Second Sunday of Easter

Today’s service may be viewed on Facebook Live Stream at this link: https://fb.me/e/2XNAgB1pv?mibextid=RQdjqZ, hear it in the church parking lot at 107.1 FM, or join us in person. 

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Gathering Music           Polly Dunford

 Welcome and Announcements              Sarah Shumpert                              

  Community Reading for Eastertide

I wish that there were some wonderful place

In the Land of Beginning Again,

Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches

And all of our poor selfish grief

Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door,

And never put on again.

We wish we could come on it all unaware,

Like the hunter who finds a lost trail;

And we wish that the one whom our blindness had done

The greatest injustice of all

Could be there at the gates like an old friend that waits

For the comrade he’s gladdest to hail.

We would find all the things we intended to do

But forgot, and remembered too late,

Little praises unspoken, little promises broken,

And all the thousand and one

Little duties neglected that might have perfected

The day for one less fortunate.

It wouldn’t be possible not to be kind

In the Land of Beginning Again,

 And the ones we misjudged and the ones whom we grudged

Their moments of victory here

Would find in the grasp of our loving hand-clasp

More than penitent lips could explain.

For what had been hardest we’d know had been best,

And what had seemed loss would be gain;

For there isn’t a sting that will not take a wing

When we’ve faced it and laughed it away;

And we think that the laughter is most what we’re after

In the Land of Beginning Again.

So we wish that there were some wonderful place

Called the Land of Beginning Again,

Where all our mistakes and all our heartaches,

And all of our poor selfish grief

Could be dropped like a shabby old coat at the door,

And never put on again.

Louisa Fletcher

Scripture Lesson  Acts 2:14a, 22-32

Peter, standing with the eleven, raised his voice and addressed the crowd, “You that are Israelites, listen to what I have to say: Jesus of Nazareth, a man attested to you by God with deeds of power, wonders, and signs that God did through him among you, as you yourselves know— this man, handed over to you according to the definite plan and foreknowledge of God, you crucified and killed by the hands of those outside the law. But God raised him up, having freed him from death, because it was impossible for him to be held in its power.

Opening Hymn       “In the Bulb There Is a Flower”  Hymnal #25                                                                           Words and Music by Natalie Sleeth

1) In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;

in cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!

In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

2)  There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;

there’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.

From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

3)  In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;

in our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity.

In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,

unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

Sermon     “Recovering the Meaning of the Cross”           Rev. Dr. Steve Morgan

Hymn/ Offertory               “Just as Long as I Have Breath”              Handout

   Words by Alicia S. Carpenter. Music by Johann G. Ebeling.

        1981. Unitarian Universalist Association

Harmony rev. by John Edwin Giles.  1992. Unitarian Universalist Association

    All rights reserved.

1)  Just as long as I have breath, I must answer, “Yes,” to life,

though with pain I made my way, still with hope I meet each day.

If they ask what I did well, tell them I said, “Yes,” to life.

2)  Just as long as vision lasts, I must answer, “Yes,” to truth;

in my dream and in my dark, always: that elusive spark.

If they ask what I did well, tell them I said, “Yes,” to truth.

3)  Just as long as my heart beats, I must answer, “Yes,” to love;

disappointment pierced me through, still I kept on loving you.

If they ask what I did best, tell them I said, “Yes,” to love.

Prayers of the People

Benediction

Discussion

Shalom   (“May you be well and whole and in communion with all creation.”)

        Shalom, my friends, Shalom, my friends, Shalom, Shalom.

       Till we meet again, Till we meet again, Shalom, Shalom

 

Reprinted with permission under One License #A-625711.  All rights reserved.

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Calendar of Service

April 23 - Keith Ray

April 30 - Sarah Woodard from CDCA

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Make a joyful noise – the CHOIR is back!  Choir practice will be April 16 and April 23 from 9:25-9:55 am in the choir room. Experienced and new members welcome! Call or text Polly Dunford with questions at 864-940-0640.

