’s praying, Lord, Kumbaya,

Oh Lord, Kumbaya.

Verse 5 He will hear our prayer, Kumbaya,
He will hear our prayer, Kumbaya,

He will hear our prayer, Kumbaya.

Oh Lord, Kumbaya.

TODAY’S BIBLE READINGS

PSALM 66:16-20

¹⁶Come and listen, all you who believe,
and I will tell you what God has done for me.

¹⁷I called out to God with my mouth,
and praised the Lord with my tongue.

¹⁸If I had cherished evil in my heart,
the Lord would not have heard me;

¹⁹but in truth God has heard me
and has attended to the sound of my prayer.

²⁰Blessed be God, who has not rejected my prayer,
nor withheld unfailing | love from me.

SECOND READING: 1 Peter 3:13–22

Christians have a zeal for doing what is right in God’s eyes no matter what the circumstances because in baptism we are saved and made alive. Thus our Christian beliefs and behavior are to be a matter of public record just as our baptism is.

¹³Who will harm you if you are eager to do what is good? ¹⁴But even if you do suffer for doing what is right, you are blessed. Do not fear what they fear, and do not be intimidated, ¹⁵but in your hearts sanctify Christ as Lord. Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you; ¹⁶yet do it with gentleness and reverence. Keep your conscience clear, so that, when you are maligned, those who abuse you for your good conduct in Christ may be put to shame. ¹⁷For it is better to suffer for doing good, if suffering should be God’s will, than to suffer for doing evil. ¹⁸For Christ also suffered for sins once for all, the righteous for the unrighteous, in order to bring you to God. He was put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit, ¹⁹in which also he went and made a proclamation to the spirits in prison, ²⁰who in former times did not obey, when God waited patiently in the days of Noah, during the building of the ark, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were saved through water. ²¹And baptism, which this prefigured, now saves you—not as a removal of dirt from the body, but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, ²²who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers made subject to him.

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION THY WORD

Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path

And a light unto my path; you’re the light unto my path

GOSPEL: John 14:15–21 C: Glory to you, O Lord.

In final words to his disciples on the night of his arrest, Jesus encourages obedience to his commandments and speaks of the Spirit, who will be with them forever.

[Jesus said to the disciples:] ¹⁵“If you love me, you will keep my commandments. ¹⁶And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you forever. ¹⁷This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you.
¹⁸“I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. ¹⁹In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. ²⁰On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. ²¹They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.”

P: The Gospel of the Lord C: Praise to you, O Christ.

SPECIAL MUSIC— Joy Choir “A Wonderful Time Up There”

CHILDREN’S MESSAGE

ADULT MESSAGE 6 EASTER – 5.14.23 – JOHN 14:15-21

Today is the day when we honor Moms. See if anyone here recognizes this Mom:

You stand up to take pictures at your son’s school play even after they’ve asked people not to.

You insist your child wear a sweater when YOU’RE cold.

You tell your daughter how much prettier she looks with her hair out of her eyes.

You hear yourself say [things like], “Your face will freeze like that,” and “If all your friends jumped off a bridge, would you?”

There’s a used Kleenex stuffed up your shirtsleeve.

The first thing you ask when someone walks into your home is, “Do you want something to eat?”

You spend your vacation wondering if you left the iron turned on.

Your daughter says smugly that she’ll never be anything like you.

Sound like anyone you know?

Our text is very appropriate for today. “I will not leave you as orphans.” This text sound like Mother’s Day to me. I don’t want to be guilty of over-generalizing or stereotyping, but when most of us think of being comforted, do we think of our Moms or our Dads? A survey asked boys who they would be most likely to confide in if they had a problem, and about 23 percent said their father. The remaining 77 percent said they would confide in their mother. “I will not leave you as orphans,” said Jesus. “I will not leave you comfortless . . . “ There are a lot of Dads who are doing a splendid job of comforting their children, but in the majority of cases, for comfort, we think of Mom. Yes, God is like a Father, but God is also like a Mother who comforts her children. Where is comfort to be found? That is the question for the day. What is Jesus promising us?

Jesus says, first of all, He will comfort us by His presence.

