McPhail Weblog May 16, 2021

McPhail Baptist Church

Prelude:

“Meditation on Jesus Keep Me Near The Cross” (Paul Fey)

Hymn: “When Morning Gilds The Skies”

Prayer

Teach us, O God, to recognize the divine presence among us. You come to us through the changing of the seasons, the beauty of starlight, the harvest of grain, and the majesty of the hills. May we see the grandeur of your handiwork and recognize your continuing providence.

You come to us through the spoken and the written word—that record of your past dealings with your people and the revelation of your will for our lives.

You come to us through the pleas of the hungry, the destitute, and the persecuted. May we treat them with the same dignity, love and generosity that we would extend to You.

You come to us through the tug of conscience and through the urgings of the Spirit. May we be open to your power within us. May our lives become better than they are. Help us to turn our weaknesses into strengths and our failures into successes.

We pray all this in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Special Music:

“Lord Divine, All Loves Excelling”

Sue Sparks/Ernie Cox

Scripture Reading

Acts 1:1-11 (NRSV)

1 In the first book, Theophilus, I wrote about all that Jesus did and taught from the beginning 2 until the day when he was taken up to heaven, after giving instructions through the Holy Spirit to the apostles whom he had chosen. 3 After his suffering he presented himself alive to them by many convincing proofs, appearing to them during forty days and speaking about the kingdom of God. 4 While staying[a] with them, he ordered them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait there for the promise of the Father. “This,” he said, “is what you have heard from me; 5 for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

6 So when they had come together, they asked him, “Lord, is this the time when you will restore the kingdom to Israel?” 7 He replied, “It is not for you to know the times or periods that the Father has set by his own authority. 8 But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” 9 When he had said this, as they were watching, he was lifted up, and a cloud took him out of their sight. 10 While he was going and they were gazing up toward heaven, suddenly two men in white robes stood by them. 11 They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up toward heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.”

Special Music:"Where No One Stands Alone"

Laura Monchuk/Ernie Cox