For you were called to freedom, brothers and sisters,

only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for self-indulgence,

but through love become enslaved to one another. ~ Galatians 5:13

Chimes

Opening Prayer  1

Gracious God, you have made all of the peoples of the earth for your glory. You invite us to serve you in freedom and in peace. Give to the people of our nation a zeal for justice and the strength for forbearance, that we may use our liberty in accordance with your gracious will. We ask this on a day of celebration, a day of hope for a nation made free. We ask this in the name of the one who welcomes all to be free indeed. Inspire us to live and worship in your freedom and for the sake of your Kingdom. Amen.    

Welcome and Announcements

Introit     Summertime     George Gershwin, DuBose Heyward

Call To Worship 2

ONE: The prophets of old spoke of God's justice, even when it was unwelcome. Who will hear their message?

ALL: We will listen and we will hear!

ONE: Responding to God's call, Jesus traveled, preaching and teaching all who would listen. Who will hear his message?

ALL: We will listen and we will hear!

ONE: Christ sent out disciples two by two, to spread the good news in any place that would welcome them. Who will hear their message?

ALL: We will listen and we will hear!

ONE: God's prophets are among us still, around the world and in these pews. Who will hear their message?

ALL: We will listen and we will hear! Let us worship God together!

Hymn 401   Here in This Place

Statement of Faith - A portion of the Brief Statement of Faith, 1983, PCUSA

ALL: In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God's image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God's commandments. we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God's condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.

With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a New Song unto the Lord

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scriptures: Ezekiel 2:1-5

                     Mark 6:1-13

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem   Daily Bread     sung by David Wales

Sermon     Reverend Debra McGuire

Hymn 504    We Come as Guests Invited

Invitation to the Offering 3

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory

Prayer of Dedication

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Preparation of the Table

Invitation and Great Prayer of Thanksgiving 4

Welcome to the delight that is this table. Our Lord's table. Welcome to the table where the love of God meets Humanity. We welcome everyone to this table, no matter your church background, your knowledge of biblical ideas, no matter your sexual orientation or gender truth, no matter your mood. Wherever and whoever you are you are welcome here, you belong, you are worthy.

This is for you, but it may change you from one who is anxiously concerned about their own redemption into one who knows that Christ's body is the earth and all who walk upon it, are one in Him. Into knowing that we are not redeemed by our being good but by our being connected. Into knowing that daring to eat at the table of Jesus Christ has unimaginable consequences.

So come, come to be made whole, and to participate in the work of making us one with God and each other.

LEADER: The Lord be with you

PEOPLE: And also with you

LEADER: Lift up your hearts

PEOPLE: We lift them up to the Lord

LEADER: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

PEOPLE: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

LEADER: Let us pray.  We give you thanks, O God, for making your love evident since the very beginning of time when you spoke the word which replaced the darkness of chaos with life-giving light. A light which has nurtured generations of people, and plants and creatures, great and small. A light which also revealed the fear and powerlessness caused by corrupt and evil actions. And so you spoke the Word which would once and for all dispel the darkness of chaotic lives. Through your love for the world the Word became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth. The angels caroled glory to you in the highest heavens and peace to all people on earth, and we join with them and with all people to praise your holy name saying together:

ALL:  Holy Lord, God of endless love, heaven and earth are surely full of your glory. The angels sang of it - we have been lavished with it. Blessed is he who was born that we might have life. Glory to God and on earth peace to all people.

ONE:  Holy God, as the travelers with their treasures were overwhelmed with joy on finding Jesus, so we also are overwhelmed on finding out the depth of his love for us. For Jesus showed just how beloved we are to him, by loving us and giving himself for us.

