the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor.  

It is often said that things happen in threes... Maybe that idea began with God! Today we celebrate The Holy Trinity, the day we focus on God in three persons, three entities, three ways of coming to the world. Theologians have tried for 2000 years to explain the Trinity, but in all honesty, it can't be explained! It cannot be fully understood! So what is the Trinity? It is mystery! As much as we try to wrap our heads around it, the Trinity is something that befuddles us - and that is a wonderful gift! It is an invitation to trust, to rely on God's wonder and beauty, to know that no matter what comes our way, God's got us in the palm of his hand. And God has done everything possible to let us know that wonderful news - coming to us in the beauty of creation, the intimacy of becoming human, and the continued presence of the Spirit. Today is a day when we don't try to explain or even understand. It's a day to celebrate, rejoice, and give thanks that we have a God who never tires of loving us!

Welcome back to in-person worship!!! We continue to do all we can to keep everyone as safe as possible. In order to care for children and those who are unable to receive vaccines, we will still wear masks at all times, and there will be no congregational singing.

When you arrive, you will have your temperature taken, sign in, and provide contact information. Please arrive early, use the parking lot entrance, and follow the direction of the ushers. However, if you feel ill or are running a fever of over 100 degrees, please stay home and keep yourself and others safe. As God's people we are called to love one another and to care for the most vulnerable in our midst.

Services will continue to be livestreamed on YouTube Live each week. While we all “want” to come physically back together as a community of faith, we realize that not all will feel comfortable returning to indoor in-person worship yet. Please do not feel guilty or pressured . We will be continuing our services on-line. Please only come when you feel that you are ready.

Upstate New York Synod Assembly – June 3-5

It’s that time of year again when congregations come together for the Upstate New York Synod annual assembly. Because of Covid, the assembly was cancelled last year, and this year will be held online. It will certainly be a new experience! This year’s main order of business will be electing a new bishop. There are 4 nominees: Pastor Laura Daley, Pastor Lee Miller, II, Pastor Deron Millville and Pastor Aileen Robbins, all serving congregations in the Upstate New York Synod.

Please keep our voting members in your prayers as they gather with others, learn, and discern God’s Spirit at work through the ministry of the synod. Dave Ekimoff and Kathy Bannon were elected at our last congregational meeting to serve as voting members from Immanuel, and will attend along with Pastor Joanne. It’s always an inspiring, spirit-filled time of worship and learning! 

Each congregation is challenged to collect $400 or more. How much will we be able to help? As stewards of our own resources, we have the opportunity to share from our wealth and our compassion with others who don’t have a basic human need—clean drinking water.

Time is short! But we can give from our abundance and meet this challenge!

Log into Zoom Sundays at 10:10 and join others for a conversation about the Gospels. Dig more deeply into these 4 books that tell the story of Jesus and his followers. Adult Sunday School will continue through June 13. Join in on Sunday mornings at 10:10 via Zoom at:

Meeting ID: 892 4142 0205

Passcode: 891269

Or click the button to access the link directly.

Do you want to join with folks to learn and laugh? Do you want to dig more deeply into Scripture? Do you want to have a chance to be challenged and deepen your faith and understanding of who Jesus is? Then Wednesday morning is your time! Join in the conversation as we look at readings for the upcoming Sunday. Log into Zoom Wednesday mornings at 9. No previous knowledge or Bible study experience is necessary! Come and learn and laugh and be with friends both old and new!

Meeting ID: 837 9151 1254

Passcode: Bibles

O God, receive this gift as you receive us: like a mother receives her child, with arms open wide. Nourish us anew in your tender care, and empower us in faithful service to tend to others with this same love, through Jesus Christ, our saving grace. Amen.

Blessed be the holy Trinity, ☩ one God,

the God of manna,

the God of miracles,

the God of mercy.

God, our provider,

Let us pray. Almighty Creator and ever-living God: we worship your glory, eternal Three-in-One, and we praise your power, majestic One-in-Three. Keep us steadfast in this faith, defend us in all adversity, and bring us at last into your presence, where you live in endless joy and love, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever.

First Reading     Isaiah 6:1-8

¹In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. ²Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. ³And one called to another and said:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

⁴The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. ⁵And I said: “Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!”

 ⁶Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. ⁷The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: “Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.” ⁸Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I; send me!”

¹Ascribe to the Lord, you gods,

ascribe to the Lord glory and strength.

²Ascribe to the Lord the glory due God’s name;

worship the Lord in the beauty of holiness.

³The voice of the Lord is upon the waters; the God of glory thunders;

the Lord is upon the mighty waters.

⁴The voice of the Lord is a powerful voice;

the voice of the Lord is a voice of splendor. 

⁵The voice of the Lord breaks the cedar trees;

the Lord breaks the cedars of Lebanon;

⁶the Lord makes Lebanon skip like a calf,

and Mount Hermon like a young wild ox.

⁷The voice of the Lord

bursts forth in lightning flashes.

⁸The voice of the Lord shakes the wilderness;

the Lord shakes the wilderness of Kadesh. 

⁹The voice of the Lord makes the oak trees writhe and strips the forests bare.

And in the temple of the Lord all are crying, “Glory!”

¹⁰The Lord sits enthroned above the flood;

the Lord sits enthroned as king forevermore.

¹¹O Lord, give strength to your people;

give them, O Lord, the blessings of peace. 

Gospel   John 3:1-17

       Glory to you, O Lord

¹Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. ²He came to Jesus by night and said to him, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God; for no one can do these signs that you do apart from the presence of God.” ³Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” ⁴Nicodemus said to him, “How can anyone be born after having grown old? Can one enter a second time into the mother’s womb and be born?” ⁵Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and Spirit. ⁶What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ ⁸The wind blows where it chooses, and you hear the sound of it, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” ⁹Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” ¹⁰Jesus answered him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

 ¹¹“Very truly, I tell you, we speak of what we know and testify to what we have seen; yet you do not receive our testimony. ¹²If I have told you about earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about heavenly things? ¹³No one has ascended into heaven except the one who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. ¹⁴And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, ¹⁵that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.

 ¹⁶“For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that everyone who believes in him may not perish but may have eternal life.

 ¹⁷“Indeed, God did not send the Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him.”

         Praise to you, O Christ.

hallowed be thy name,

thy kingdom come,

thy will be done,

on earth as it is in heaven.

as we forgive those

who trespass against us;

but deliver us from evil.

and the power, and the glory,