“I will not leave you comfortless,” he says to his disciples, “I will come to you.” Jesus is going away. But God will send a comforter – the Holy Spirit. They will not be alone. God’s Spirit will be with them. There is no greater gift that we can give those we love than the gift of our presence. It’s hard to love somebody you never see. Suzy Parker in an article in USA TODAY notes that according to some studies, 75 percent of us live within minutes of at least one of our parents. Some 23 percent of us are within hours of a parent. Only 2 percent of us need to drive for days to see a parent. So why do so many of us see our parents so seldom? Nothing says “I love you” like being there. Being there for our parents . . . Being there for our children.

Years ago, there was a country-western song titled, “Roses for Mama.” In the song, it is Mother’s Day, and a man goes to a florist shop to buy his mother a bouquet. He knows he should visit his mother, but he has more exciting plans, so he decides to send her flowers instead. At the florist shop, the man encounters a little boy who wants to buy some roses for his mother, but he does not have enough money. The man gives the boy some money, then buys his mother’s bouquet.

As the man drives away from the florist shop, he happens to pass by a cemetery. Glancing in the cemetery, he sees the little boy kneeling on a grave, a bouquet of roses in his hand. The man pulls into the cemetery and asks the boy what he’s doing. The boy explains that his mother has been dead a year, and that he comes there all the time to talk to her and, on this special day, to give her flowers. The man turns around and drives back to the florist. There, he asks the florist if his mother’s flowers have been delivered yet. When the florist tells him no, the man tells him to cancel the delivery, he wants to do it himself.

There is nothing that says “I love you” like simply being there. Children need parents who are there for them — if possible, both mother and father. Aging parents need children who will come to see them. Jesus is leaving his disciples, but he wants them to know he is not forsaking them. “I will not leave you as orphans,” he says, “I will come to you.” He will be there. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, he will be with them.

But there is a second way in which Christ comforts his disciples. He comforts them with His understanding and love.Physical presence is wonderful, of course, but it is not enough. We need not only someone who is there, but someone who understands and forgives. Here is where Jesus shines. No one was more understanding than Jesus. See him hold little children in his arms. See his concern for those with physical challenges, for the person whose life has been broken by sin, for the penitent thief on the cross. And here is the Good News. That is what God is like, Jesus teaches us. “In that day you shall know that I am in My Father . . . “ Jesus and God are of one character. If you want to know what God is like, look at Jesus. The comfort that the Spirit provides is the comfort Jesus would provide if he were still here physically. It is the comfort of empathy and understanding.

Did you hear about that bank in Pennsylvania where they trained their employees to get “a better feel” for customers with handicaps? Employees of the 180 branches of the Meridian banking group had to fill out deposit slips with Vaseline smeared on their glasses and count money with three fingers on each hand taped together. The idea was to give them a better understanding of what older customers with glaucoma or arthritis may be going through.

What a difference a little empathy, a little understanding, can make in a relationship.

In the book The Aladdin Factor, there is a story by Jane Nelson that could help a great many mothers and fathers. Nelson once received a call from a frantic single mother who was caught in a real power struggle with her fourteen-year-old daughter. The mother had found a six-pack of beer in her daughter’s closet, so when her daughter came home, she said, “Okay, Maria, what is this?”

“It looks like a six-pack of beer to me, Mom,” her daughter answered.

“Don’t get smart with me, young lady. You tell me about this,” said the mother.

“Well, I don’t know what you’re talking about,” the girl replied.

“I found this six-pack in your closet young lady. You’d better explain,” her mother continued.

Maria thought real fast and said, “Oh yeah, I was hiding that for a friend.”

“You expect me to believe that?” asked her mother.

Maria gets mad and stomps off to her bedroom and slams the door. Does any of this sound familiar to some of you?

When the mother called for advice, Jane Nelson asked, “Why were you so concerned with finding a six-pack of beer in her closet?”

“Because I don’t want her to get into trouble,” the mother answered.

“I understand that,” Nelson replied, “but why is it you don’t want her to get into trouble?”

The mother answered, “Well, because I don’t want her to ruin her life.”