Send the power of your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine, O God, that we may experience the presence of the Word-made-flesh - Jesus Christ. Breathe your Spirit in us that we may be one body with him - living out his ministry in the world today and every day. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Words of Institution

Sharing of the Cup and Bread

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Generous God, You are the source of all life, creating and sustaining every living thing. You are the source of all food, material and spiritual, nourishing us in both body and soul. You are the light that goes before us, shining into the darkness. May we be filled with your breath nourished by your food renewed by your living water and sustained by your love.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayer.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 308    O God in Whom All Life Begins

Pastoral Blessing

Closing Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude     

1 the Book of Common Prayer

2 To Hear and Be Heard, An Intergenerational Liturgy  Rev. Dr. Laurel Koepf Taylor

3 "Words for Worship" ed. Marlene Mark

4 Rev. Bob Gibson for the London Conference of the United Church of Canada

“May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.” — Psalm 126:5

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

O God from whom every gift derives, we gather to worship You this day. You are an awesome God, greater than our comprehension or our imagination. You are beyond any word we could ever use to describe You. And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of Your vast love. We have come to You in thanksgiving and praise, to know that You are God and to place our lives anew into Your perspective. Enlarge our vision this hour with Your Word. Instill in us, again, Your hope in place of our despair, Your peace where our hatred threatens, Your joy amidst our depression, Your love overwhelming our apathy. May Your Holy Spirit surround and indwell this congregation now, and forevermore. In Jesus we pray. Amen.

Welcome

Introit      Lamb of God    Twila Paris, Arr. Larson

Call To Worship 2

ONE: The people of God were made for worship: To sing and to praise, to laugh and to dance.

ALL: The people of God were made for God's presence: For pleasure and praise, for joy and for song.

ONE: Come, holy people: Gather for worship, come from all places!

ALL: We have come to God's temple, gathered together, We have come to praise and enjoy God forever.

Hymn 410     God is Calling

Statement of Faith

(Portion of the Brief Statement of Faith, 1983, PCUSA)

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve.

We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God's image, male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God's commandments. we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God's condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation. In everlasting love, the God of Abraham and Sarah chose a covenant people to bless all families of the earth. Hearing their cry, God delivered the children of Israel from the house of bondage. Loving us still, God makes us heirs with Christ of the covenant. Like a mother who will not forsake her nursing child, like a father who runs to welcome the prodigal home, God is faithful still.

With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scriptures: Psalm 85:8-13   Mark 6:14-29

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    10,000 Reasons     Jonas Myrin and Matt Redman

Sermon     "Prophetic"  Reverend Debra McGuire

Hymn 694    Great God of Every Blessing

Invitation to the Offering 3

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment.  Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 378    We Wait the Peaceful Kingdom

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude     Trust in the Lord     Gary Sadler

1 My Redeemer Lives

2 Literature & Liturgy

3 Words for Worship ed. Marlene Mark

“May those who sow in tears reap with shouts of joy.” — Psalm 126:5

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

God of secret purposes and extravagant blessings, we come to praise you. We come because we want to, we sing our songs because we are glad to, we pray for your grace because we need to, and we ask for the love of Christ in our hearts because without it we are a dead loss. Please lift every shutter within our mind, and open every door within our soul, that you, the Lord of glory, the God of countless hosts, may come in. Through Christ Jesus, the joy of loving hearts. Amen!

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

ONE: Come, you who thirst for grace.

ALL: Come, you who hunger for justice.

ONE: Come, you who are a stranger in a strange land.

ALL: Come, you who are like a child at home.

ONE: Come, for Christ welcomes you to this time and place.

ALL: We have come to worship God.

ONE: Then let us worship well.

ALL: Let us worship God together!  

Hymn 407     Spirit Divine, Attend Our Prayers

Statement of Faith 3

We believe in God, the source of all life, wholeness, and love. We believe that God is revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life, Jesus reveals God in grace, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We believe that in his death, Jesus reveals God's determined presence in the world even in the face of hatred, violence, and pain. We believe that in his resurrection, Jesus reveals God calling us to abundant life both now and forever; life beyond our fearful and fragile imaginations. We believe that God lives among us, within us, and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God moves us to be together in communities of faith, hope, and love. We believe these things not out of certainty but out of faith; as those who trust in the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scriptures: James 5: 7-16

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Grace Upon Grace     Matthew West and AJ Prius

Sermon     "How To Persevere in Hardship"     Rev. Christy Pierce

Hymn 803   My Shepherd Will Supply My Need

Invitation to the Offering 4

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 309    Come, Great God of All the Ages

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude     Amazing Grace/Peaceful, Easy Feeling     Newton/Tempchin

1 Bruce Prewer

2 Beth Merrill Neel 'Hold Fast to What Is Good'  Used with permission

3 ProgressiveChristianity.org - Daniel Sire

4 Words for Worship ed. Marlene Mark

"In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God,

the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve."

