April 26 – Fourth Sunday in Easter – Scout Sunday – Youth Sunday

8:30 AM, Worship in Sanctuary

10:30 AM Worship in Sanctuary and Livestream

The ERUCC Youth will be leading service. The Senior Choir will sing.

Sunday Worship Bulletin

April 12 – Second Sunday in Easter

8:30 AM, Worship in Sanctuary

10:30 AM Worship in Sanctuary and Livestream

The Rev. Fred Wenner will be preaching and leading service. Spirit will sing.

Sunday Worship Bulletin

March 29 – Palm Sunday

Transgender Day of Visibility

10:30 AM, Worship in Sanctuary and Livestream

Mark 11:1-11

Roman triumph usually occurred during Passover week as a show of Rome’s might. The governor would have been surrounded by the wealthiest and most powerful citizens. In contrast, Jesus’ march is for the people—all the people: the hungry, the poor, the afraid. As Jesus enters Jerusalem, the crowd responds to Jesus’ authenticity and humility. Perhaps they can see through the pageantry of the Roman parade; in contrast, the goodness of Jesus’ leadership shines through, mobilizing the crowds to take action by throwing cloaks in the street and waving palm branches in the air. The energy is infectious, a climax moment in the grassroots movement of Jesus’ ministry. This week’s sub-theme intentionally places us in the crowd, inviting us to shout “Hosanna,” to throw our coats down, and to wave branches. What will the good news inspire us to do? How will the gospel move us? As we head into Holy Week, how will we put Jesus’ teachings into practice?

Rebecca Shillingburg will be preaching and leading worship. The Senior Choir will sing. Market Street Brass will perform.

 Sunday Worship Bulletin

March 22 – Fifth Sunday in Lent

10:30 AM, Worship in Sanctuary and Livestream

John 8:2-11 | Matthew 23:23

As we move toward Holy Week, we acknowledge the ways Jesus’ ministry was increasingly at odds with the religious leaders who prioritized loyalty to legality and perceived Jesus’ teachings as a threat. While Jesus is teaching in the Temple, some scribes and Pharisees interrupt Jesus to put both him—and a woman caught in adultery—on trial. Their questioning intensifies as they cite Mosaic Law and put the woman’s fate in Jesus’ hands. Instead of focusing on punishment, Jesus flips the script and invites each person to consider their own sin; Jesus defuses the spectacle by condemning no one. Much of Jesus’ teachings were grounded in his understanding of the Torah; however, many of his actions called for reinterpreting the law. As we wrestle with our own rules, we should ask, “What is the most just, merciful, and faithful interpretation?”

 David Cooney will be preaching and leading worship. The Senior Choir will sing.

 Sunday Worship Bulletin

March 15 – Fourth Sunday in Lent

10:30 AM, Worship in Sanctuary and Livestream

Matthew 19:13-15 | Deuteronomy 24:17-22

In many modern contexts, it may seem sweet that Jesus welcomed little children; however, in Jesus’ setting, spending time with children would have seemed wasteful or useless. When Jesus blesses a crowd of children (after the disciples rebuke them and try to send them away), he once again reorients socially-constructed hierarchies to center the vulnerable. Throughout his ministry, Jesus emphasized the last, the least, and the lost, building upon the mandates of the Hebrew scriptures to care for the immigrant, widow, and orphan among you.

Deuteronomy repeatedly reminds the Israelites, “you were once slaves in Egypt.” Their memory of oppression should impel them to provide for anyone under-resourced or cut off from the protection of a household. Similarly, Jesus uplifting children is a reminder that we were all once children and we have all been vulnerable at some point in our lives, relying on the protection and care of others. If we’re truly living out the good news, then anyone vulnerable will not only be protected from harm, but cared for so they have the chance to thrive.

 Rebecca Shillingburg will be preaching and leading worship. The Senior Choir will sing.

Sunday Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.

March 8 – Third Sunday in Lent

10:30 AM, Worship in Sanctuary and Livestream

Mark 6:32-44 | Ephesians 3:20-21

As Jesus and his disciples head to a deserted place, perhaps seeking peace and quiet, many from the surrounding towns follow them. Instead of turning them away, Jesus expresses compassion and begins an impromptu teaching session. As the day goes on, the disciples have logistics in mind and urge Jesus to send the people back into the villages so they can feed themselves. Instead, Jesus presents them with an impossible task: “You give them something to eat.” Dumbfounded, the disciples can only fathom the limitations and financial constraints of Jesus’ suggestion. Yet when they “go and see,” their meager provisions multiply so that thousands are fed. This week we focus on building networks of collective care in order to meet people’s needs. Jesus models a way to be in community by coming together and sharing what we have, dispelling perceived impossibilities. The good news empowers us to believe in the miracles that can become possible through the power of community.

 Kirstin Shrom-Rhoads will be preaching and leading worship. Spirit will sing.

Sunday Worship Bulletin

ERUCC also holds a healing worship service with Holy Communion at 8:30 AM.