April 29 – May 5, 2026
This Week @ First Church
Wednesday April 29
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 May 3
Worship Service – 10 a.m.
Worship Service In-Person and on Facebook
SERMON: “The Way, Truth & Life” Based on 1 Peter 2:2-10
Notes for 1 Peter 2:2-10
1 Peter 2:2-10 is a letter from Peter to Christians in Asia Minor / Turkey today. The intent of the letter is to provide them with a sense of
belonging. Indeed, we are all God’s children brought out of darkness and into the light thanks to the life, death and resurrection of Jesus
Christ.
1 Peter 2:2-10
2 Like newborn babies, crave pure spiritual milk, so that by it you may grow up in your salvation, 3 now that you have tasted that the Lord is good.
4 As you come to him, the living Stone—rejected by humans but chosen by God and precious to him— 5 you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house [a] to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. 6 For in Scripture it says:
“See, I lay a stone in Zion,
a chosen and precious cornerstone,
and the one who trusts in him
will never be put to shame.” [b]
7 Now to you who believe, this stone is precious. But to those who do not believe,
“The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,” [c] 8 and,
“A stone that causes people to stumble
and a rock that makes them fall.” [d]
They stumble because they disobey the message—which is also what they were destined for.
9 But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special
possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into
his wonderful light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of
God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.One of you might have to suffer even when you have done nothing wrong. God is pleased when you think of him when we are in pain. You will not be praised for doing something wrong and accepting your punishment. But God is pleased if you stand up against something bad even if it is scary or you might be hurt. We choose to do what is right and be like Christ. He suffered for you. Jesus never sinned. He never told a lie. People were mean to him, but he did not return their insults. He suffered, but he did not threaten anyone. Jesus let God take care of him. God is the one who judges rightly. Christ carried our sins in his body on the cross. He did this so that we would stop living in sin. Believers choose the right way to live. By his wounds you were healed. You were like sheep that went the wrong way. But now you have come back to the Shepherd and Protector of your lives.
Other Gospel Reading John 14:1-14
Notes for John 14:1-14
Our Gospel reading today is from John 14:1-14. While we have recently celebrated the resurrection of Jesus on Easter, today’s Gospel takes us
back to the Last Supper. Jesus has shared with the Disciples that he will be leaving them soon. The Disciples are anxious and Jesus’ words
are meant to calm them and inspire them to continue doing the work He has started knowing they will soon have direct access to God,
thanks to His life, death and resurrection.
John 14:1-14
1 “Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God [a] ; believe also in me. 2 My Father’s house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. 4 You know the way to the place where I am going.”
5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we don’t know where you are going, so how can we know the way?”
6 Jesus answered, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you really know me, you will know [b] my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him.”
8 Philip said, “Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us.”
9 Jesus answered: “Don’t you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, ‘Show us the Father’? 10 Don’t you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you I do not speak on my own authority. Rather, it is the Father,living in me, who is doing his work. 11 Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the works themselves. 12 Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will
do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13 And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.
HYMNS
“Open The Eyes of Our Heart Lord”
“Christ Is Made the Sure Foundation”
“Wonder of Wonders, Here Revealed”
“In Christ There Is No East or West”
First Congregational United Church of Christ 