“I understand that,” Nelson replied, “but why is it that you don’t want her to ruin her life?”

Finally, the mother got it. “Well, because I love her,” she said.

“Do you think she got that message?” Nelson asked.

The answer is, “Of course not!”

“What do you think would happen,” Jane Nelson asked, “if you started with that message?” If she were to start with, “Honey, I love you so much that I got really scared when I found this six-pack of beer in your closet. Could we talk about this? Because I’m real afraid you could get into trouble, could we talk about it?” In this approach, Jane Nelson says, you start by being vulnerable and telling your deeper truth instead of conducting an inquisition that inevitably leads to denial. Starting from the position of love and vulnerability evokes closeness and trust so that the child can then open up and work together with you on some kind of solution.

Parents, can you see how effective this technique could be in dealing with young people? Can you also see that this was Jesus’ method? Time and time again, he resisted the temptation to lecture, to scold, to harass. Rather he asked caring questions, and he allowed the person an opportunity to discover his or her own solutions. “What a Friend we have in Jesus.” Why? Because he is empathic, because he understands.

“I will not leave you comfortless.” Christ will be there. Christ understands. But there’s one thing more to be said. Christ not only sends his Spirit to be with us. Christ not only sends his Spirit to empathize with us and comfort us. Christ gives us the power to conquer our problems. “I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you,” said Jesus. “After a little while the world will behold Me no more; but you will behold Me; because I live, you shall live also.” How many people have been encouraged by those words, “Because I live, you shall live also.” Because he is with us, we can cope, we can conquer.

A parent who is there is wonderful. A parent who understands is even better. But best of all is the parent who prepares us to cope with life and gives us the tools to succeed. In 1942, hysteria over Japanese involvement in World War II led to the relocation of 110,000 Japanese Americans to internment camps. In one of these camps, Carole Doi, a third-generation Japanese American, was born. Years later, Carole married a man who had also spent time in the camps. When she delivered their baby daughter, they noticed that the child’s feet turned inward, the toes facing each other. Carole was determined to do whatever it would take to help her daughter walk normally.

For four years Carole provided the child with corrective shoes. Her daughter was walking normally by age six, but Carole wasn’t satisfied. “I wanted her to do anything in which she would use her legs,” she says. The girl chose ice skating.

The girl was a natural on the ice. Before long, the youngster was bugging her mother for more rink time. She’d refuse to leave the ice until she got a particular move right. Soon Carole was rising at 4 a.m. to get her daughter to the rink. Finally, after 15 years of lessons, young Kristi Yamaguchi represented her country in the Olympics.

As the U.S. flag was hoisted during the 1992 medals ceremony, Carole and Jim Yamaguchi watched Kristi receive the gold medal. Kristi Yamaguchi stood on that victory platform because of a mother who stood behind her and helped her conquer.

“I will not leave you comfortless; I will come to you,” said Jesus, “…because I live, you shall live also.” There it is! There is the promise we need most of all: The Spirit that comforts us is not only one of presence, not only one of understanding, but it is one of overcoming. It is like a mother slowly helping her daughter walk with straight feet. It is that Spirit that gives us wings like eagles.

We honor our mothers this morning. But more importantly, we honor God who is like a loving parent who is ever present, ever empathizing and ever giving us the strength to overcome. Because God lives, we can live! AMEN.

(Illustrations and ideas of King Duncan used by permission from Sermon and Worship Resources @ Sermons.com)

SERMON SONG CHILDREN OF THE HEAVENLY FATHER ELW #781

1 Children of the heav’nly Father

safely in his bosom gather;

nestling bird nor star in heaven

such a refuge e’er was given.

2 God his own doth tend and nourish,

in his holy courts they flourish.

From all evil things he spares them,

in his mighty arms he bears them.

3 Neither life nor death shall ever

from the Lord his children sever;

unto them his grace he showeth,

and their sorrows all he knoweth.

4 Though he giveth or he taketh,

God his children ne’er forsaketh;

his the loving purpose solely

to preserve them pure and holy.