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Check out Laurie Gentry in her band, the Peanut Butter Whiskey Band on April 15th from 5 – 8 pm at Piece of Pie in Fair Play!

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Don’t miss out on seeing Kinky Boots at the Market Theatre April 27 – May 15. The show is co-directed by our very own Thor Raines and features Barb Barham and Bill Griffith! Tickets are available at http://markettheatre.org.

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Vicki Wright is looking for volunteers to do activities with children at the Anderson Soiree on Saturday, April 29th at 11:30 am. Text or call Vicki at 585-781-4620 if you are interested.

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The next event for the Anderson Forum for Progressive Theology on April 30th will be in partnership with First Baptist Church, Greenville featuring Amanda Tyler, executive director of BJC (Baptist Joint Committee for Religious Liberty).  She leads the organization as it upholds the historic Baptist principle of religious liberty, defending the free exercise of religion and protecting against its establishment by government.  Her presentation is entitled “How Christian Nationalism Threatens Democracy & Christianity.”  It will be held at First Baptist Church at 847 Cleveland St. in Greenville (and live-streamed) at 3 pm.  Additionally, Tyler will be preaching the worship service sermon at Boulevard Baptist Church in Anderson at 10:30 am on April 30th. Visit https://afptonline.org/ for more information.
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World Labyrinth Day is May 6.  Come out to Walk as One at 1.

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Save the date! May 20th at 9:30 am will be an outdoor clean-up day at the church. Bring your gloves and gardening tools. If you love to garden and play in the dirt, this one’s for you!

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A kitchen table and chairs and a sofa are needed by Kristin Cascio’s daughter, Elizabeth. Please text Kristin at 607-427-7371 if you can help.

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Ann Blackwood needs shoeboxes for a project with children at the New Foundations Home for Children. Please bring in any empty shoeboxes you have by late April.

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Are you interested in becoming a member of NACCP?  Would you like to make this community your spiritual home?  Please contact Keith at keithdray@gmail.com or at 864-508-1530.

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If you are interested in a class on Advanced Directives and/or the “Stop the Bleed” program, let Barb Barham know so that she and Rosie Thompson can plan accordingly for future programming.

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It’s time for Undie Sundays! We are collecting socks, men’s underwear (great need for Small men’s underwear) and women’s underwear and bras of all sizes for South Main Chapel and Mercy Center.  Bring your items between now and May 28 when we have our next turn serving lunch at South Main.

Additionally, South Main is currently experiencing a bottled water shortage. Donations welcomed at the South Main facility!

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Sarah Shumpert shared the Westside Community Center needs a new roof. They are asking folks to donate $40 in honor of the 40th anniversary of Martin Luther King Day being signed into legislation as a national holiday. Donations can be made online through the United Way of Anderson County.  Use the “Donation Description” box to designate your donation for the Westside Community Center roof.

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Several of the church hymnals seem to have left the building. If you took a hymnal home for a walk (since they don’t have legs of their own), don’t forget to walk it back to church!

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Remember in prayer: Patti Pitts; Bonnie Marsden and son Michael; Glennie Burns; Mary Alice Mundy; Jason Harding; Linda McFall; Mike Johnston; Madison Bishop (Whitney’s niece); Jackie Moore; Latha and Cheryl Semones; Immigrant families; Victims of all violence, oppression, and injustice; People of Ukraine; Victims of earthquakes in Turkey and Syria; Victims of tornadoes.

NACCP is an inclusive Faith Community that values questions

and the journey to the answers.

Ministry Leader: Dr. Keith Ray keithdray@gmail.com

Pianist and Choir Director: Polly Dunford

Mailing address: P.O. Box 4346, Anderson, SC 29622

Phone: 864-225-3575

Website:  naccpchurch.org

Church News:  naccpnews@yahoo.com

Instagram:  northandersonccp

Facebook:  NorthAndersonCommunityChurchPresbyterian