This Sunday, May 5th, Rev. Scott Hoffman will lead us in worship. The sermon will be "Seeing Jesus". The scripture readings are Acts 9:1-20 and John 21:1-19. The Word in Music will be Joy Down in My Heart by M. McDonald. Please see below for preaching text and questions.
ANNOUNCEMENTS
Break Bread & Connect Lunches -- Our next monthly lunch gathering will be on Tuesday, May 7th at Wegmans (8855 McGaw Rd., Columbia) at 11:45-12:45. Grab your food from the serving area and join the group in the seating area on the upper level. No reservations are needed; just come! Feel free to bring a friend or coworker. Future BBC Lunches are planned for the following dates: 6/6, 7/14, 8/7. Find more details on the BBC Lunches Facebook Group or contact Laura Frantz with any questions.
Musical Treats & Sweets
Join us for CMPC’s annual Musical Treats & Sweets on Sunday, June 9 from 6-8pm! The event is held to raise funds for our high school and college students and adult leaders as well as to assist Concordia Lutheran Church in Worcester, MA to attend the GenOn Youth Summit in July. There will be musical performances, a silent auction, raffles, special snacks and other fun surprises! This year’s theme is
“Hopes & Dreams.” Suggested donation is $5 at the door. Fun for all ages. Nursery available.
All-Church Mission Trip
Once again this summer a group of folks from CMPC (and other churches) will descend upon Mars Hill, NC from July 7-13 for a week of hands-on mission work with our brothers and sisters in need. All ages are encouraged to join the group for this fun-filled and meaningful week of mission work. Children age birth to 11 years enjoy a day of VBS on a beautiful college campus while anyone over the age of 11 heads off to participate in home repair and refurbishment projects throughout the area. No specific skills are needed and a wide range of projects will be available. If working on homes is not your thing, perhaps you would like to volunteer with the children’s ministry for the week. If you are interested in joining the CMPC delegation be sure to contact Pastor Scott at pastor.hoffman@cmpcusa.org or 410-997-8011.
CARE Group Program
The Board of Deacons are excited to announce the start-up of a new CARE Group ministry at CMPC, which will connect members of the church with a caring church officer or lay person. Each household will be contacted by a CARE Group Leader a few times a year, to see if there are any special needs, requests or concerns. The program will be phased in over the next several months. We look forward to talking to some of you soon!
Capital Campaign
If you missed the opportunity to participate in the Realizing the Vision Campaign and would like more information feel free to pick up a campaign packet on the table outside of Fellowship Hall. Please direct any questions to Bob Clemens at 240-381-7083 or bobclemens3@yahoo.com.
Care and Wellness Committee
If you have a friend, family member, or know of someone that needs a little cheer and would like them to receive a card from “their friends at CMPC”, please email carecards@cmpcusa.org with their name and address. CMPC’s Care and Wellness Committee will see to it that they receive a caring card from “their CMPC friends” or “their CMPC family”. CMPC cares!
Ministry Group Prayers
Friends, our Presbytery ministry group (named “West Side Story”) has asked each congregation to lift up in prayer another congregation from the group each week. This week, please join in prayer for our sister congregation, Springfield Presbyterian Church.
After these things Jesus showed himself again to the disciples by the Sea of Tiberias; and he showed himself in this way. Gathered there together were Simon Peter, Thomas called the Twin, Nathanael of Cana in Galilee, the sons of Zebedee, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am
going fishing.” They said to him, “We will go with you.” They went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.
Just after daybreak, Jesus stood on the beach; but the disciples did not know that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, you have no fish, have you?” They answered him, “No.” He said to them, “Cast the net to the right side of the boat, and you will find some.” So they cast it, and now they were not able to haul it in because there were so many fish. That disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord!” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he put on some clothes, for he was naked, and jumped into the sea. But the other disciples came in the boat, dragging the net full of fish, for they were not far from the land, only about a hundred yards off.
When they had gone ashore, they saw a charcoal fire there, with fish on it, and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish that you have just caught.” So Simon Peter went aboard and hauled the net ashore, full of large fish, a hundred fifty-three of them; and though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come and have breakfast.” Now none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they knew it was the Lord. Jesus came and took the bread and gave it to them, and did the same with the fish. This was now the third time that Jesus appeared to the disciples after he was raised from the dead.
When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon son of John, do you love me more than these?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” A second time he said to him, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” He said to him, “Yes, Lord; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” He said to him the third time, “Simon son of John, do you love me?” Peter felt hurt because he said to him the third time, “Do you love me?” And he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep. Very truly, I tell you, when you were younger, you used to fasten your own belt and to go wherever you wished. But when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will fasten a belt around you and take you where you do not wish to go.” (He said this to indicate the kind of death by which he would glorify God.) After this he said to him, “Follow me.”
Preaching Questions
What images come to mind when you think of Jesus? What does he look like in your mind’s eye?
Where do you go to get away from it all? How does God meet you there?
What does God use to get your attention and get through to you when God needs to reestablish contact?