Text: Carolina Sandell Berg, 1832-1903; tr. Ernst W. Olson, 1870-1958

Text © 1925 Board of Publication, Lutheran Church in America, admin. Augsburg Fortress.
Duplication in any form prohibited without permission or valid license from copyright administrator

Respond

AFFIRMING OUR FAITH APOSTLES’ CREED

People: I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth.

I believe in Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried; He descended to the dead. On the third day he rose again; He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of the Father, and He will come to judge the living and the dead.

I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen

PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH

P: United in the hope and joy of the resurrection, let us pray for the church, the world, and all in need.

A brief silence.

P: God our faithful companion, you promise to never leave us and to send your Spirit to guide us in wisdom and truth. Send your people into the world to serve as mirrors that reflect and magnify your love. Hear us, O God.

C: Your mercy is great.

P: Nurturing Lord, you sent your Spirit to grant us peace. Make your presence known to those who feel abandoned or alone, and to all who are sick or grieving (especially). Hear us, O God.

C: Your mercy is great.

Here other intercessions may be offered.

P: Rejoicing in the victory of Christ’s resurrection, we lift our prayers and praise to you, almighty and eternal God; through Jesus Christ, our risen Lord.

C: Amen.

WE WORSHIP GOD THROUGH OUR GIVING Next, we will receive the gifts of forgiveness of sin, life, and salvation from our Lord Jesus, and respond gratefully with our offerings. Offering plates are in the front next to the aisle for your gifts. You may also donate online on the website, by text (the phone number is on the website), by mail, or personally deliver it to the office. Lives are changed through the ministry enabled by your gifts. Thank you for your continued support and partnership in the Gospel. Let us pray

PRAYER OF BLESSING

P: Generous God, in this meal you offer your very self. We give thanks for these gifts of the earth. In the breaking of this bread reveal to us the Risen One. In the pouring of this wine pour us out in service to the world; through Christ our Lord.

C: Amen.

HOLY COMMUNION

LORDS 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 trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever and ever. Amen.

COMMUNION SONG SING ALLELUIA

1. Sing alleluia to the Lord, sing alleluia to the Lord

Sing alleluia, sing alleluia, sing alleluia to the Lord

2. Jesus is risen from the dead

3. Jesus is Lord of heaven and earth

4. He’s coming back to take us home

5. We give thanks to God our King

6. He died for us, we’ll live for Him

CCLI-License# 1366369

Send

BENEDICTION SONG AS YOU GO ON YOUR WAY

As you go on your way may Christ go with you.

May he go before you to show you the way;

May he go behind you to encourage you;

Beside you to befriend you;

Above you to watch over;

Within you to give you peace.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Spirit. Amen.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

STREAMS THEME SONG

See the streams of living waters,

springing from eternal love,

well supply your sons and daughters,

and all fear of want remove.

Who can faint while such a river

ever will their thirst assuage?

Grace which, like the Lord, the giver,

never fails from age to age.

SENDING BLESSING

Pastor: Greet your worshiping neighbor. Go in peace for God Loves a Cheerful Giver!

People: Thanks be to God!!!

Sunday, May 14

Mother’s Day

9:30 – 10:30am Sunday School & Adult Bible Study

10:45 – 11:45am Livestream Worship in-person

12 – 1pm Education Committee

3 – 4:30pm Zoom Bible Study

Tuesday, May 16

9 – 11am Streams Food Pantry

10:30am – 12pm Bible Study, Room A

7 – 8:30pm Council Meeting

Wednesday, May 17

8:30 – 11:30am Workday

9 – 11:30am Quilters – Large Fellowship Hall

12 – 1pm Via de Cristo Grouping, Room E

5:30 – 6:30pm Family & Friends Dinner, Streams Large Hall

Thursday, May 18

9 – 11am VdC Grouping

6 – 7pm Bells Angels practice

7:15 – 8:30pm Joy Choir Practice

Saturday, May 20

Sunday, May 21

9:30 – 10:30am Sunday School & Adult Bible Study

10:45 – 11:45am Livestream Worship in-person

1:30-2:30pm Mariachi Aztlan de Pueblo Highschool Band concert in the Large Hall

2:30pm Ice Cream Social in the Large Hall following the concert

3 – 4:30pm Zoom Bible Study