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Sunday, September 17, 2023   

GATHERING AROUND THE WORD

( *  =  please stand )

Prelude                                     “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” 

Opening Prayer

Welcome and Announcements                          Betsy Balmer

 

Call to Worship                                               

One: When two or three gather, Christ lives in every moment,
All: where two or three gather, Christ is present with them.
One: Where two or three gather to worship God,
All: glad songs of praise are lifted, hearts are filled with hope.
One: When two or three gather to serve God's creation,
All: Christ is feeding the hungry, Christ is building shelters of peace.

 

Opening Hymn #115 Red Book                    “Near the Cross”

Scripture                                                Psalm 114 (pg. 435)

Hymn #64 Red Book           “Shall We Gather at the River”                   

Prayer of Confession

One: All we are called to do is to love - everyone.  Yet, as simple as it sounds, by our actions and our words, we show how difficult a task it is.  Let us confess our failings as we pray together, saying,
 

All: You do not ask much of us, Guardian of hope -  to love, to serve, to welcome.  Yet too often, it is words of bitterness we speak to friends and family.  It is our stiff-with-judgment backs we offer to those looking for help. It is our hardened hearts people find, when they reach out, hoping to touch grace.

 

(Time of Silent Confession)


All: Love lived as Compassion, forgive us. We are broken, so make us whole through the life of Christ. We are empty of peace, so fill us with the reconciling Spirit of Christ. We are alone, so take us by the hand and lead us into your kingdom of joy and grace, brought to us through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. Amen.


Assurance of Pardon
One: Gathered as God's people, we hear the good news: God has forgiven us, God has made us whole, God sends us to serve.
All: We will not wear jealousy or resentment, but put on the garments of peace and hope.  We are forgiven by our God. Amen.

 

*Gloria Patri #577                                            Congregation

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

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. As it was in the beginning, is now, and

ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

Sharing the Peace                                                            The peace of Christ be with you.  All: And also with you.

(Please pass signs of peace and forgiveness with those seated around you)

 

Sharing Joys & Concerns

 

Remembering Barbara (Barbie) Chevalier         1943- 2023

 

Pastoral Prayer                                Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 The Lord’s Prayer   (pg. 16, Blue Hymnal)

 

PROCLAIMING THE WORD                        

Scripture                                           Acts 3:1-10 (pg. 772)

 

Anthem      “What a Day That Will Be”                           Choir

 

Sermon          “Blessed by God: The Beggar who received a different kind of Blessing”                  Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

*The Apostle’s Creed (pg. 14)                             Congregation

 

Call to Offering                                Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

Offertory    “The Sweetest Song I Know”           Michael Greer

 

*Doxology                                                      Congregation 

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him,

all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

 

*Prayer of Dedication                     Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

BEARING THE WORD INTO THE WORLD                                                          

*Charge and Blessing                        Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

We leave now in order to follow God into the world.
All:  We will go to bring the healing and peace of Jesus to all.

 

*Sung Benediction  (Please face the center)                           Congregation

All: May the Lord, Mighty Lord bless and keep you forever.

Grant you peace, perfect peace, and courage in every endeavor.

Lift your eyes and see His face, see His grace forever.

May the Lord, Mighty Lord, bless and keep you forever.

Sunday, September 24, 2023

Gathering Around the World

(* = please stand

Prelude                                               “Great is the Lord”

Opening Prayer

Welcome and Announcements                    Betsy Balmer

 

Call to Worship                                         

One: Give thanks to the Lord; call on His name; make His deeds known to all the people!

All: For He is the Lord, our God, faithful to a thousand generations!

One: Sing His praises; tell of His wonderful works, and glory in His holy name! Let those who seek the Lord rejoice!

All: For He is the Lord, our God, faithful to a thousand generations!

One: Search for God, and for His strength. Never stop looking for Him.

All: For He is the Lord, our God, faithful to a thousand generations!

 

Opening Hymn #17 Red Book                 “Amazing Grace”

Scripture                          Psalm 105:1-6, 37-45 (pg. 430)

Hymn #18 Red Book                        “Holy, Holy, Holy”                   

Prayer of Confession

One: Following God is not like flipping a coin, and choosing sides. It is intentional; it is difficult; it is risky. That is why we know all the ways we have failed in our discipleship and need to come to God. We choose to confess, so we might embrace the forgiveness God offers to us. Please join me, praying,

 All: Invited to walk in your footsteps, Wanderer of the Universe, we turn away to play hopscotch on the sidewalks of seduction. Given the chance to watch you work wonders of grace and renewal, we fixate on the idols of success and power. When you want to tell us stories of healing and reconciliation, we decline to hear your gentle voice.

 

(Time of Silent Confession)

 

All: Have mercy on us, God of Blessings, and help us to choose to hold fast to your hand; to walk your
streets of wholeness and hope; to follow our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, into the life you intend for us.  Amen.


