In Joppa there lived a disciple named Tabitha (Dorcas) who was full of good works and acts of charity. When she became ill and died, she was washed and laid in an upper room. They summoned Peter, who went with them, and arriving there he put the mourners outside, knelt down, and prayed. He said, “Tabitha, arise.” And Dorcas opened her eyes, and when she saw Peter she sat up. Peter gave her his hand, and raised her up. After calling the saints and widows, he presented her alive to them. This miracle of God’s power became known throughout all Joppa, and many believed in the Lord.

Invocation: Our Prayer of Acclamation
God and Father of our Lord Jesus, God of life and strength, in the name of your Son you provide healing, grace, and eternal life. You alone can restore, and you alone can heal. Teach us to rely on your strength, and to trust in your hand alone for all things, for you and you only can restore us to life again, by your saving power. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Call to Worship
Blessed are you, O God: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. And blessed is your Kingdom, both now and forever, amen.

Te Deum Laudamus 
You are God: we praise you; you are the Lord; we acclaim you; you are the eternal Father: All creation worships you. To you all angels, all the powers of heaven, Cherubim and Seraphim, sing in endless praise: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.

The glorious company of apostles praise you. The noble fellowship of prophets praise you. The white-robed army of martyrs praise you. Throughout the world the holy Church acclaims you; Father, of majesty unbounded, your true and only Son, worthy of all worship, and the Holy Spirit, advocate and guide.

You, Christ, are the king of glory, the eternal Son of the Father. When you became man to set us free you did not shun the Virgin’s womb. You overcame the sting of death and opened the kingdom of heaven to all believers. You are seated at God’s right hand in glory. We believe that you will come and be our judge. Come then, Lord, and help your people, bought with the price of your own blood, and bring us with your saints to glory everlasting.

Praise and Thanksgiving (songs and prayers)

Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father,
And to the Son and to the Holy Spirit:
As it was in the beginning,
Is now, and ever shall be,
World without end. Amen, amen.

The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth; and in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried; he descended into hell; the third day he arose again from the dead; he ascended into heaven and sits on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall 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.

*In the Apostles’ and Nicene Creeds, the term catholic refers to the Church’s universality, through all ages and times, of all languages and peoples. It refers to no particular tradition or denominational expression (e.g., as in Roman Catholic).

Prayers of Confession
Let us now confess our sins to God and receive mercy and grace to help in our time of need.

Assurance of Pardon
Having faithfully confessed and renounced your sin, Christ also has been faithful to forgive your sins and to purify you from all unrighteousness. It is certain, that there is One who has spoken to the Father in your defense, Jesus Christ, the Righteous One who is the atoning sacrifice for our sins and for the sins of the whole world. His grace and peace are with you now. Amen.

Petitions and Supplications, Ending with The Lord’s Prayer
Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.

~ Matthew 6.9-13 (KJV)

Doxology (and/or closing song)
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.

Benediction 
God who raised Dorcas from the dead, raise us up by your mighty power with which you raised up your Son, Jesus of Nazareth from the dead. As you have life in yourself, and as your Spirit lives within us, let your life flow in and through us, even as we trust and depend on your strength. In Jesus’s name, amen.

Pray without Ceasing – Flash Prayer for the Day
Risen Savior, raise us to new life as we cling in faith to You.

Weekly Reflection on the Priesthood of all Believers
The most splendid ability and the most elaborate equipment are but the tray on which to serve the bread of life. If we put confidence in the tray instead of the bread, we are defeated from the start.

~ Roy J. Fish and J. E. Conant, Every Member Evangelism for Today.
Eugene, OR: Wipf and Stock Publishers, 1976. p.82.

Let God Arise! Seasonal Focus
He Is Not Here, Luke 24.1-12

Book Reading
Breslin, Embracing Our Priestly Nature at Work

Our Corporate Disciplines
National Day of Prayer: Monday, May 9, 2022