From the Brief Statement of Faith, PCUSA

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

Holy One, you have promised to be with us, and long ago sent your Spirit to abide among us and guide us to a future of goodness and hope. We come seeking your truth, your justice, your kindness. O God, you are with us this morning. Let us feel your presence and welcome you into our lives. Come and fill these desires of our hearts. Amen.          

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

ONE: Rejoice, Jesus is in our midst!

ALL: Feed us, Jesus, and fill us with hope.

ONE: Be glad, friends, Jesus has bread and fish to spare.

ALL: Free us, Jesus, from the pursuit of food that does not satisfy.

ONE: Sing for joy, people of God; God gathers up the pieces of our lives, that nothing may be lost.

ALL: Thanks be to God! Let us worship God!

Hymn 409     God is Here

Statement of Faith 3

We believe in God, the source of all life, wholeness, and love. We believe that God is revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life, Jesus reveals God in grace, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We believe that in his death, Jesus reveals God's determined presence in the world even in the face of hatred, violence, and pain. We believe that in his resurrection, Jesus reveals God calling us to abundant life both now and forever; life beyond our fearful and fragile imaginations. We believe that God lives among us, within us, and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God moves us to be together in communities of faith, hope, and love. We believe these things not out of certainty but out of faith; as those who trust in the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scriptures: Psalm 98 and John 3:1-9

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Sometimes By Step     Rich Mullins and Beaker

Sermon     You Must Be Born Again     Rev. Don Mulford

Hymn 610   O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Invitation to the Offering 4

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 761   Called as Partners in Christ's Service

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude    Hallelujah (Your Love Is Amazing)     Brenton Brown/Brian Doerksen

1 Rev. Catherine Rolling Hold on to Faith: Service Prayers for the Twenty-fifth Sunday after Pentecost

2 Adapted from The Abingdon Worship Annual 2009 © 2008 Abingdon Press

3 ProgressiveChristianity.org - Daniel Sire

4 Words for Worship ed. Marlene Mark

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

God of hope, when your hungry people longed for the slave food of Egypt, you opened the doors of heaven and rained down manna. Feed us with the bread of life at your table, that we may taste the freedom of eternal life and lead lives worthy of our calling, through Christ our head. Amen.          

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

ONE: We join together as hungry eaters to be nourished by the food that you offer us.

ALL: God of sustenance, give us this day our daily bread.

ONE: As you care for the wheat fields that turn into bread and the vineyards that labor to produce sweet wine, tend to our bodies by feeding us what we need for healthy growth.

ALL: God of abundance, give us this day our daily bread.

ONE: The rich crops that you have prepared are now ready to be harvested by our hands and our hearts.

ALL: Holy Spirit, come! Give us this day our daily bread.     

Hymn 63     The Lord is God

Statement of Faith 3

We believe in God, the source of all life, wholeness, and love. We believe that God is revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life, Jesus reveals God in grace, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We believe that in his death, Jesus reveals God's determined presence in the world even in the face of hatred, violence, and pain. We believe that in his resurrection, Jesus reveals God calling us to abundant life both now and forever; life beyond our fearful and fragile imaginations. We believe that God lives among us, within us, and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God moves us to be together in communities of faith, hope, and love. We believe these things not out of certainty but out of faith; as those who trust in the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scripture: Exodus 16:2-4, 9-15

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    In Christ Alone     Keith Getty and Stuart Townend

Sermon     What is it?     Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 50   Deep in the Shadows of the Past

Invitation to the Offering 4

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Preparation of the Table

Invitation and Great Prayer of Thanksgiving 4

Welcome to the delight that is this table. Our Lord's table. Welcome to the table where the love of God meets Humanity. We welcome everyone to this table, no matter your church background, your knowledge of biblical ideas, no matter your sexual orientation or gender truth, no matter your mood. Wherever and whoever you are you are welcome here, you belong, you are worthy.

