“Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity.” Colossians 3:14 (NRSV)
Here is the link for Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025 worship service: youtu.be/D9LFTcRLqKI
*Sunday, April 27, 2025 – Worship starts at 9:30 a.m. It is the joint hymn sing service with Good Shepherd Anglican (GSA)
Scripture to Ponder & Prayer
Celebratory and Memorial Hymn Sing Service
Scriptures for this week: 2Corinthians 1:3-4; John 14:1-3; Psalm 23
This Sunday, as we gather for the Memorial and Hymn Sing service, we come together in a sacred time of remembrance and celebration. Through the hymns we sing, we honor those who have gone before us, the saints who have faithfully served God and others, and we recognize our place in this ongoing community of faith.
As we remember those who have passed, we reflect on our own journey. Death is not the end, but a transition to the eternal home prepared for us by God. As John 14:1-3assures us, Jesus has gone to prepare a place for us, and though death may separate us physically, it does not break our bond with those who have gone before us. God walks with us in life and in death, and even in the life after death, just as God walked with the saints.
In this service, we are reminded that nothing we do in faith is in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:58tells us, “Your labor in the Lord is not in vain.” Every act of service, every prayer spoken in faith, is part of God’s eternal work. The saints before us served with love and dedication, and we are called to continue in that same spirit.
As we sing those 20 hymns we have dedicated, we affirm our commitment to serve God and others, knowing that we are united with those who have gone before us. We also ask ourselves: Are we preparing for our own transition from this world to the next? Are we living in a way that reflects the love of Christ? These questions remind us to live each day in service, aligned with God’s will, knowing that our lives are part of His eternal plan.
Even as we face our mortality, we do so with faith and hope. The songs we sing are declarations of God’s eternal love, affirming that death is not the final word. The same God who sustained the saints will sustain us, and we can face the future with confidence in His love.
This Sunday, let us celebrate the legacy of those who have gone before us and renew our commitment to live in service to God and others. Their example continues to inspire us, and the songs we sing are part of the ongoing story of faith that spans generations. As we conclude this reflection, let us also pray…
Gracious God,
We offer these hymns in honor of our beloved ones, whose lives we shared in love and joy. The songs we sing continue to remind us of the beautiful moments we had together, and they touch our hearts as we remember them.
Help us to remember that death is not the end, but a transition from this life to the next, where we are reunited with You in perfect peace. Encourage us to live lives that serve You and others, just as the saints before us have done, faithfully and with love.
As we look ahead, strengthen us in our hearts and minds as we prepare for our own journey into eternity. May we live each day in service and in hope, knowing that our labor in Your name is never in vain.
In the name of our Risen Lord, we pray. Amen.
Trinity United Church 