April 19, 2025

Dear St. Paul’s UMC and Wesley Foundation Family,

Grace and peace to you, beloved Church! Christ is risen, Christ is risen indeed – Alleluia!! As we begin this Easter season, we celebrate that God is present, with us, steadfast, always and forever – risen! On this first Sunday of Easter, we consider the practice of pronouncing blessing, giving thanks for the courageous witness of the women and their willingness to be present, to remember, and to audaciously share with others. What if we, in this season of Easter, saw this time as an opportunity to audaciously practice blessing? To notice the ways in which holiness is present and holding us, in the midst of our own perplexity, fear, uncertainty, and amazement? How might this be a way of living into our own Easter faith?

We look forward to celebrating the joy of Easter with you, with our “sunrise” service at 7:00 AM at the Hintz Family Alumni Gardens with our neighbors from Faith UCC, communion at our 9:00 AM service, and the chancel choir at our 10:30 AM service – we would love the opportunity to begin the celebration of Easter with you! Come and join with us, as together we practice pronouncing blessing, right where we are.

Here is our schedule for tomorrow, April 20th:

7:00 AM: Sunrise Service with Faith UCC, at Hintz Family Alumni Gardens

9:00 AM: In-person Worship Service of Word and Table, in the sanctuary

NO Sunday School today

10:30 AM: Hybrid Worship Service with Chancel Choir, in-person in the sanctuary and livestreamed here

Please remember that since this service is filmed and live-streamed, you or your family members may be on our worship recording, which is streamed and archived on our YouTube channel.

NO Discussion Group today

Grace and Peace,

Pastor Sarah

Discussion Questions

(1) What did you notice in our worship today? Thinking not only about the words of the sermon, where did you notice the Spirit, an unexpected connection, a flicker of life, hope, or love?

(2) What do you make of the fact that women were the very first ones to proclaim the good news about Jesus’ resurrection? How might this fact be relevant for us today?

(3) How might you practice pronouncing blessing in the midst of your everyday life? What might this look like? (see pp 194-195, Altar in the World)

Prelude: “The Women at the Tomb – A Prelude on ‘Hail Thee, Festival Day’” (Dorothy J. Papakados)

Mary Bahnfleth, organ

Greeting

Rev. Sarah Coker Voigt

Call to Worship

One: Beloved, Christ is risen!

All: Christ is risen indeed! 

One: Our Savior is risen!

All: Our Savior is risen indeed! Alleluia!

One: Steadfast Love is risen!

All: Steadfast Love is risen indeed! Alleluia!

One: This is the day that God has made

All: Let us rejoice and be glad! Alleluia! 

(Written by Dr. Lisa Hancock, Discipleship Ministries, September 2024)

Opening Hymn: “Christ the Lord is Risen Today,” verses 1-4 (UMH 302)

Scripture Reading: Acts 10:34-43 (NRSVUE)

Rev. Greg Milinovich

Passing the Peace 

Children’s Message

Liz McMillan

Gospel Lesson: Luke 24:1-12 (NRSVUE)

Margaret Brown

Gospel Response: “The First One Ever,” verse 3 (UMH 276)

Chancel Choir

Message: “The Practice of Pronouncing Blessing”

Rev. Sarah Coker Voigt

Anthem: “The Day Of Resurrection” (Thomas Matthews)

Chancel Choir

Pastoral Prayer

The Lord’s Prayer

Hymn: “Christ Has Risen” (TFWS 2115)

Offering

Closing Hymn: "Cristo Vive (Christ is Risen)" (UMH 313)

Sung to Hyfrydol

Announcements

Benediction

Postlude: “Hallelujah” from “Messiah” (G. F. Handel)

Mary Bahnfleth, piano