This is for you, but it may change you from one who is anxiously concerned about their own redemption into one who knows that Christ's body is the earth and all who walk upon it, are one in Him. Into knowing that we are not redeemed by our being good but by our being connected. Into knowing that daring to eat at the table of Jesus Christ has unimaginable consequences.

So come, come to be made whole, and to participate in the work of making us one with God and each other.

LEADER: The Lord be with you

PEOPLE: And also with you

LEADER: Lift up your hearts

PEOPLE: We lift them up to the Lord

LEADER: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

PEOPLE: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

LEADER: We give you thanks, O God, for making your love evident since the very beginning of time when you spoke the word which replaced the darkness of chaos with life-giving light. A light which has nurtured generations of people, and plants and creatures, great and small. A light which also revealed the fear and powerlessness caused by corrupt and evil actions. And so you spoke the Word which would once and for all dispel the darkness of chaotic lives. Through your love for the world the Word became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth. The angels caroled glory to you in the highest heavens and peace to all people on earth, and we join with them and with all people to praise your holy name saying together:

ALL:  Holy Lord, God of endless love, heaven and earth are surely full of your glory. The angels sang of it - we have been lavished with it. Blessed is he who was born that we might have life. Glory to God and on earth peace to all people.

ONE:  Holy God, as the travelers with their treasures were overwhelmed with joy on finding Jesus, so we also are overwhelmed on finding out the depth of his love for us. For Jesus showed just how beloved we are to him, by loving us and giving himself for us.

Send the power of your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine, O God, that we may experience the presence of the Word-made-flesh - Jesus Christ. Breathe your Spirit in us that we may be one body with him - living out his ministry in the world today and every day. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Words of Institution

Sharing of the Cup and Bread

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Generous God, You are the source of all life, creating and sustaining every living thing. You are the source of all food, material and spiritual, nourishing us in both body and soul. You are the light that goes before us, shining into the darkness. May we be filled with your breath nourished by your food renewed by your living water and sustained by your love.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 543   God, Be the Love to Search and Keep Me

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude    Lord, You Are Good     Israel Houghton

1 Revised Common Lectionary Prayers copyright © 2002 Consultation on Common Texts admin. Augsburg Fortress

2 Food for All: Service Prayers for the Ninth Sunday after Pentecost

3 ProgressiveChristianity.org - Daniel Sire

4 Words for Worship ed. Marlene Mark

5 Rev. Bob Gibson for the London Conference of the United Church of Canada

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit,

we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,

whom alone we worship and serve.

~ Brief Statement of Faith, PCUSA

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

We praise you, O God, for the meaning that you give to our lives in and through Jesus. He is the sign of your deep and everlasting love for the world and we rejoice in his promise to sustain us with his life. We praise you for filling our emptiness with his goodness. May our worship and praise express our thanks, O God, for your gift to us of the true bread from heaven—Jesus Christ, your Son, our living Lord. Amen.          

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

Feed us now, Child of God, as you fed your first disciples. Feed us with that soul-food which nurtures enough love within us to outstrip the fears and enmity that ties the world up in knots. Feed us with that spiritual bread which strengthens our hands for serving those broken and lost people whom this world deems a waste of space. Feed us, so that we may be fulfilled with some of that joy which the universe cannot contain. For your love's sake. Amen!

