VERDUGO COMMUNITY CHURCH EASTER SUNDAY SERVICE APRIL 16, 2023

We open our service with song. Pastor Gail Linstrom welcomes all to worship and to participate in the life of our church family. We are called to worship with a responsive reading from Psalms 96 and 97 led by Dale Reynolds and Andrew Mumm. Andrew then continues with the opening prayer. Kim Cox, Jessica Jimenez, Michael Minasyan, and Ed Manacop lead us in our praise singing. Greg Hart takes up the praises and concerns of the church and our world in the Prayers of the People.

 

In her sermon, “The Cross Is Our Door,” Pastor Gail continues the Easter story with the Luke 24 account of the encounter two followers have with Jesus on the Road to Emmaus. Although they are heartened by the women’s news that Jesus is alive, they are still dismayed by the crucifixion. Jesus reminds them of the Scriptural prophesies about the Messiah. In the first meal after the resurrection, Jesus reveals himself to the two in the breaking of the bread, who then hurry to return to the other disciples with the news of their own encounter with the risen Lord. This message further affirms the Easter message that Jesus is alive! The cross is our doorway to live a resurrected life of joy and power on earth being guided by the presences of our Living Lord.

 

Pastor Gail then leads us in the sacrament of communion and you are invited to participate as well.

 

Verdugo makes its Sunday sermons available to you on Facebook and posts audio copies of the service and sermon at https://verdugochurch.podbean.com.

 

Prayers of the People has been edited to respect the privacy and confidentiality of individual prayer requests. All CCLI songs are performed under Verdugo Community Church’s license with CCLI.

 

Verdugo Community Church is a Free Methodist congregation serving the Glassell Park, Eagle Rock, and Glendale areas in Los Angeles. It is located at 4300 Verdugo Road, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Our email address is verdugofmc@gmail.com. Contact Pastor Gail at (323) 500-3343.

 

Verdugo is online at www.facebook.com/verdugochurch and www.verdugochurch.org.

Worship Service copyright 2023 by Verdugo Community Church and Sermon copyright 2023 by Gail Whitcome Linstrom and Verdugo Community Church.