Assurance of Pardon
One: God's forgiveness dwells in our hearts; Christ's love fills us; the Spirit's peace guides our steps.
All: Our feet are set on the journey. Walking in faith and hope with our God, we will be servants to the world.
Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

 

*Gloria Patri #577                                       Congregation

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

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. As it was in the beginning, is now, and

ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

Sharing the Peace                                                 

The peace of Christ be with you.  All: And also with you.

(Please pass signs of peace and forgiveness with those seated around you)

 

Sharing Joys & Concerns

 

Pastoral Prayer                            Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 The Lord’s Prayer   (pg. 16, Blue Hymnal)

PROCLAIMING THE WORD                 

Scripture                                       Luke 21:1-4 (pg. 745)

 

Anthem       “God Leads Us Along”                       Choir

 

Sermon          “Blessed by God: The Woman who had little to give but received a great blessing in return”                                                                   Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

*The Apostle’s Creed (pg. 14)                        Congregation

 

Call to Offering                               Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

Offertory                                                       Molly Allen

 

*Doxology                                                 Congregation 

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him,

all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

 

*Prayer of Dedication                  Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

BEARING THE WORD INTO THE WORLD        

*Charge and Blessing                   Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

We leave now in order to follow God into the world.
All:  We will go to bring the healing and peace of Jesus to all.

 

*Sung Benediction  (Please face the center)                           Congregation

All: May the Lord, Mighty Lord bless and keep you forever.

Grant you peace, perfect peace, and courage in every endeavor.

Lift your eyes and see His face, see His grace forever.

May the Lord, Mighty Lord, bless and keep you forever.

Sunday, October 1, 2023

Gathering Around the World

(* = please stand

Prelude                                                          “Sweet, Sweet Spirit” 

Opening Prayer

Welcome and Announcements                                        Richard Clubb

 

Call to Worship                                                           

One: We come to worship and praise our God, and to learn more about the wonders of our God.
All: How great and wonderful is our Compassionate God. 

One: We come, with ears and hearts open to God, ready to discover more of God’s mysteries and miracles.
All: How generous and caring is our Unchanging God.

One: We gather to share together in our common history,
and to experience the enrichment which that brings us.
All: All praise and honour to God for past and present
blessings, and for God’s merciful love and grace. Amen.

 

Opening Hymn #3 Red Book               “All Hail the Power of Jesus Name”

Scripture                                                 Psalm 78:1-4, 12-16 (pg. 417)

Hymn #36 Red Book                               “Wonderful Words of Life”                   

Prayer of Confession

One: Despite all the ways we speak of sin –failures, mistakes, intended acts, Scripture tells us that we are stubborn-hearted,

wanting only our way.  But if we pause to listen to God, if we open our mouths (and our hearts) to confess our sin, God will fill our emptiness with forgiveness and hope. Let us pray together, as we say,

All: We are always uncomfortable, Watching God, 

when you notice how we want to sit in the seats of honor.

We can be so proper, so good, so well-off, that it is easy to imagine we are superior to the poor. We are so busy completing our 'To Do' list each day, that we forget to do good when we have the chance.

 

(Time of Silent Confession)

 

All: Forgive us, Welcoming God.  Fill our emptiness with your grace and humility that we would spend our lives alongside Jesus, 

our Lord and Savior, ministering to the poor, the damaged,

the prisoner, the lost, the oppressed.

Assurance of Pardon
One: This is the good news: after what God has done for us, what can anyone or anything do to us? We are new people, graced by our loving God.
All: Forgiven, embraced, welcomed by our God, we will offer open hearts and serving hands to everyone we meet.

Thanks be to God.  Amen.

 

*Gloria Patri #577                                                             Congregation

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

As it was in the beginning, is now, and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. As it was in the beginning, is now, and

ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen. Amen.

 

Sharing the Peace                                                                      

The peace of Christ be with you.  All: And also with you.

(Please pass signs of peace and forgiveness with those seated around you)

 

Sharing Joys & Concerns

 

Pastoral Prayer                                                 Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 The Lord’s Prayer   (pg. 16, Blue Hymnal)

 

PROCLAIMING THE WORD                                      

Scripture                                                         Luke 14:12-14 (pg. 745)

 

Anthem                  “Here I Am Lord”                                       Choir

 

Sermon           “Guest at the Table”                   Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

RESPONDING TO THE WORD

*The Apostle’s Creed (pg. 14)                                              Congregation

 

Communion

                    Prayer

 

Call to Offering                                                 Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

Offertory                                                        Chris Allen               

 

*Doxology                                                                   

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him,

all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

 

*Prayer of Dedication                                         Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

 

BEARING THE WORD INTO THE WORLD                           

*Charge and Blessing                                       Rev. Dr. Michael Askew

We leave now in order to follow God into the world.
All:  We will go to bring the healing and peace of Jesus to all.

 

*Sung Benediction  (Please face the center)                           Congregation

All: May the Lord, Mighty Lord bless and keep you forever.

Grant you peace, perfect peace, and courage in every endeavor.

Lift your eyes and see His face, see His grace forever.

May the Lord, Mighty Lord, bless and keep you forever.

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