Guardian of the Soul

A Living Hope

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A

How many ways can we present the 23rd Psalm? Let’s sing it; let’s pray it; let’s read it; let’s recite it together. So many know this psalm and love it; it is a heart song for many of us. Lean into it. Ask the youth to rewrite it; ask the older adults to reinterpret it. Find different ways of living into this psalm.

This series allows us to explore a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ. It is designed to help us know it well enough to recognize it when we encounter it in our own communities. This series pairs the epistle texts with the psalm for each week to give a flavor of both the understanding and the experience of hope. So, join us for this journey into the new world of a living hope that is ours in the Resurrection as we give thanks to God.

Following is a list of curated hymns for this series. As this is a six-week series, you might consider using a new or well-known hymn as your theme hymn and sing it each week in various ways to encourage the congregation to engage with it in different acts of worship.

Abbreviations:

  • W&S: Worship and Song
  • UMH: United Methodist Hymnal
  • TFWS: The Faith We Sing

THEME HYMN IDEAS

  • CALL TO WORSHIP: Here I Am to Worship W&S 3177
  • OPENING HYMN: How Firm a Foundation UMH 529
  • Hope of the World UMH 178
  • CALL TO PRAYER: Grace Alone TFWS 2162
  • CLOSING HYMN: Song of Hope TFWS 2186

Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A

  • The King of Love My Shepherd Is UMH 138
  • Shepherd Me, O God TFWS 2058
  • Send Me, Lord UMH 497
  • Lead Me, Guide Me TFWS 2214
  • God of Grace and God of Glory UMH 577
  • The Power of the Cross W&S 3085

In This Series...


Second Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Third Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes

Colors


  • Gold
  • White

In This Series...


Second Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Third Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Fourth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Fifth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Sixth Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes Seventh Sunday of Easter, Year A - Lectionary Planning Notes