Order of Service for 5th Sunday of Easter – May 18, 2025

5TH SUNDAY OF EASTER
05-18-2025 10:00AM “Hybrid” Worship

+ WE ANNOUNCE THE VICTORY +

OPENING SONG: “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore You” Tan #120
OPENING RITE FOR EASTER 5:
L Alleluia, Jesus is risen, Jesus is Lord, Christ is alive!
C Death could not hold him, the Devil could not disrupt him, and this world cannot stop him!
L The Son of God commands us to put our faith into action:
C LOVE one another!
L In the midst of the best and the worst situations of life:
C LOVE one another!
L Even when faced with rejection and persecution:
C LOVE one another!
L My brothers and sisters, it is cozy comfort to love only people who are just like us, or only people that we like…
C It might be cozy, but it is not Christian!
L And it is reckless courage to love beyond boundaries, to reach out to strangers and even traditional enemies…
C It might be reckless, but it is the way of Christ!
L I tell you, Jesus was dying to love us… and his sacrifice gives us and the entire world new life and new direction!
Somebody ought to get humble, get happy, and praise the Lord right now!
SONG OF PRAISE: “Lord, I lift your name on high, Lord, I love to sing your praises.
I’m so glad you’re in my life, I’m so glad you came to save us.
You came from heaven to earth to show the way;
from the earth to the cross, my debt to pay;
from the cross to the grave, from the grave to the sky; Lord, I lift your name on high!”

THE PRAYER OF THE DAY (together):
Dear God, so full of love toward us,
we are grateful for the life and love of Jesus given for us,
and we are grateful for the peace and power of your Spirit shared among us.
We can truly do that same depth of loving – if we are humble, grateful, obedient, and willing. Amen.

+ WE PROCLAIM GOD’S SAVING WORD +

FIRST READING: ACTS 11:1-18
[Like Peter, do you now commit yourself to the inclusiveness of God’s love?]
SECOND READING: REVELATION 21:1-6
[Easter celebrates a new day and anticipates a new heaven and earth.]
GOSPEL VERSE: “Oh, how He loves you and me. Oh, how He loves you and me.
He gave His life, what more can He give?
OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU; OH, HOW HE LOVES ME;

OH, HOW HE LOVES YOU AND ME!

Jesus to Calv’ry did go, His love for this world to show.
What He did there brought hope from despair…”
GOSPEL READING: JOHN 13:31-35
[Obeying Jesus means loving others.]
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE SERMON: Pastor Gwen or Pastor Neil
SONG RESPONSE: “Love Round”

(1) Love… love… love… love (2) Joy… joy… joy… joy
The gospel in one word is love. The gospel in one word is joy.
Love your neighbor as yourself. Joy that fills to overflowing.
Love… love… love. Joy… joy… joy.
(3) Peace… peace… peace… peace. (4) Jesus… Jesus… Jesus… Jesus,
The gospel in one word is peace. Can I tell you how I feel?
Peace that passes understanding. You have given me your Spirit.
Peace… peace… peace. I love you so.
THE PRAYERS… We pray that all people might be transformed by the GOOD NEWS of Easter!
+ WE SHARE GOD’S NOURISHING MEAL +
OFFERING [Jesus gives us a new commandment: Love one another like he loves us!
Those in the Sanctuary can put their offering in the offering plate to share their gratitude and their
generosity in response to Christ’s love. Those who are farther away might: mail a check or money
order to St. Peter’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 2169 74th Avenue, Philadelphia, PA
19138… contribute online through bit.ly/stpetersgiving and set up a one-time donation or a
recurring weekly gift to selected categories… or text Give+ at 833-914-0896 and follow the
instructions to register and record your contribution. God has blessed us to be a blessing!
SONG SELECTION: ALL SAINTS CHOIR
THE OFFERTORY SONG: “Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!
Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!
Get all excited, go tell ev’rybody that Jesus Christ is King!
Jesus Christ is still the King of kings, the King of kings!”

OFFERING PRAYER led by the Communion Assistant:
O God, it is only by your amazing grace that we are Easter-alive today! Now give us the bold confidence
and the passionate love to dry tears, to lift up broken hearts, and to testify with our gifts and our lives that
there is NEW LIFE IN CHRIST. Amen.
THE PREFACE… We prepare to celebrate the LORD’S SUPPER with humble joy!
L The Lord be with you. C And also with you.
L Lift up your hearts! C We lift them up in love for God!
L Let us give thanks to the Lord our God. C It is right to give God our thanks and praise.
L The Lord delivers us from sin and death… C … and grants us salvation and eternal life!
L [continues the Preface]… we praise your name and join their unending hymn:
C [singing…] “Holy, holy, holy, holy,
holy, holy, Lord God Almighty!
and we lift our hearts before you as a token of our love,
holy, holy, holy, holy.
Precious Jesus, precious Jesus,
We’re so glad that you redeemed us, precious Jesus…
Holy Spirit, Holy Spirit,
come and fill our hearts anew, O Holy Spirit…”
THE EUCHARISTIC WORDS by the Celebrant, who recalls and re-enacts Jesus’ Holy Meal.
THE LORD’S PRAYER
COMMUNION AND BLESSINGS… All believers in Christ are welcome at the Lord’s Table! We will have “continuous
distribution” with wafers and the option of wine or grape juice. TO GIVE US LIFE, HE WAS WILLING TO DIE!
COMMUNION SONGS: Tan #200 Tan #246

THE COMMUNION BLESSING by the Celebrant after all have communed.
POST-COMMUNION PRAYER by the Communion Assistant.

+ WE ARE SENT TO SHOW AND TELL +

THE BENEDICTION:
L Leave with a message upon your heart, on your lips, revealed through your daily living: I have seen the Lord!
Go in the faith-filled power of the Risen Lord (+) to love God and to serve your neighbor in all that you do!
C (singing…) “A-MEN! A-MEN! A—MEN!”
CLOSING SONG: “When We All Get to Heaven” Tan 594