May 30th, 2021

Portage Lake United Church

Liturgical Color: White

Trinity

Sunday

Lectionary Year B John 3:8ac

The wind blows … and you hear the

sound of it, but you do not know …

where it goes. So it is with everyone

who is born of the Spirit."

Nicodemus Comes to Jesus at Night

Henry O. Tanner

● WE’RE BACK!!! (and at a new time): Beginning next Sunday, June 6th, we will be holding services both in person and online. While we are open to all who care to join us in person, we will be continue our Covid-19 precautions: wearing masks, social distancing, hand washing, and staying home if you are ill.

● To go along with our new church will now begin at 10:30 a.m.● Beginning June 1st, the office will be open for regular hours, 8:30-11:00 on Monday -

Wednesday and Friday, with Thursday hours being 9:00-12:00. Again Covid-19 regulations of mask wearing and social distancing will be enforced.

● We will be discussing Chapter 5 of The Sum of Us: What Racism Costs Everyone and How We Can Prosper Together by Heather McGhee on June 1st at 8 pm on Zoom. Contact Michelle Jarvie Eggart if you are interested in joining the group.

● Please join Judy Albee and family to share memories of Steve at the Chassell pavilion today between 2:00 - 4:00 PM. There will be a brief service/ceremony at 2:15 PM with cake and conversation to follow.

● Our flowers today are provided by Rick von Batchelder in memory of loved ones.

Welcome and Announcements

Presider: Rev. Peter NorlandReader: Greg CampbellPrayer Writer: Jim Northey

Music: Susie Byykkonen

We gather in the name of the Holy Trinity, one God, source of all goodness and mercy. No matter who you are or where you are on life's

journey, you are welcome here.

Are there any other announcements?

MEDITATION

Willingness is the opposite of willfulness, being full of our own will and ways and the satisfaction in being self-made or self-controlled persons. Willingness to be aware and

willingness in general are prerequisites for spiritual direction. (Jeannette A. Bakke)

PRELUDE

Photo: Ann Campbell

Rock of Ages

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Blessed be God,Eternal Majesty, Living Word, Abiding Spirit.

Glory to God forever. Amen!Jesus said, the way to see God’s dream for the world

is to be born from above by the Spirit.The way we take part in that dream, says Jesus,

is to be born of water and Spirit.That gift is available this day.May you receive God’s Spirit, be made whole,

and dwell more deeply in love divine.Amen.

✜ CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive)

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✜ Hymn Gathering "Holy, Holy, Holy" #138 (blue) Used with permission.

One License # A-725614

✜ PRAYER OF THE DAY

Holy God,source of all goodness,you gave your Son for the life of the worldand sent your Spirit that your love might abide within us.

Teach us how to love each other this day,that we may have life, and have it abundantly,with you, in Christ, and through the Holy Spirit.Amen.

Holy God, we know that you are always there to lead us,

yet we somehow lose our wayand fall back into fear.

We confess that we have stumbled,and we recognize our need for youto lift us up and help us start again.

Forgive us our failings, restore us to strength,and reconcile us with you, ourselves,and each other,

through the power of Christ and the gift of your Spirit.

Amen.

✜ Prayer of Confession (unison)

✜ Declaration of forgiveness

Children of God,hear the good news:

We did not receive the spirit of slavery,but rather the spirit of adoption.

Your guilt has departed;your sin is blotted out,

for you are God’s beloved children—forgiven, loved, and free!

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Drenched in the Mystery

✜ PASSING THE PEACE

The peace of Christ be with you all.And also with you.

Greet each other with a sign of God’s peace.

Children of God, we are the body of Christ.By one spirit we were baptized into one body.

Keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.Amen. We are bound by the love of Christ.

Veni Sancti Spiritus

St. Aloysius Somers Town London, England

God speaks to us in scripture, reading,

preaching and songWORD

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Isaiah 6:1-8A Vision of God in the Temple

1 In 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. 2 Seraphs 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. 3 And one called to another and said:

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

the whole earth is full of his glory.”

4 The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled

with smoke. 5 And 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!”

6 Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar

with a pair of tongs. 7 The 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.” 8 Then 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!”