Hymn 404     What is This Place

Statement of Faith 3

We believe in God, the source of all life, wholeness, and love. We believe that God is revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life, Jesus reveals God in grace, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We believe that in his death, Jesus reveals God's determined presence in the world even in the face of hatred, violence, and pain. We believe that in his resurrection, Jesus reveals God calling us to abundant life both now and forever; life beyond our fearful and fragile imaginations. We believe that God lives among us, within us, and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God moves us to be together in communities of faith, hope, and love. We believe these things not out of certainty but out of faith; as those who trust in the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scripture: Exodus 3:13-15

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Hungry     Kathryn Scott

Sermon     Bread: Part Two    Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 761   Called as Partners in Christ's Service

Invitation to the Offering 4

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 372   O for a World

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude   Less Like Me     Zach Williams, Hank Bentley, Mia Fieldes

1 Moira Laidlaw Liturgies Online

2 Bruce Prewer

3 ProgressiveChristianity.org - Daniel Sire

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit,

we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,

whom alone we worship and serve.

~ Brief Statement of Faith, PCUSA

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

O God, we joyously come together to worship, realizing we need not summon you into our midst, for you are here. We need not call you into the secret places of our hearts, for you are there. We need our eyes of faith to be opened, that we may see you; our ears to be unstopped, that we may hear you; our minds to be sensitive, that we may know you; our hearts to be tender, that we may receive you. Grant each one a blessing, O Lord, as each has need, in the name of Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.     

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

Lord, the eyes of all look to you in hope; and you give them what they need. You open your hand and satisfy the hunger and thirst of every living thing. We, too, turn to you again, longing to be filled-to eat of the Bread of Life, to drink from your life-giving streams, to taste your goodness and live. May the time we spend together in your presence nourish our hearts and minds; may it strengthen our relationship with you, and renew our commitment to live in this world as your faithful disciples. For you alone are God, the Source and Sustainer of life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Hymn 643     Now Thank We All Our God

Statement of Faith 3

We believe in God, the source of all life, wholeness, and love. We believe that God is revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life, Jesus reveals God in grace, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We believe that in his death, Jesus reveals God's determined presence in the world even in the face of hatred, violence, and pain. We believe that in his resurrection, Jesus reveals God calling us to abundant life both now and forever; life beyond our fearful and fragile imaginations. We believe that God lives among us, within us, and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God moves us to be together in communities of faith, hope, and love. We believe these things not out of certainty but out of faith; as those who trust in the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scripture: John 6:51-58

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    One Bread, One Body     John Foley, Arr. by C. Bray

(Based on 1 Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians and The Didache)

Sermon     Bread: Part Three    Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 653   Give Thanks to God Who Hears Our Cries

Invitation to the Offering 1

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 714   God of the Fertile Fields

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude   How Can It Be     Words and music by J Johnson, J Ingram and P Mabury

1Words for Worship, ed. Arlene Mark

2 Christine Longhurst, re: Worship

3 ProgressiveChristianity.org - Daniel Sire

In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ,

the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit,

we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel,

whom alone we worship and serve.

~ Brief Statement of Faith, PCUSA

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

O holy God, high above us yet present within us, assist us in drawing near to you. Let us sense the awesomeness of you. In your presence may we feel your tender love, hear your vow of guidance, be changed by your truth, and receive your blessing.       

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

ONE: Give thanks to God!

ALL: We thank God for joy, for laughter, for abundant blessings of every kind.

ONE: Give thanks to God at all times and for everything!

ALL: We thank God, when we can and as we can, for struggles, for solitude, for fears.

ONE: Give thanks to God at all times and for everything in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ.

ALL: We thank God that, in Christ, our joys as well as our pain, our losses as well as our laughter, are in God's heart and hands. Let us worship God!  

Hymn 1     Holy, Holy, Holy! Lord God Almighty

Statement of Faith 3

We believe in God, the source of all life, wholeness, and love. We believe that God is revealed in Jesus Christ. We believe that in his life, Jesus reveals God in grace, mercy, forgiveness, and justice. We believe that in his death, Jesus reveals God's determined presence in the world even in the face of hatred, violence, and pain. We believe that in his resurrection, Jesus reveals God calling us to abundant life both now and forever; life beyond our fearful and fragile imaginations. We believe that God lives among us, within us, and through us by the power of the Holy Spirit. We believe that God moves us to be together in communities of faith, hope, and love. We believe these things not out of certainty but out of faith; as those who trust in the reality of God revealed in Jesus Christ through the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Response Hymn 276

Sing a new song unto the Lord;

let your song be sung from mountain's high.

