6th Sunday of Easter
May 25, 2025

Loving God and loving neighbor here in central Vermont
and to the ends of the earth—all to the glory of God

Prelude Music
 Prepare your heart for worship.
Rebekah Barnes

Welcome and Announcements
 Listen for upcoming events and ways you can get involved.
Pastor Josh

Lighting the Candles
 Jesus is the light of the world.
Acolytes

Statement of Faith—Contemporary Statement from the WSB
 Confess what you believe about the Christian faith.
Pastor Josh

L: Christian, what do you believe?

C: We believe that in life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, fully human, fully God. Jesus proclaimed the reign of God: preaching good news to the poor and release to the captives, teaching by word and deed and blessing the children, healing the sick and binding up the brokenhearted, eating with outcasts, forgiving sinners, and calling all to repent and believe the gospel.

Greeting Your Neighbors
 Greet your neighbors in the name of the Lord.
Congregation

Call to Worship—Based on Isaiah 55:1 and 6
 Hear God call you to worship through his word.
Charlie Stabolepszy

L: God calls us to worship and we respond. “Come, everyone who thirsts, come to the waters; and he who has no money, come, buy and eat! Come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.”

C: We come seeking the Lord while he may be found. May He meet us today as we worship!

Opening Prayer
 Invite God to work in you as you worship today.
Charlie Stabolepszy

Worship Songs
 Join with the congregation in praise to God.
Rebekah Barnes and Pastor Josh

#193—Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

Verse 1

Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
Early in the morning
Our song shall rise to Thee
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity

Verse 2

Holy holy holy
All the saints adore Thee
Casting down their golden crowns
Around the glassy sea
Cherubim and seraphim
Falling down before Thee
Which wert and art
And evermore shalt be

Verse 3

Holy holy holy
Though the darkness hide Thee
Though the eye of sinful man
Thy glory may not see
Only Thou art holy
There is none beside Thee
Perfect in power
In love and purity

Verse 4

Holy holy holy
Lord God Almighty
All Thy works shall praise Thy name
In earth and sky and sea
Holy holy holy
Merciful and mighty
God in three persons
Blessed Trinity 
Amen.

As the Deer

Verse 1

As the deer panteth for the water
So my soul longeth after Thee
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee

Chorus

You alone are my strength my shield
To You alone may my spirit yield
You alone are my heart’s desire
And I long to worship Thee

Verse 2

You’re my friend and You are my brother
Even though You are a King
I love You more than any other
So much more than anything

Verse 3

I want You more than gold or silver
Only You can satisfy
You alone are the real joy-giver
And the apple of my eye

Wonderful Merciful Savior

Verse 1

Wonderful merciful Savior
Precious Redeemer and Friend
Who would have thought that a Lamb
Could rescue the souls of men
Oh You rescue the souls of men

Chorus

You are the One that we praise
You are the One we adore
You give the healing and grace
Our hearts always hunger for
Oh our hearts always hunger for

Verse 2

Counselor Comforter Keeper
Spirit we long to embrace
You offer hope when our hearts
Have hopelessly lost the way
Oh we hopelessly lost the way

Verse 3

Almighty infinite Father
Faithfully loving Your own
Here in our weakness You find us
Falling before Your throne
Oh we’re falling before Your throne

Missions Moment: Turkey
Pastor Josh

Scripture Meditation—Acts 10:9-29 (p. 1091 in Pew Bible)
 Hear a reading from the Gospel that relates to the sermon text.
Judy Stabolepszy

⁹ The next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the housetop about the sixth hour to pray. ¹⁰ And he became hungry and wanted something to eat, but while they were preparing it, he fell into a trance ¹¹ and saw the heavens opened and something like a great sheet descending, being let down by its four corners upon the earth. ¹² In it were all kinds of animals and reptiles and birds of the air. ¹³ And there came a voice to him: “Rise, Peter; kill and eat.” ¹⁴ But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is common or unclean.” ¹⁵ And the voice came to him again a second time, “What God has made clean, do not call common.” ¹⁶ This happened three times, and the thing was taken up at once to heaven.

¹⁷ Now while Peter was inwardly perplexed as to what the vision that he had seen might mean, behold, the men who were sent by Cornelius, having made inquiry for Simon’s house, stood at the gate ¹⁸ and called out to ask whether Simon who was called Peter was lodging there. ¹⁹ And while Peter was pondering the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Behold, three men are looking for you. ²⁰ Rise and go down and accompany them without hesitation, for I have sent them.” ²¹ And Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for. What is the reason for your coming?” ²² And they said, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” ²³ So he invited them in to be his guests.

The next day he rose and went away with them, and some of the brothers from Joppa accompanied him. ²⁴ And on the following day they entered Caesarea. Cornelius was expecting them and had called together his relatives and close friends. ²⁵ When Peter entered, Cornelius met him and fell down at his feet and worshiped him. ²⁶ But Peter lifted him up, saying, “Stand up; I too am a man.” ²⁷ And as he talked with him, he went in and found many persons gathered. ²⁸ And he said to them, “You yourselves know how unlawful it is for a Jew to associate with or to visit anyone of another nation, but God has shown me that I should not call any person common or unclean. ²⁹ So when I was sent for, I came without objection. I ask then why you sent for me.”

Confession and Assurance—Based on Ps 32 and Ezek 36
Pastor Josh

L: The psalmist testifies: Happy are those whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Happy are those to whom the LORD imputes no iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit. While I kept silence, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was dried up as by the heat of summer. Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and I did not hide my iniquity; I said, “I will confess my transgressions to the LORD,” and you forgave the guilt of my sin. Therefore let all who are faithful offer prayer to you. Let us come now and confess our sins.

C: Almighty God, to you all hearts are open, all desires known, and from you no secrets are hid. Cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you and worthily magnify your holy name, through Christ, our Lord. Amen.

L: I will sprinkle clean water upon you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. Anew heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put within you; and I will remove from your body the heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.

Congregational Prayer
 Lift your burdens and concerns to the Lord.
Charlie Stabolepszy

The Lord’s Prayer
 In closing, pray the words that Jesus taught us to pray.
Congregation

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.

Children Dismissed
Laura Agyekhumhene

Scripture Reading—Leviticus 11 (p. 105 in Pew Bible)
 Read this portion of God’s word.
Charlie Stabolepszy

L: The grass withers and the flower fades.
C: But the word of our God will stand forever.

Sermon
 Hear God’s word proclaimed and explained.
Pastor Josh

Song of Response—I Will Trust My Saviour Jesus
 Respond to the preaching of the word with song.
Rebekah Barnes and Pastor Josh

Verse 1

I will trust my Saviour Jesus
When my darkest doubts befall
Trust him when to simply trust him
Seems the hardest thing of all

Verse 2

I will trust my Saviour Jesus
Trust him when my strength is small
For I know the shield of Jesus
Is the safest place of all

Chorus

Jesus only Jesus
Help me trust you more and more
Jesus only Jesus
May my heart be ever yours

Verse 3

I will trust my Saviour Jesus
He has said his way is best
And I know the path he’s chosen
Leads to everlasting rest

Bridge

Oh on that cross how it was seen
I can go now ever trusting
In the one who died for me
What could I bring for your gift is complete
So I trust you simply trust you Lord
With every part of me

Extinguishing the Candles
 You are the light of the world.
Acolytes

Benediction
 Receive a parting blessing.
Pastor Josh

Postlude Music
Rebekah Barnes