My dearest Hope Family- Christ is risen! He is risen indeed! Alleluia!
In an article by John Pavlovitz entitled “Just Be Kind”, he wrote; “…If you want to know to be the type of person the world needs right now-just be kind. That’s it. Just step out today into a world populated with grieving, wounded, hopeless human beings-and simply try to leave them less grieving and wounded and hopeless than you found them.
And being kind is more than just doing no harm-it’s working really hard to do some good: move toward people, help them, listen to them, see them, share with them, carry them. That’s the whole point of you being here…It takes so very little just to be kind-but it’s costly too, which is why so few people actually care to attempt it. “
My brothers and sisters, I have long had the feeling that as a society and culture, we might have lost some kindness along the way. Kindness-defined as empathy or compassion or support-or simply the love to which Jesus calls us-kindness is a quality and a value that is called to be at the very core of who we are as Christ followers. As that song says; “They will know we are Christians by our love”. Well, they will know we are Christians by our kindness, our support, our honesty, our integrity, our living out the love to which Jesus calls us. Thoughts, words, and actions directed by kindness and Jesus’ love make a huge difference in the world. Just being kind to someone else, accepting them as they are instead of judging them, actively trying to make their day a little better by sharing kindness and compassion-it may not take much time or energy on our part, but the risk of being vulnerable, the risk of reaching out on our part may make a world of difference to the other person.
Our purpose at Hope is that we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all. That means we listen to the Spirit’s guidance, and then we show our love for God by loving our brothers and sisters through the love of Jesus. It means letting kindness and love guide us in our interactions with others, in our conversations and reflections, in our prayers for others.
We will be exploring more ways that we can show kindness and love in Jesus’ name. Let’s each commit to showing kindness and love daily to others. Let’s be mindful of ways that we intentionally show that kindness and love. My prayer for all of us is that Hope Lutheran Church will be known as the place where kindness, love, and hope are shared because we reflect the kindness and love and hope shown to us through Jesus and his cross and resurrection.
A blessed week of Easter 5 be with you all! Love, Pr. Jen Schaefer+
Fifth Sunday of Easter—May 1-2, 2021 Set out and light a candle, perhaps the one you used last night at the Vigil. You may wish to have a bowl of water as a reminder of your baptism into the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ.
The Prayer of the Day
O God, you give us your Son as the vine apart from whom we cannot live. Nourish our life in his resurrection, that we may bear the fruit of love and know the fullness of your joy, through Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.
Gospel : John 15:1-8. On the night of his arrest, Jesus taught his disciples about the relationship they would have with him. Those who abide in his word and love bear fruit, for apart from him, they can do nothing. [Jesus said:] 1“I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinegrower. 2He removes every branch in me that bears no fruit. Every branch that bears fruit he prunes to make it bear more fruit. 3You have already been cleansed by the word that I have spoken to you. 4Abide in me as I abide in you. Just as the branch cannot bear fruit by itself unless it abides in the vine, neither can you unless you abide in me. 5I am the vine, you are the branches. Those who abide in me and I in them bear much fruit, because apart from me you can do nothing. 6Whoever does not abide in me is thrown away like a branch and withers; such branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask for whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit and become my disciples.” The Gospel of the Lord. Praise to you O Christ!
HOMILY I wonder if we are willing to abide in anything, to immerse ourselves wholly in something, to allow anything to captivate our heart and life, to view our whole existence through that one lens ..At first I want to say, no, no one would be willing to give of him or herself in that way. It sounds too constricting. But then I begin to think about the many things that we give ourselves to: our jobs, our families, our hobbies, interests, or activities. I begin to think about the things that we spend our time doing, the things that we give our lives to. ~~~~Many of us are sports fans, we dress up, we go to games, and we make the time. Some of us love our television programs, so we sit there and even “binge-watch.”-especially during the pandemic. Reading a great book-reading and forgoing sleep to see where it takes us-and then grieving when it is done. How about our phones or social media?? ~~~So as it turns out, we are constantly abiding—the things which we value, which we spend our time doing, the activities that we engage in, our attitudes and ways of engagement, all speak to the things that captivate our hearts. These are the things that shape us and mold us and affect our lives. These things are the fruit of our abiding, the fruit of our rootedness. So here’s the question-as Christians, followers of Jesus, lovers of Jesus, are we truly abiding in Jesus? Are we letting Jesus abide in us? It should be an easy answer, right? I want to say, “Of course, I abide in Jesus. Of course, Jesus abides in me!” This seems like the answer that any good Christian would give. A good answer for a pastor . . . right?! But if I am honest, I have to recognize that often I do not abide in Jesus, one of my many sins, and I’m not alone.
