We mean it when we say, “Everyone is Welcome here!”

April 15 – 21, 2026

This Week @ First Church

Wednesday April 15

Mindful Meditation – 6 p.m.

Come every Wednesday evening and leave the troubles of the world outside as you spend an hour in meditation. Enter the church through the Delaware Street entrance.

Sunday April 19

Worship Service – 10 a.m.

Worship Service In-Person and on Facebook

SERMON: “Walking With Christ” Based on Luke 24:13-35

NOTES on Luke 24:13-35

Our gospel reading today is taken from Luke 24:13-35. This is the story of two disciples who after the brutal crucifixion of Jesus and the passing
of three days are now leaving Jerusalem; they are grieving, disappointed and feeling helpless. Their expectation was Jesus would
save Israel, not be a suffering Savior. Jesus joins them on their journey and they are unable to see that it is him! He walks with them, listens to
their grief, shares with them why things happened as they did and yet…they cannot see Him until he breaks bread with them. This sighting transforms their sorrows to joy, their helplessness turns into their mission – to share the miracle of the resurrection with others.

Luke 24:13-35

Now that same day two of them were going to a village called Emmaus, about seven miles [a]  from Jerusalem.  14  They were talking with each other about everything that had happened.  15  As they talked and discussed these things with each other, Jesus himself came up and walked along with them; 16  but they were kept from recognizing him.

17  He asked them, “What are you discussing together as you walk along?”

They stood still, their faces downcast.  18  One of them, named Cleopas, asked him, “Are you the only one visiting Jerusalem who does not know the things that have happened there in these days?”

19  “What things?” he asked.

“About Jesus of Nazareth,” they replied. “He was a prophet, powerful in word and deed before God and all the people.  20  The chief priests and our rulers handed him over to be sentenced to death, and they crucified him; 21  but we had hoped that he was the one who was going to redeem Israel.And what is more, it is the third day since all this took place.  22  In addition, some of our women amazed us. They went to the tomb early this
morning 23  but didn’t find his body. They came and told us that they had seen a vision of angels, who said he was alive.  24  Then some of our companions went to the tomb and found it just as the women had said, but they did not see Jesus.”

25  He said to them, “How foolish you are, and how slow to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  26  Did not the Messiah have to suffer these things and then enter his glory?”  27  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets,he explained to them what wassaid in all the Scriptures concerning himself.

28  As they approached the village to which they were going, Jesus continued on as if he were going farther.  29  But they urged him strongly, “Stay with us, for it is nearly evening;the day is almost over.” So he went in to stay with them.

30  When he was at the table with them, he took bread, gave thanks, broke it and began to give it to them.  31  Then their eyes were opened and they recognized him, and he disappeared from their sight.  32  They asked each other, “Were not our hearts burning within us while he talked with us on the road and opened the Scriptures to us?”

33  They got up and returned at once to Jerusalem. There they found the Eleven and those with them, assembled together  34  and saying, “It is true! The Lord has risen and has appeared to Simon.”  35  Then the two told what had happened on the way, and howJesus was recognized by them when he broke the bread.

HYMNS

“They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love”

“Trust and Obey”

“Peace I Leave with You, My Friends”