Fifth Sunday of Easter
INTRODUCTION TO THE DAY
Easter initiates a new day. It anticipates a new Heaven and a new Earth. The risen Lord is making all things new. In the mystery of Holy Baptism, God has made new people of us. Today the Lord Jesus invites us to see everyone in a new light—through the lens of love.
FIRST READING: Acts 11: 31-18
In defense of his earlier Baptism of pagan believers, Peter demonstrates to the members of the Jerusalem Church that God’s intention to love Gentiles as well as Jews is revealed in the testimony of Jesus. In this way the mission in the Gentiles is officially authorized.
PSALM: Psalm 148
SECOND READING: Revelation 21: 1-6
John’s vision shows us that in the resurrection the new age has dawned; God dwells with us already. Yet we wait for the time when the tears that cloud our vision will be wiped away. Then we will see the new Heaven, new Earth, and new Jerusalem.
GOSPEL: John 13: 31-35
After washing the disciples’ feet, predicting his betrayal, and then revealing his betrayer, Jesus speaks of his glorification on the cross. This deep complicated love of Jesus, even to death on the cross, will be the distinctive mark of the community of Jesus.
Announcements!
SERVICE TO REMEMBER CAROL SCHIFF
We will have a Memorial Service to celebrate the life of Carol Schiff on May 22, at 7 p.m. here at Zion. Carol was, for many years, a very active member of our congregation and the community. The Rev. Michael Adams will officiate at the service. Pastor Mike is Carol’s brother and an ELCA pastor serving churches in the Baltimore, Md., area. Welcome him and make him feel at home.
COMMUNITY MOVIE SERIES
The Village Community Center is hosting a Movie Series. If you are looking to get out on a Saturday evening, this is a fun time. Marci does a great job of making the event fun for the whole family. The next one will be June 14th, here at the Center. The movie will be "Ralph Breaks the Internet." Weather permitting, it will be shown outside. Remember the old drive-ins? Come watch the movie and have fellowship with the community.
MEMORIAL DAY
Memorial Day is May 27. It is a day to celebrate the Saints who have gone before. We will commemorate Memorial Day with a remembrance during worship on the 26th.
PENTECOST
The next Church holiday that we will celebrate will be Pentecost on June 9. There will be more information to come.
ELCA ADVOCACY ACTION ALERT
Ask your U.S. senators and representative to ask the White House to release funding for Augusta Victoria and the other East Jerusalem hospitals!
Augusta Victoria Hospital (AVH) and the other members of the East Jerusalem Hospital Network (EJHN) need our help to continue their life-saving health care ministries in the Holy Land. AVH is owned and operated by the Lutheran World Federation (LWF) and supported by the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA) and several other member churches of the LWF. These institutions, which provide high-quality health services to the 5 million Palestinians living in the West Bank and Gaza, face an ever-growing cash-flow crisis due to U.S. cuts in funding to the Palestinians last year.
Together with the European Union, the U.S. had been funding about half the costs of patients referred to the EJHN by the Palestinian Authority. Augusta Victoria provides a wide range of health care services, but its specialties include radiation therapy for cancer patients and pediatric kidney dialysis. More extensive background information is available on the table in the back of the sanctuary.
The current cash-flow problems stem from the inability of the Palestinian Authority (PA) to regularly pay the bills of the patients it refers to the hospitals. The PA makes monthly payments, but as of April 1, 2019, the total debt has reached approximately $85 million, of which AVH is owed more than $38 million. Although the U.S. Congress approved $25 million for fiscal years 2017 and 2018 to help cover the hospitals’ bills, none of it has been released by the Administration, which makes it increasingly difficult for hospitals to pay staff, pay pharmaceutical suppliers for cancer medications and avoid further interruption of patient treatment.
It is therefore critical that you:
- Ask members of Congress to urge the Administration to release the allocated funds for AVH and the others in the EJHN on a humanitarian basis to save lives, and
- Contact the White House directly at 202-456-1111 to urge that humanitarian aid to the West Bank and Gaza, especially assistance for the East Jerusalem hospitals, be released immediately and unconditionally to ensure ongoing care for cancer patients and others who need life-saving medical treatment.
This is the second plea from the ELCA for help in getting funds released to these hospitals. Please give this ministry prayerful consideration.
PRAYERS
Please keep these people in your prayers: Esther Mae Baker, Al Bausch, Dortha Feddern, Valerie Meister, George Wendel and the family of Carol Schiff. Please remember all of our shut-ins and sick. (Also, pray for the families and caretakers of those on the prayer list.)
THE BREAKFAST BUNCH
“The Breakfast Bunch” meets the first Saturday of every month at Der Dutchman in Plain City, at 8:30 a.m. “Come one, Come all” for a great breakfast, fellowship and more!
SIGN-UPS
Please check the bulletin board behind the office door for all of the sign-up sheets for this year. Communion, birthday Sundays, and Worship Assistants/helpers. Thank you so much!
You can also remember special occasions or special people by contributing money that would normally be used for altar flowers. Instead the donation goes to our local food pantry.