~~~As humans, sinful as we are, we often abide in things that we think we can control, then they end up controlling us. We abide in things that require little of us, but they end up taking our souls. Our abiding seems fruitful; our vines seem healthy. They might even be producing fruit, but it may not be exactly the kind of fruit that builds up the kingdom Jesus wants. Fruit of idolatry, self-importance, and self-righteousness. Fruit of a narrow view of the world where God only loves those that we love, and where God hates like we hate. Fruit of control, power over our lives and over others. Fruit of our participation in structures that perpetuate an individualist and racist or biased society. And make no mistake-systemic racism IS REAL, despite what some politicians claim. Fruit that keep us from paying attention to the needs of others, that keep others at arm’s length. Sometimes all that comes from us sinful human is weeds. Just weeds. These weeds keep us from experiencing the grace that God has given us. Weeds we confuse with fruit are not allowing us to move forward and to grow in love of God and neighbor. Weeds tht choke out the love God plants within us at Baptism with his Spirit and calls us to live. ~~~One of the places we see weeds mistaken for fruit is when we hear the words of Scripture or the words of Jesus used to condemn others or build walls between us and others—to judge others in the ways they live or love, believe or worship The fact is that in some cases, the name Christian and the words of Scripture or Jesus have been hijacked to use as weapons against others who are different from us. We have allowed fear, ignorance, and our limited understanding of God to take root in our souls instead of being rooted in God’s abiding love. Many who claim to love Jesus, who have been called by God to love God and neighbor, to love our ENEMY, and to be bearers of truth, have failed. If we allow Jesus and his love to become weapons against others, then we have failed. If our religion is calling us to judge or condemn anyone, then we have failed. ~~~The gospel provides us with a mirror that shows us possibility, shows us a new way, and shows us the beauty of fruitful abiding, of God’s call to new life. We must be willing to get in front of that mirror; to see that we are really not abiding in Jesus; instead, we are abiding in our own sense of self. We need to see our sins, the weeds, for what they are and confess them. Only then will we be able to see what it looks like to let God clear the way so that we can live a fruitful life. The process is not easy; it requires a dramatic vulnerability, a willingness to let go. It requires our willingness to find a new home and a new center in Jesus. It requires our humility in knowing that Jesus died for us-for you and me—when he died on the cross for our sins—not just the sins of the other guy – but FOR US. FOR YOU! FOR ME!
~~~As Easter people who know Jesus died for us, we find that Jesus grafts us, cuts us from our rootedness in sin and death, the unhealthy roots of the human condition and then allows us to live a new life. Jesus becomes our root, our vine, with God the Father being the one that grows it, tends it, and makes sure that it is healthy and whole! God waters us with the forgiving rain of Baptism and nourishes us with Jesus’ Body and Blood. We are then invited to be the branches. The flowering and visible presence of Jesus in the field of God’s kingdom! People who allow the love of Jesus to blossom and then let the Spirit lead us as we serve God and share Christ’s love with all. ~~~So imagine what that looks like! Imagine our commitment as followers of Jesus to allow the Holy Spirit to graft us into Christ, to allow the nurturing, energetic, and fruitful presence of Jesus to be the source of life for us. That’s our purpose here at Hope Lutheran Church—showing our love for God by loving God’s people. Working together to be fruitful, to allow God to abide in us and sharing the love and compassion, the empathy and support of Jesus with others as we are led by the Spirit. We are called to be peacemakers and lovers of God’s people, people who teach one another what it means to be in loving and respectful relationship with those with whom we disagree. People who live loving and kindness-filled lives—that’s asking Jesus to abide in us and within us ~~~Now more than ever, God’s people must lead the way into conversations that uplift, conversations that restore, conversations that renew, conversations that reconcile, conversations that honor the image of God in the other. ~~~It is my prayer today that we can begin a movement, a movement of people committed to being agents of reconciliation, bearers of kindness and love in Jesus’ name, committed to a movement rooted in Jesus, a movement that inhabits the way of Jesus and that allows for the way of Jesus to inhabit the world. A movement of “abiding fruitfulness” that shines a light on God’s reconciling love in Jesus and in the world. As Easter people, we can only do that if we follow our purpose to be led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all people—living the cross-shaped life as we abide in Jesus and allow Jesus to abide in us as he produces good fruit through us. What a challenge to be Jesus’ disciples, And oh, what a privilege!! Amen..
Prayers of Intercession
Alive in the risen Christ by the power of the Holy Spirit, we bring our prayers before God who promises to hear us and answer in steadfast love. A brief silence.
God of all fruitfulness, you abide in your church and your church abides in you. Cleanse us by your word and give yourself to the whole church on earth so that it bears fruit and witnesses to your love. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
You have created the heavens and the earth. As we wonder at the beauty of creation, may we seek vital connections among all that depends on the earth for life. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
You rule the nations with justice and love. Give the leaders of the earth assurance of your abiding presence, that they lead not by fear but with love for those they are called to serve. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
You have loved us so that we can love others. We pray for all in need of your love: those who are poor, lowly, outcast, weak, or fearful. Provide for the needs of all ( especially). Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
You gather us with all the saints by the power of your Spirit ( especially with Athanasius, Bishop of Alexandria and those we name before you). With them, may our hearts live forever in your keeping. Hear us, O God. Your mercy is great.
