Death Does Not Have the Last Say

The joy Jesus offers his disciples is his own joy, which flows from his intimate communion with the One who sent him. It is a joy that does not separate happy days from sad days, successful moments from moments of failure, experiences of honor from experiences of dishonor, passion from resurrection. This joy is a divine gift that does not leave us during times of illness, poverty, oppression, or persecution. It is present even when the world laughs or tortures, robs or maims, fights or kills. It is truly ecstatic, always moving us away from the house of fear into the house of love, and always proclaiming that death no longer has the final say, though its noise remains loud and its devastation visible. The joy of Jesus lifts up life to be celebrated.

Join us for Sunday Worship @ PWC

This Sunday, Ascension Sunday June 1 @ 10:00 a.m.

Make the in-person commitment to be there on Sunday!
Praise and Worship Never Ends…
It Must Be Lived!

Bible Study

This Saturday, May 31: 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m.
All women are welcome to attend.

Check out the
PWC Summer 2025
Calendar!

PWC Summer Calendar

Please Wear RED!

Sunday, June 8
is Pentecost Sunday.

The liturgical color for Pentecost is red, which signifies the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. In honor of this sacred day, please wear the color red.

Father’s Day Cereal Drive
to aid Matthew’s Crossing

From now until Father’s Day, June 15,
bring boxes of cereal to PWC to care for those families who are struggling economically and find it difficult to provide for their families.

Summer Events
“Together
in Hope”

Sip & Share

4:00 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Summer BBQ
Fun & Games

12:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.

Mark your calendar!

Blood pressure checks
@ PWC

Our medical team will be providing blood pressure checks on the first and third Sundays of the month from
11:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. here at PWC.

Fr. Mike Lessard is available for pastoral counseling on Monday and Wednesday mornings. Please call the church office to make an appointment at 480-649-0300.

Your generosity allows us to minister to so many who come through our doors with their spiritual, emotional, and physical needs. Thank you for your tithing and commitment to PWC! From pastoral counseling to grief support, to bible study and adult education, to providing food through Matthew’s Crossing for families who are economically struggling, to marriage enrichment and our funeral ministry -- your consistent giving makes a difference, a big change in people’s lives!

Here are the different ways you can tithe to PWC:

• Mail in your gift to: Praise and Worship Center, 2551 N. Arizona Avenue, Chandler, AZ 85225.

• Donate on our web page: Donation Form.

• Sign up for monthly giving with a credit card or voided check. Just call the office at 480-649-0300 or stop by the office.

Arrive to Sunday Service prepared to hear God’s Word proclaimed.

The reading for Ascension Sunday, June 1 is Luke 24:46-53. Here is a synopsis and reflection of the reading.

The Ascension of the Lord marks a profound moment in the life of the Church — a moment of transition, of commissioning, and of blessing. Jesus, having fulfilled the mission for which He was sent — to suffer, to rise, and to preach repentance and forgiveness in His name — now returns to the Father. But His going is not an absence; it is a transformation of presence.

1. The Fulfillment of the Scriptures
Jesus begins by grounding His departure in the Scriptures: “Thus it is written…” (v. 46). He is not leaving in haste or retreat. This moment was always part of the divine plan. It is the culmination of salvation history — the suffering Messiah who now reigns victorious. This reminds us that God is faithful. Even when we don't understand the timing or the unfolding of events in our lives, we are part of a story bigger than ourselves, one written in love from the beginning.

2. The Mission Passed On
Jesus' Ascension is not the end of His work on earth but the beginning of the Church's mission. “You are witnesses of these things” (v. 48), He tells the disciples. In other words: you have seen the Risen Lord, now go and share the good news. The Feast of the Ascension challenges each of us to ask: How am I living as a witness to the Resurrection? We are not spectators of faith; we are its bearers.

3. Clothed with Power
Jesus promises that the disciples will be “clothed with power from on high” (v. 49), a reference to the coming of the Holy Spirit at Pentecost. This is key: the mission Jesus gives is not something we carry out in our own strength. It is God's work in us and through us. As we await the Spirit anew in our lives, we are reminded that Christian witness is impossible without divine empowerment. Are we open to Spirit’s leading, prompting, and strength?

4. A Departure Marked by Blessing
Jesus ascends with hands raised in blessing. His last gesture on earth is not of command, but of grace. This is deeply comforting. The One who now reigns at the right hand of the Father continues to bless, to intercede, and to accompany us from heaven. He has not abandoned us — He has gone to prepare a place for us, and He remains spiritually present through the sacraments, through His Word, and through the Holy Spirit.

5. Joy in the Midst of Absence
Surprisingly, the disciples do not leave Bethany in sorrow, but “with great joy” (v. 52). Why? Because they now understand. Jesus' Ascension does not sever their relationship with Him; it elevates it. He is now with them — with us — in a new and deeper way. Heaven and earth are connected in Him.