Sing a new song unto the Lord, singing hallelujah!

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 155

Raise a song of gladness, peoples of the earth;

Christ has come, bringing peace, joy to every heart.

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Alleluia, alleluia, joy to every heart!

Scripture: John 6:56-59

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Bread of Heaven     Alexia Tiliakos, Ethan Parker, and Sam Otero

Sermon     Choices    Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 17   Sing Praise to God, You Heavens

Invitation to the Offering 4

Giving is a spiritual practice that relates God's work to our work. Peter writes: “as each has received a gift, employ it for one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace, that God may be glorified through Jesus Christ.” Let us give as people whose work is inextricably linked to God's great works of creation, redemption and empowerment. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 711   Lord of All Good

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude   Less Like Me     Zach Williams, Hank Bentley, Mia Fieldes

1adapted from J. Wayne Judd, Prayers for Public Worship

2 Thom Shuman Lectionary Liturgies

3 ProgressiveChristianity.org - Daniel Sire

4 Words for Worship" ed. Marlene Mark

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.

James 1:17a

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

O God from whom every gift derives, we gather to worship you this day. You are an awesome God, greater than our comprehension or our imagination. You are beyond any word we could ever use to describe you. And yet, through Jesus, we know the intimacy of your vast love. We have come to you in thanksgiving and praise, to know that you are God and to place our lives anew into your perspective. Enlarge our vision this hour with your word. Instill in us, again, your hope in place of our despair, your peace where our hatred threatens, your joy amidst our depression, your love overwhelming our apathy. May your Holy Spirit surround and dwell this congregation now, and forevermore. In Jesus we pray. Amen.     

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

ONE: In deep gratitude we come to worship God.

ALL: We recognize God as the source of all goodness.

ONE: All good gifts come from the Spirit of God:

ALL: love, peace, joy, patience, kindness, gentleness are all of God.

ONE: We come with grateful hearts, not for things, but for who God is.

ALL: We gather to show our gratitude in song and prayer.  Let us worship God!  

Hymn 504     We Come as Guests Invited

Confession of Faith 3

When sin and death hover around us, like famished vultures, you fill us with new strength so they cannot feed on us; when our bitterness clamps tight around our hearts with its steel-like teeth, you pry us loose with your scarred hands so we might walk in faith with you; when we stack our hurts one on top of the other, like kindling wood, ready to set the match of our anger to the pile, you pour your spirit of forgiveness upon them, until they are soaked so thoroughly, nothing can ignite them. Our help, our hope, our life, our peace are truly found in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Response Hymn 175

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and its righteousness,

and all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, alleluia!

Assurance of Pardon

ONE: The good news is this: God loves the world so much as to make it a fit place to live; God loves us so much as to reshape us into people of faith. Like a cup of cold water, forgiveness revives us, restores us, gives us new life.

ALL: Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 95

Prepare the way of the Lord.

Prepare the way of the Lord,

And all people will see the salvation of our God

Scripture: James 1:17-27

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Only Hope     Switchfoot

Sermon     Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 708   We Give Thee but Thine Own

Invitation to the Offering

Gracious and generous God, we give of ourselves for the same reasons that you offer yourself: to touch lives, care for the poor, lift up the broken-hearted, and bring comfort to those in need. May our giving be an extension of our gratefulness for the gifts you have given us. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Sacrament of the Lord's Supper

Preparation of the Table

Invitation and Great Prayer of Thanksgiving 4

Welcome to the delight that is this table. Our Lord's table. Welcome to the table where the love of God meets Humanity. We welcome everyone to this table, no matter your church background, your knowledge of biblical ideas, no matter your sexual orientation or gender truth, no matter your mood. Wherever and whoever you are you are welcome here, you belong, you are worthy.

