Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Gave thee life, and bid thee feed By the stream, and o'er the mead; Gave thee clothing of delight, Softest clothing, wooly. Bright. Gave thee such a tender voice, Making all the vales rejoice? Little Lamb, who made thee? Dost thou know who made thee? Little Lamb, I'll tell thee, Little Lamb, I'll tell thee: He is called by thy name, For he calls himself a Lamb. He is meek and he is mild; He became a little child. I a child, and thou a lamb, We are called by his name. Little Lamb, God bless thee! Little Lamb, God bless thee! William Blake

Third Sunday of Easter

Good Shepherd Sunday

April 25, 2021

GATHERING AROUND GOD’S WORD

Prelude Sheep May Safely Graze J. S. Bach

Introit

Sing, O Sing, This Wonderful Morn Douglas Wagner

O sing, O sing this wonderful morn. Our highest praises

now we bring; to Christ, the morning light we sing.

Alleluia!

**Call to Worship (responsively)

Leader: We have been called to be witnesses to the

difference Christ makes.

People: We have been commissioned to change the

world and make it a better place. Leader: We are called to ministry, to become partners in

God's work of redeeming love.

People: As one body, we pray and share, so that all

may be touched by the grace of God.

Leader: As we befriend others, we sense God’s presence

and power at work in our lives.

People: Lead by Christ’s spirit, God changes our

world, one person at a time.

**Hymn My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

Prayer of Confession (unison)

God of grace, we confess the many ways that have

failed to be your disciples-in forgetting to pray; in

neglecting our call; in turning aside from neighbors in

need. We are captive to busy lives; distracted by

many things.

In your mercy, free us from habits which dampen

your spirit. Renew a heartfelt desire to live out your

word. Help us to delight in your love and walk in your

ways, that we may share life with all people, and

prove to be your disciples. Amen.

Silent Confession

Declaration of Pardon (responsively)

Leader: In the life, death and resurrection of Jesus, the

narrowness of sin and selfishness have been

overcome with the expansiveness of mercy and

peace.

People: Through Christ’s perfect sacrifice, our souls

have been enlarged and set free to live in love. Leader: Through Christ, we become Christ’s own body

and blood.

People: Through Christ’s spirit, we become ministers

of a new and living covenant. Leader: Friends, believe in the good news of the gospel:

People: In Jesus Christ, we are a new creation.

**Gloria Patri #581

Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy

Ghost; as it was in the beginning is now, and ever shall

be, world without end. Amen, Amen.

**Passing of the Peace (responsively)

Leader: Christ is risen!

People: He is risen indeed! Leader: In the death and resurrection of Jesus, God

reveals God's character and heart.

People: In the death and resurrection of Jesus, we

glimpse God's eternal love for all the world. Leader: The peace of Christ be with you.

People: And also with you.

PROCLAIMING GOD’S WORD

Prayer of Illumination (unison)

God of all power, you called from death our Lord

Jesus, the great shepherd of the sheep. Send us as

shepherds to rescue the lost, to heal the injured, and

to feed one another with knowledge and

understanding; through Jesus Christ our Lord.

Amen.

Scripture Lesson Psalm 23

Leader: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God! 1 The LORD is my shepherd, I shall not want. 2 He makes me lie down in green pastures;

he leads me beside still waters; 3 he restores my soul.

He leads me in right paths

for his name’s sake. 4 Even though I walk through the darkest valley,

I fear no evil;

for you are with me;

your rod and your staff—

they comfort me. 5 You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows. 6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me

all the days of my life,

and I shall dwell in the house of the LORD

my whole life long.

Scripture Lesson 1 John 3:16-24

Leader: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God! 16 We know love by this, that he laid down his life for

us—and we ought to lay down our lives for one

another. 17 How does God’s love abide in anyone who has

the world’s goods and sees a brother or sister in need and

yet refuses help? 18 Little children, let us love, not in word or speech, but in

truth and action. 19 And by this we will know that we are

from the truth and will reassure our hearts before

him 20 whenever our hearts condemn us; for God is

greater than our hearts, and he knows

everything. 21 Beloved, if our hearts do not condemn us,

we have boldness before God; 22 and we receive from

him whatever we ask, because we obey his

commandments and do what pleases him.

23 And this is his commandment, that we should believe

in the name of his Son Jesus Christ and love one another,

just as he has commanded us. 24 All who obey his

commandments abide in him, and he abides in them. And

by this we know that he abides in us, by the Spirit that he

has given us.

