Harvest Thanksgiving
 
From Psalm 65:
You show your care for the land by sending rain;
    you make it rich and fertile.
You fill the streams with water;
    you provide the earth with crops.
This is how you do it:
you send abundant rain on the plowed fields
    and soak them with water;
you soften the soil with showers
    and cause the young plants to grow.
What a rich harvest your goodness provides!
    Wherever you go there is plenty.
The pastures are filled with flocks;
    the hillsides are full of joy.
The fields are covered with sheep;
    the valleys are full of wheat.
Everything shouts and sings for joy!
 
Readings for today:
John 20:19-31
Acts 5:27-32
 
In today’s sermon, Anne explores Faith lessons from “Doubting Thomas” – you can watch the recording here: https://youtu.be/lg2PxgJkhVA

Christ is Risen!
He is Risen Indeed! Alleluia!

Readings:
1 Corinthians 15:19-26: “If for this life only we have hoped in Christ, we are of all people most to be pitied,” says Paul as he recites our hope through the resurrection of Jesus.
John 20:1-18: John tells the story of Easter and the miracle that happened as Jesus’ astonished disciples see the empty tomb. But Mary Magdalene lingers at the tomb and there she is encountered by the Risen Christ.
 
View the recorded sermon for today here: ​https://youtu.be/RSZuLRbbxg4

​The message of Easter is clear – the story is not yet over. We haven’t heard the punch line. If one word of advice comes from the Easter story it is, don’t be premature in your judgement of what God is doing here.

Readings: 
Isaiah 50:4-9a: The prophet Isaiah proclaims the advent of a servant who will come to suffer and to bear the sins of Israel.
 
Luke 19:28-40: Today’s Gospel is the account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem on a donkey.
 
Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Let the shouts ring out!
Let the parade begin!
Wave the palm branches high and join the crowd.
Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!
 
Palm Sunday is a day where Jesus finally is acknowledged by not only his disciples but by crowds of people as the redeemer King. Yet by the end of this week those same crowds were the ones calling for his crucifixion. Why? What caused them to change their minds?
 
Watch the Sermon here: https://youtu.be/Tvk1eUAH_ko

Our weekly service sheet is available from our News page, and a printable copy of the sermon will be available on there next week.

Philippians 3: 4b-14: Paul stresses the Christian life as a matter of living into God’s promised future, of leaving something behind so that a far better life might be embraced.
John 12:1-8: Jesus is anointed, as if for burial, by Mary who loves him. Thus, we are given a prophetic preview of the events that await him in the coming week.
 
The sermon this week reflects on the John reading. This isn’t the only account of this story in the Gospels. All four writers tell the story but each in their own way, and important details differ.
You can view the recording here: https://youtu.be/_FqwzQHEQPA