This is for you, but it may change you from one who is anxiously concerned about their own redemption into one who knows that Christ's body is the earth and all who walk upon it, are one in Him. Into knowing that we are not redeemed by our being good but by our being connected. Into knowing that daring to eat at the table of Jesus Christ has unimaginable consequences.

So come, come to be made whole, and to participate in the work of making us one with God and each other.

ONE: The Lord be with you

ALL: And also with you

ONE: Lift up your hearts

ALL: We lift them up to the Lord

ONE: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God

ALL: It is right to give our thanks and praise.

ONE: We give you thanks, O God, for making your love evident since the very beginning of time when you spoke the word which replaced the darkness of chaos with life-giving light. A light which has nurtured generations of people, and plants and creatures, great and small. A light which also revealed the fear and powerlessness caused by corrupt and evil actions. And so you spoke the Word which would once and for all dispel the darkness of chaotic lives. Through your love for the world the Word became flesh and lived among us full of grace and truth. The angels caroled glory to you in the highest heavens and peace to all people on earth, and we join with them and with all people to praise your holy name saying together:

ALL:  Holy Lord, God of endless love, heaven and earth are surely full of your glory. The angels sang of it - we have been lavished with it. Blessed is he who was born that we might have life. Glory to God and on earth peace to all people.

ONE:  Holy God, as the travelers with their treasures were overwhelmed with joy on finding Jesus, so we also are overwhelmed on finding out the depth of his love for us. For Jesus showed just how beloved we are to him, by loving us and giving himself for us.

Send the power of your Holy Spirit upon these gifts of bread and wine, O God, that we may experience the presence of the Word-made-flesh - Jesus Christ. Breathe your Spirit in us that we may be one body with him - living out his ministry in the world today and every day. This we pray in Jesus' name. Amen.

Words of Institution

Sharing of the Cup and Bread

Prayer of Thanksgiving

Generous God, You are the source of all life, creating and sustaining every living thing. You are the source of all food, material and spiritual, nourishing us in both body and soul. You are the light that goes before us, shining into the darkness. May we be filled with your breath nourished by your food renewed by your living water and sustained by your love.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 821   How Can I Keep From Singing?

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude        Lamentations (The Steadfast Love)     Eith McNeill

1My Redeemer Lives

2 The Presbyterian Church in Canada

3 Thom Shuman, Lectionary Liturgies

4 Rev. Bob Gibson for the London Conference of the United Church of Canada

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.

James 1:17a

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

Creator God, you whispered the world into being; you sculpted humanity from dust; you inspired writers to record the beauty in nature; you spoke through artful psalms; you placed in us creative sprits. You are the one, Creating God, whom we worship and serve. In your mystery and might, move our creative spirits. Amen.1  

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 1

ONE: We come together as the family of faith.

ALL: We assemble to honor the living God.

ONE: In Christ we become God's holy household.

ALL: In Christ we are bonded together to be God's people.

ONE: Our worship is united into oneness by the Holy Spirit.

ALL: In communion with the Holy Spirit, let us celebrate and worship God!

Hymn 463     How Firm a Foundation

Confession of Faith 2

When sin and death hover around us, like famished vultures, you fill us with new strength so they cannot feed on us; when our bitterness clamps tight around our hearts with its steel-like teeth, you pry us loose with your scarred hands so we might walk in faith with you; when we stack our hurts one on top of the other, like kindling wood, ready to set the match of our anger to the pile, you pour your spirit of forgiveness upon them, until they are soaked so thoroughly, nothing can ignite them. Our help, our hope, our life, our peace are truly found in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Response Hymn 175

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and its righteousness,

and all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, alleluia!

Assurance of Pardon

ONE: The good news is this: God loves the world so much as to make it a fit place to live; God loves us so much as to reshape us into people of faith. Like a cup of cold water, forgiveness revives us, restores us, gives us new life.

ALL: Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 95

Prepare the way of the Lord.