Anthem

Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us arr. Dale Wood

Savior, like a shepherd lead us; much we need your

tender care. In your pleasant pastures feed us, for our

use your fold prepare. We are yours, in love befriend us,

be the guardian of our way; Lord, keep your flock, from

sin defend us, seek us when we go astray. Blessed Jesus,

hear your children when we pray. Early let us seek your

favor, early let us do your will. Blessed Lord and only

Savior, with your love our spirits fill. Blessed Jesus, you

have loved us, love us still. Blessed Jesus, with your love

our spirits fill. Savior, like a shepherd lead us, love us

still.

Scripture Lesson John 10:11-18

Leader: The word of God for the people of God.

People: Thanks be to God! 11 “I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down

his life for the sheep. 12 The hired hand, who is not the

shepherd and does not own the sheep, sees the wolf

coming and leaves the sheep and runs away—and the

wolf snatches them and scatters them. 13 The hired hand

runs away because a hired hand does not care for the

sheep. 14 I am the good shepherd. I know my own and my

own know me, 15 just as the Father knows me and I know

the Father. And I lay down my life for the sheep. 16 I have

other sheep that do not belong to this fold. I must bring

them also, and they will listen to my voice. So there will

be one flock, one shepherd.

Sermon “Praymaker”

Peter and Dr. Paige Braxton and Pastor Neff, preaching

RESPONDING TO GOD’S WORD

**Hymn What a Friend We Have in Jesus

**Affirmation of Faith (unison) The Apostles’ Creed

I believe in God, the Father Almighty, Maker of

heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ, his only Son,

our Lord; who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born

of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate,

was crucified, dead and buried; he descended into

hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; he

ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of

God the Father Almighty; from thence he shall come

to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy

Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of

saints; the forgiveness of sins; the resurrection of the

body; and the life everlasting. Amen.

Welcome and Announcements

Solo The Lord's Prayer Albert Hay Malotte

Sherry Watkins, soloist

Prayers of the People and the Lord’s Prayer (“debts”)

Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name.

Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is

in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and

forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and

lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.

For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory,

forever. Amen.

Prayer Response Great Shepherd Don McAfee

Great Shepherd of thy people, hear; Thy presence now

display; as thou hast given a place for prayer, so give us

hearts to pray. Amen.

BEARING THE WORD OUT INTO THE WORLD

**Hymn The King of Love My Shepherd Is

**The Charge and the Benediction

**Benediction A Gaelic Blessing John Rutter

Deep peace of the running wave to you; deep peace of

the flowing air to you; deep peace of the quiet earth to

you; deep peace of the shining stars to you; deep

peace of the gentle night to you; moon and stars pour

their healing light on you; deep peace of Christ, the light

of the world, to you.

Postlude

All Creatures of Our God and King arr. John Longhurst

Thanks to Those Assisting in Our Service

Liturgist: Brian Louis and Vicki Reynolds

Videographer: Lisa Armstrong

OUR MISSION AND VISION

Mission Statement: We are a diverse and inclusive

community bringing people to Christ through the power

of service, education, hospitality and compassion.

Vision Statement: Second Presbyterian Church seeks to

be a diverse, vibrant and passionate Christ-centered

community of hospitality and outreach actively serving

the South Loop, the city of Chicago, and the world. We

accomplish this through inspirational worship in our

historic sanctuary, educational ministry to all ages, and

the power of compassionate service to our neighbors.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

Worship Welcome to Second Presbyterian Church. All are

welcome regardless of ethnicity, economic group or

sexual orientation to share together in the joy and power

of God’s love in Jesus Christ.

We open for in-person worship. Worship is live-streamed

on our website 2ndPresbyterian.org each Sunday

morning. Join us at 10:55 a.m. for the worship. The

sanctuary doors will open at 10:30 a.m.

If you are new to Second Presbyterian Church, please

sign a blue visitor’s card and leave your email address as

you exit the sanctuary.

Second Church is a praying congregation! Please sign a

yellow prayer card and note any prayer requests so that

we may pray with you and for you.

Our guest speakers this morning are Paige and Peter

Braxton. Peter works as a hedge-fund manager. Dr. Paige

Braxton serves as a licensed clinical psychiatrist and

founding director of LGBTQ Psychological Services at

Howard Brown Health Center.

Today, our guest alto is Pamela Williams.

The Circle of Prayer continues each Thursday at noon.

For thirty minutes, we pray for one another, our families,

our friends, our city and our world; concluding by 12:30

p.m. The call in number is (312) 626-6799; meeting #811

8615 6150; passcode 965 126. All are welcome.

