As shelter-in-place orders have kept us from worshiping in the MPC sanctuary for Sunday Celebrations, I have made it a personal goal never to film a video for online celebrations from the same place in my house. Recently I invested in a powerful light that makes it possible for me to film in front of windows, but still, I’m running out of locations in my house and yard. I’m not sure that’s a very scientific metric, but its one way of saying this: we’ve been doing online celebrations for way longer than I ever imagined was possible. I am grateful for your support and for your participation as Talitha, Kim, Marcia, Dolores and I—together with a host of volunteers—keep putting together our online celebrations.
You can submit comments and prayer requests via our Comments Form at mpcfamily.org/comments . We’d love to hear from you!
If you are visiting today, we hope you’ll fill out our online Visitor Card at mpcfamily.org/hello .
View May 10th Celebration online
- Kim is providing a prelude, “Courante in E Major” by J. S. Bach
- Talitha will welcome us to celebration,
- Tim Zolezzi and his children (Mara, Amelia, and Aya) will welcome us to celebration
- Marcia will lead us in the first Hymn “Great Is Thy Faithfulness”,
- Rick Heller will read a prayer for peace that is adapted from a prayer Robert Louis Stevenson wrote while living in the South Pacific, in a place of separation from his extended family and friends,
- Dolores will lead us in a Godly Play story,
- Bonnie Hamlin will read the scripture lesson which tells the story of the martyrdom of St. Stephen, found in Acts 6 and 7,
- Ben will preach a sermon,
- Kel Bowen and Leslie Louie will play a duet of “Abide With Me”, using Kel’s arrangement of the hymn,
- Stewardship corner: Melinda Maxwell-Smith offers her reflection on what MPC means to her,
- Talitha will lead us in a movement prayer,
- Marcia will lead us in our closing hymn, which is “God of our Life” (words are below), and
- Ben will lead us in the charge (words below) and will give the Benediction
GOD OF OUR LIFE
God of our life, through all the circling years,
we trust in you;
in all the past, through all our hopes and fears,
your hand we view.
With each new day, when morning lifts the veil,
we own your mercies, Lord, which never fail.
God of the past, our times are in your hand;
with us abide.Lead us by faith, to hope’s true Promised Land;
be now our guide.
With you to bless, the darkness shines as light,
and faith’s fair vision changes into sight.
God of the coming years, thro’ paths unknown
we follow you;
when we are strong, Lord, leave us not alone;
our faith renew.Be now for us in life our daily bread,
our heart’s true home when all our years have sped.
The Charge (say together) Go out into the world in peace. Have courage; hold on to what is good. Return no one evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, and help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve God, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Looking forward, at 11 AM on Sunday please join us for family hour on Zoom (please email Rev. Ben or email Rev. Talitha for the password) and on Wednesday at noon, please feel free to join the pastor’s Bible study on Zoom.