Prepare the way of the Lord,

And all people will see the salvation of our God

Scripture: James 2:1-10, 14-17

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    As For Me     Pat Barrett, Chris Tomlin, Jason Ingram

Sermon     Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 317   In Christ There is No East or West

Invitation to the Offering

Gracious and generous God, we give of ourselves for the same reasons that you offer yourself: to touch lives, care for the poor, lift up the broken-hearted, and bring comfort to those in need. May our giving be an extension of our gratefulness for the gifts you have given us. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 366   Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude        Indescribable     Laura Story and Jesse Reeves

1 “Words for Worship” Arlene Mark, ed.

2 Thom Shuman, Lectionary Liturgies

Every generous act of giving, with every perfect gift, is from above.

James 1:17a

Bells

Opening Prayer 1

Spirit of God, enlighten our hearts to the reality of divine presence in our midst. Let our worship be pleasing in your sight, so that our gathering is an experience of deep communion with you and one another. In the name of Jesus Christ, this is our prayer. Amen.

Welcome

Introit     

Call To Worship 2

ONE: Awe-inspiring God, we gather together to praise you for your tender compassion and care of needy people.

ALL: Come, all who seek the Lord God, offer your prayers.

ONE: Listening God, we gather to revere and honor your supportive concern for people who cry to you for help.

ALL: Come, all who seek the Lord God, offer your praise.

ONE: People of every nation are called to gather together to worship God, in thankfulness for God's loving mercies.

ALL: Come, all who seek the Lord God, offer your worship. Amen

Hymn 638    O Come and Sing Unto the Lord

Confession of Faith 2

When sin and death hover around us, like famished vultures, you fill us with new strength so they cannot feed on us; when our bitterness clamps tight around our hearts with its steel-like teeth, you pry us loose with your scarred hands so we might walk in faith with you; when we stack our hurts one on top of the other, like kindling wood, ready to set the match of our anger to the pile, you pour your spirit of forgiveness upon them, until they are soaked so thoroughly, nothing can ignite them. Our help, our hope, our life, our peace are truly found in the name of our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. Amen!

Response Hymn 175

Seek ye first the kingdom of God, and its righteousness,

and all these things shall be added unto you. Allelu, alleluia!

Assurance of Pardon

ONE: The good news is this: God loves the world so much as to make it a fit place to live; God loves us so much as to reshape us into people of faith. Like a cup of cold water, forgiveness revives us, restores us, gives us new life.

ALL: Thanks be to God, we are forgiven! Amen.

Sharing the Peace of Christ

ONE: The peace of Christ be with you.

RESPONSE:  And also with you.

Response Hymn 95

Prepare the way of the Lord.

Prepare the way of the Lord,

And all people will see the salvation of our God

Scripture: James 3:1-12

ONE: This is the word of the Lord.

RESPONSE:  Thanks be to God.

Anthem    Reminding Ourselves     Craig Bray

Sermon     Rev. Debra McGuire

Hymn 610  O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing

Invitation to the Offering

Gracious and generous God, we give of ourselves for the same reasons that you offer yourself: to touch lives, care for the poor, lift up the broken-hearted, and bring comfort to those in need. May our giving be an extension of our gratefulness for the gifts you have given us. Let us continue our worship by offering our gifts to God.

Offertory    

Prayer of Dedication  

Almighty God, giver of every good and perfect gift, teach us to give to you all that we have and all that we are, that we may praise you not with our words only, but with our whole lives. We ask you to bless all of the gifts that we give, and bless what we keep, and fill us with joy as we discover ways to use our resources for your work in our world. Amen.

Prayers of the People

ONE: Lord in your Mercy,

ALL: Hear our prayers.

The Lord's Prayer

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.

Hymn 546   Lord Dismiss Us With Your Blessing

Pastoral Blessing

Community Charge

Go out into the world in peace. Have courage! Hold on to what is good. Return no person evil for evil. Strengthen the faint-hearted, support the weak, help the suffering. Honor all people. Love and serve the Lord, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit!  

Postlude        Revelation Song     Jennie Lee Riddle

1 Norman D. Yeater

2 Joan Stott

3 Thom Shuman, Lectionary Liturgies