In the hope of new life in Christ, we raise our prayers to you, trusting in your never-ending goodness and mercy; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name, your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our sins as we forgive those who sin against us. Save us from the time of trial, and deliver us from evil. For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen.
The blessing of the living God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, surround and sustain us, keep us from harm, and fill us with courage. Amen.
Alleluia! Christ is Risen! Christ is risen indeed! Alleluia! Let us go out into the world in peace, sharing the Good News of Jesus and his rising from the dead, as together we are led by the Spirit to serve God and share Christ’s love with all! Thanks be to God!
HOPE HAPPENINGS
We welcome all who worship with us today. Please complete one of the visitor cards at our guest table. If you would like to make Hope your church home, please speak to Pastor Jen. Everyone is welcome at Hope Lutheran Church.
Next Week’s Readings: Acts 10:44-48; 1 John 5:1-6; John 15:9-17
The April thru June Word in Season Devotionals are available on the narthex table.
LAY SERVANTS
Altar Guild: Candy Ogden
Usher: Roger McGill
Counters: Pr Cheryll & Karl Kaukis
PRAYER LIST
Please call the church office or email Pr. Jen with any prayer requests you may have so they may be shared with the congregation.
Please continue to hold in prayer:
Alan for safety in travel
Bob for safety in travel
Family of Arline Reeves as they mourn her death in Christ
Cyndi and Fred for healing
Ken Zwara for healing
Jenny for healing and God’s love
Vinny for healing
Ian for sure and strong presence of God’s healing grace
Doris Puerner for healing
Marirose for a healthy pregnancy
Helen for healing
Kristin, Ron and Carolyn Rasmussen’s daughter, for healing after surgery
Jean Holcomb for healing
Florence, Lou Szepi’s mom, for God’s comforting presence
Dawn Seibert for healing
Carol for healing, hope, and God’s will.
Laura Everill, daughter of Phyllis and Tom Agness, residing in a healthcare facility.
Walter Crowley, husband of Kathryn and father of Ginger Toomire recovering from pneumonia.
Joyce, sister-in-law of Elaine Dougan, recovering from brain cancer surgery.
John Greene, Millie’s husband, for strength and healing
Cheryl Burke who is in need of healing
Larry and Barbara Brady, as they focus on healing.
Pr. Pat for healing
Jason and family for healing
NEW AT HOPE
THE CRAFT SALE raised $1,420 for Hope’s Love Pantry. Special thanks to Linda and Jack Kraigenow for all their hard work in creating the gorgeous gemstone jewelry and making the Craft Sale a huge success. Linda will be selling her jewelry at the North Port Craft Fair on July 17 between 10:00 and 3:00 at the George Mullen Center Gymnasium, 1602 Krame Way, North Port, FL.
WONDERFUL WEDNESDAY evenings will be returning this summer. Get ready for some socialization and game playing. If you have ideas or suggestions, please contact Pr. Jen or Fran
SAVE THE DATE – Hope Lutheran Bazaar scheduled for December 4, 2021.
ASCENSION THURSDAY WORSHIP – Please join us on Ascension Thursday, May 13 th as we celebrate the risen Christ’s ascension into heaven at 10:00 AM and 4:30pm in the sanctuary.
HOPE LOVE PANTRY – The pantry could use canned meat, fruits, juice, juices, toiletries and snack items or monetary donations. Thank you for your continued support and donations. This is our opportunity to serve God and share Christ’s love with all.
MONDAY BIBLE STUDY on God sightings every Monday at 10:00 AM in the Fellowship Hall.
HYMN REQUESTS If there are any particular hymns that you would like to hear at worship, please submit the names to Pastor Jen at hopeluthern1@comcast.net. If our licensing agreement permits, look forward to hearing them soon.
HOPES AND DREAMS FOR HOPE – If you have a suggestion for a Hope or Dream for Hope Lutheran Church, Pastor Jen and your council would love to hear it. Please feel free to place any Hope or Dream in the mailbox in the hallway leading to the Fellowship Hall. All requests will be kept confidential, and you will receive a timely response.
2021 HOPE LUTHERAN COUNCIL MEMBERS
Pastor Jennifer Schaefer 813.391.2027 hopeluthern1@comcast.net
President Jill Mead 941.350.5209 jillmead3059@gmail.com
Vice President Linda Kraignow 941.623.9188 lindak41549@gmail.com
Secretary Roberta Baliant 941.830.2381 roberta.in.paradise@gmail.com
Treasurer Karl Kaukis 405.334.1511 karl@kaukis.com
Financial Secretary Lorraine Maass 540.419.5961 yar0227@ymail.com
Pr. Cheryll Armstrong Kaukis 405.762.0564 cheryll.kaukis@gmail.com
Fran Kostrowsky 813.316.5295 fkostrowsky@gmail.com
Candy Ogden 217.899.7086 roncandyogden92@gmail.com
Donna Turner 941.276.4696 jag01@embarqmail.com
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