11 AM Worship Bulletin

11 AM SERVICE

11AM Order of Worship

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CONNECT CARD

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& how we can connect you with ministries

GIVE

An expression of gratitude to God

WELCOME TO WORSHIP | sunday | april 27, 2025

a diverse, inclusive church experiencing and reflecting the love, hope and joy of Jesus Christ

to each other and our community.

PRELUDE
Christians we have met to Worship | arr. Lloyd Larson
Ensemble

WELCOME | Brian McComb

WAYS TO CONNECT | christchurchfl.org/ways2connect
Please see below.

* CALL TO WORSHIP | Susan Spragg, liturgist
Come, people of the risen Christ, let us rejoice in the hope of Easter that lives within us!
We are Easter people, called to carry the light of the resurrection into the world!

The risen Lord has given us joy and purpose—to proclaim love and grace to every corner of creation.
We go as witnesses, sharing the good news of life, redemption, and peace!

Together, let us celebrate the power of resurrection and the calling we have as messengers.
We will live as a reflection of the love of Jesus, spreading hope and light to all we meet!

Let our worship this day renew our spirits and strengthen our mission to be bearers of good news.
Alleluia! Christ is risen – let us worship in joy!

* GATHERING HYMN
Easter People, Raise Your Voices | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 304 (verses 1,2,3)
Easter people, raise your voices, sounds of heaven in earth should ring.
Christ has brought us heaven’s choices; heavenly music, let it ring.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Easter people, let us sing.

Fear of death can no more stop us from our pressing here below.
For our Lord empowered us to triumph over every foe.
Alleluia! Alleluia! On to victory now we go.

Every day to us is Easter, with its resurrection song.
When in trouble move the faster to our God who rights the wrong.
Alleluia! Alleluia! See the power of heavenly throngs.

Henry Thomas Smart & William M. James | © words: 1979 The United Methodist Publishing House | music: public domain | CCLI License # 487103

* OPENING PRAYER
Loving God, we are still basking in the light of resurrection - the stone has been rolled away, the grave defeated, and hope has been born anew. We realize that Easter is not just a day—it is a way of life. You have called us to be Easter people: people of joy, of courage, of unshakable hope. Remind us that the story of resurrection is not meant to be kept to ourselves. Let the joy we proclaim in this place ripple outward, carried in our words, our actions, our very presence. Empower us to be bearers of good news— to speak life where there is despair, to act with compassion where there is need, to be signs of your love in every corner of the world. We stand ready to live the good news we have received. Amen.

* AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, maker of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; the third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father Almighty. From thence he will come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.

* GLORIA PATRI
Glory be to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Ghost; as it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.

Henry W. Greatorex | public domain | CCLI License # 487103

MUSIC MINISTRY
Lay Up Your Treasures in Heaven | Pepper Choplin
Ensemble

OFFERING | Judy O’Donnell
worshiping through the offering of our lives and gifts

· Place offerings in the plates or wooden boxes

· Give online at christchurchfl.org/give

· Text GIVE to 954.880.3885

· Mail a check to Christ Church, 4845 NE 25^th Ave., Fort Lauderdale, FL 33308

Connect cards may also be placed with your offering. Christ Church is a congregationally supported ministry. We thank you for your faithfulness as we reflect the love, hope and joy of Jesus to our community.

MUSIC MINISTRY

Let Us Joyfully Praise Our God | Allen Pote
Chancel Choir
Come, let us sing to the Lord, with a joyful song, let the people rejoice. Enter God’s presence with singing, with music and shouts of joy! Come, let us joyfully praise our God. For the Lord is a mighty God and a mighty ruler above all gods, in whose hands are the depths of the earth, the heights of the mountains. It is God who made and rules the sea, and created dry land. Let us kneel and worship our Maker, for the Lord is our God, and we are God’s people, the people and sheep of God’s hand. Come, sing joyfully to our God! Sing to God!

* DOXOLOGY
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; praise him, all creatures here below; praise him above, ye heavenly host; praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Bourgeois & Ken | public domain | CCLI License # 487103

MORNING PRAYER

THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come. Thy will be done on earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

* HYMN
I Love to Tell the Story | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 156 (verses 1,3)
I love to tell the story of unseen things above,
of Jesus and his glory, of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story, because I know ‘tis true;
it satisfies my longings as nothing else can do.

(refrain) I love to tell the story, ‘twill be my theme in glory,
to tell the old, old story of Jesus and his love.

I love to tell the story, ‘tis pleasant to repeat
what seems, each time I tell it, more wonderfully sweet.
I love to tell the story, for some have never heard
the message of salvation from God’s own holy word. (refrain)

SCRIPTURE | Susan Spragg
2 Corinthians 5:11-21 | Common English Bible
¹¹So we try to persuade people, since we know what it means to fear the Lord. We are well known by God, and I hope that in your heart we are well known by you as well. ¹²We aren’t trying to commend ourselves to you again. Instead, we are giving you an opportunity to be proud of us so that you could answer those who take pride in superficial appearance, and not in what is in the heart.

¹³If we are crazy, it’s for God’s sake. If we are rational, it’s for your sake. ¹⁴The love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: one died for the sake of all; therefore, all died. ¹⁵He died for the sake of all so that those who are alive should live not for themselves but for the one who died for them and was raised.

¹⁶So then, from this point on we won’t recognize people by human standards. Even though we used to know Christ by human standards, that isn’t how we know him now. ¹⁷So then, if anyone is in Christ, that person is part of the new creation. The old things have gone away, and look, new things have arrived!

¹⁸All of these new things are from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and who gave us the ministry of reconciliation. ¹⁹In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.

²⁰So we are ambassadors who represent Christ. God is negotiating with you through us. We beg you as Christ’s representatives, “Be reconciled to God!” ²¹God caused the one who didn’t know sin to be sin for our sake so that through him we could become the righteousness of God.

These are the words of God for us, the people of God. Thanks be to God

DRAMA | The Easter Animal Contest
Bunny: Leigh Neely, Chicken: Connie Bookholt, Iguana: Laura Bailey, Employee: Craig Wilson, Employee: Jeanne Deinken & Lamb: Dominic Olivero

MESSAGE | Symbols!? | Brian McComb

* HYMN OF COMMITMENT
The Love of Christ Jesus is Urging us on | Carolyn Winfrey Gillette
The love of Christ Jesus is urging us on,
For we find our life in what Jesus has done.
He died and is risen; now we're dead to sin!
No longer our own, we have new life in him.

The love of Christ Jesus leads Christians to care;
When people are hungry, he calls us to share.
He gives us a job — to get out of our pews,
To work for God's justice and live the good news.

The love of Christ Jesus is urging us on
When others grow weary or say hope is gone.
He calls us to serve him again and again;
No longer our own, all our life is in him.

* SENDING FORTH

* RESPONSE
He Lives | The United Methodist Hymnal No. 310
He lives, he lives, Christ Jesus lives today!
He walks with me and talks with me along life’s narrow way.
He lives, he lives, salvation to impart!
You ask me how I know he lives. He lives within my heart.

MUSIC FOR CLOSING
Easter Joy (“Mfurahini Haleluya”) | Phil Lehenbauer
Chuck Stanley, organ

* please stand in body or spirit.

Join us next Sunday for the message Ripples based on Roman 6:8-11.

For a complete list of all the ways to conect click here