We are taking prayer requests. You can submit them by

clicking this link https://forms.gle/72RzSMc9tAA7y5st8

so that we can pray with you and for you. All prayer

requests will go to Pastor Neff and our Office

Administrator Ashley. There is an option to mark

whether or not your prayer is private.

Bible Studies:

We welcome you to join our Sunday morning and

Tuesday afternoon Bible Study Classes. If you would like

the curriculum, please contact the church office. The

conference call number: (312) 248-0036. No PIN

required.

Sunday morning Bible Study 9:30 a.m.

Tuesday afternoons Philippians 1:30 p.m.

Alpha to Omega Bible Discussion Group: The Alpha

to Omega Discussion group is in the New Testament.

Meetings are on the 2nd and 4th Thursdays of the month at

6 p.m. Please use this phone number: (312) 248-0036

(No pin is required). For more information contact Flea

Parker at flea@golden2.net or (210) 861-6988.

RIM (Recreation and Interest Ministries) Committee:

Book Group: Our next book of discussion is The Sultan

of Byzantium by Selcuk Altun. Please email Ann

Belletire if you would like to join this very lively

discussion group at annabelle620e@aol.com.

Time: May 16th 2021 at 9:30 a.m. central time

Join Zoom Meeting: Click Here

Or Call: (312) 626-6799

Meeting ID: 868 6496 0108

Passcode: 726317

Support Our Mission and Ministry: The work of the

church is critical in this time of crisis. Our ministry

continues to grow in creative and innovative ways. You

may now give your offering on the Second Presbyterian

Church website at www.2ndpresbyterian.org. Look for

the “Donate” button and scroll down, following the

prompts. Thank you for your faithful giving!

Connect with Us: Dr. Neff’s sermons, poetry and

reflections on ministry can be found in his blog:

www.davidneff.me. To obtain copies of sermons, please

contact the church office.

PRAYER REQUESTS (please pray for the following)

Howard and Jane Tiffen – our family; all who are

unwell; our capital campaign; our gardeners

Denise Conway – Ruth Foley; the people of the world

Nate Battle – my sister Elaine; that Democrats and

Republicans come together for the good of the Country

Linda Gibboney – young Hazen Weber – father in the

hospital fighting illness

Alice Sam – protection

Ann and Mike Belletire – Patrick Connors; Vivian

Randle; Lois Mosley

Pastor Neff – the Presbyterian Synod of Cameroon; for

all pastors, elders and churches living under persecution

Ashley McLean – my family; my friends; my Guy, Bella

and JB; for health, wealth, and wisdom; grateful for the

Lord’s protection and guidance

Praymaker was started by Paige & Peter Braxton of Second Presbyterian as a way to share the healing power of hope and prayer with others.

Praymaker is a website where people can request a prayer from a spiritual leader of their choice and have it sent it to someone in their lives. Our lives are filled with celebration, sorrow, and hope, and in these moments, the right words are sometimes hard to find. Praymaker is personalized prayer delivered.

1) Request a prayer on www.praymaker.com 2) Spiritual leader creates a personalized prayer. 3) The audio is texted to your loved one.

Praymaker is looking for community members interested in joining Paige & Peter in this ministry. There are many ways to help and support.

To learn more e-mail us at: info@praymaker.com Visit: www.praymaker.com

The Session Reverend Dr. David M. Neff, Pastor

Darlene Pollard, Clerk

2021

Dr. Cliff Crawford

Anthony

Ochiabutor

Vicki Reynolds

2022

Darlene Pollard

Howard Tiffen

Amy Haack

2023

Lisa Armstrong

Karen Ashley-

Bowman

Ozzie Kinnard

The Board of Deacons

Jane Tiffen, President

Jeremy Nichols, Secretary

2021

Denise Conway

Catherine

Soberekon

Tracy Cargo

2022

Jeremy Nichols

Francis Osazuwa

Jane Tiffen

2023

Nate Battle

Sharon Singer

Margaret Robinson

Church Staff

Reverend Dr. David M. Neff, Pastor

Michael Shawgo, Music Director

Ashley McLean, Office Administrator

Marco Alberto, Sexton

Brian Louis, Seminarian

Second Presbyterian Quartet Choir

Sherry Watkins, soprano

Corinne Wallace-Crane, alto

John Concepcion, tenor

Vince Wallace, bass

Diverse. Inclusive. Community. Engaging. Passionate

SECOND PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH

2ndPresbyterian.org 1936 South Michigan Avenue, Chicago, Illinois 60616