Footnotes: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Isaiah 6:1-8) Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God

Romans 8:12-17

12 So then, brothers and sisters, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live

according to the flesh— 13 for if you live according to the flesh, you will

die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will

live. 14 For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God. 15 For

you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have

received a spirit of adoption. When we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 it is that

very Spirit bearing witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17

and if children, then heirs, heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ—if, in

fact, we suffer with him so that we may also be glorified with him.

Footnotes: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (Romans 8:12-17) Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Word of God, Word of Life. Thanks be to God

✜HYMN “Mothering God, You Gave Me Birth” #7 (Glory to God)Used with permission.

One License # A-725614

✜ GOSPEL READING John 3:1-17 (1-11 shown here)

Nicodemus Visits Jesus

1 Now there was a Pharisee named Nicodemus, a leader of the Jews. 2 He

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.” 3 Jesus answered him, “Very truly, I tell you, no one can

see the kingdom of God without being born from above.” 4 Nicodemus 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?” 5 Jesus answered, “Very truly, I tell

you, no one can enter the kingdom of God without being born of water and

Spirit. 6 What is born of the flesh is flesh, and what is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7

Do not be astonished that I said to you, ‘You must be born from above.’ 8 The

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.” 9 Nicodemus said to him, “How can these things be?” 10 Jesus answered

him, “Are you a teacher of Israel, and yet you do not understand these things?

Footnotes: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (John 3:1-17) Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

✜ GOSPEL READING John 3:1-17 (11-17 shown)

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. 12 If I have told you about

earthly things and you do not believe, how can you believe if I tell you about

heavenly things? 13 No one has ascended into heaven except the one who

descended from heaven, the Son of Man. 14 And just as Moses lifted up the

serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, 15 that

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.

Footnotes: The Holy Bible: New Revised Standard Version. (1989). (John 3:1-17) Nashville: Thomas Nelson Publishers.

Sermon

A Spiral Shaped God

Offering

To make a gift to the ministry of PLUC click here.Photo: Ann Campbell

✜HYMN “God, We Honor You” #709 (Glory to God)Used with permission.

One License # A-725614

Holy God,

your love overflows in the gift of your Spirit.

Bless these gifts that we offer

that they may spread your blessing

in a world of hurt and need;

in Christ’s name. Amen.

OFFERING PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Recognizing our Graduate

John Paul Francis Norland

PRAYERS OFINTERCESSION

Our Father in heaven,hallowed be your name,your kingdom come,your will be done,on earth as in heaven.Give us today our daily bread.Forgive us our sinsas we forgive thosewho sin against us.Save us from the time of trialand deliver us from evil.For the kingdom, the power,and the glory are yoursnow and for ever.Amen.

PRAYER OF OUR SAVIORECUMENICAL

Photo by Ann Campbell

✜HYMN “Here I am, Lord” #268 (green) Used with permission.

One License # A-725614

CHARGE AND BLESSING

God blesses us and sends us in mission to the world.SENDING

God said,“Whom shall I send, and who shall go for us?”And Isaiah said, “Here am I; send me!”

Life-giving God, free us from our fear,fill us with your love, and send us forth in peace.

May the Lord give strength to the people. May the Lord bless the people with peace!And the blessing of God, who creates, redeems, and restores, be with you now and always.

Only

Speak the W

ord

Questions for Reflection

Jesus invites us to be born from above to receive new and abundant life. Salvation, or abundant life, is understood as a present reality in the Gospel of John. If the gift of God’s love made known to us in Christ through the Spirit is stirred up by gratitude, what daily

practice could increase your sense of gratitude? How could a simple practice of thanking God at any given moment in the day enliven your experience of salvation?

Postlude

All Scriptures taken from NRSV, copyright Thomas Nelson publishers. All songs used with permission. One License # A-725614

Thanks to:Presider: Rev. Peter NorlandReader: Greg CampbellPrayer Writer: Jim NortheyMusic: Susie Byykkonen

Visio DivinaSalted with Fire © Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com

Fire and Breath © Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com

Pentecost © Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com

Only Speak the Word © Jan Richardson. janrichardson.com

ArtworkNew Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright 1989, Division of

Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ

in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights

reserved.

Additional descriptions can be found at the Art in the Christian

Tradition image library, a service of the Vanderbilt Divinity Library,

http://diglib.library.vanderbilt.edu/. All images available via Creative

Commons 3.0 License.