260419: Worship Bulletin

“For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven and do not return there but water the earth, making it bring forth and sprout, giving seed to the sower and bread to the eater, so shall my word be that goes out from my mouth; it shall not return to me empty, but it shall accomplish that which I purpose, and shall succeed in the thing for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:10-11

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

“See what kind of love the Father his given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are.”

*Call to Worship: John 1:1-14

Minister: In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made….

People: He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him….But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God….

Unison: And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

*Hymn of Adoration: “Across the Lands” (SH 849)

1 You're the Word of God the Father
from before the world began;
ev'ry star and ev'ry planet
has been fashioned by your hand.
All creation holds together
by the power of your voice;
let the skies declare your glory;
let the land and seas rejoice!

Chorus
You're the Author of creation,
you're the Lord of ev'ry man,
and your cry of love rings out across the lands.

2 Yet you left the gaze of angels,
came to seek and save the lost,
and exchanged the joy of heaven
for the anguish of a cross.
With a prayer you fed the hungry,
with a word you calmed the sea,
yet how silently you suffered,
that the guilty may go free!

3 With a shout you rose victorious,
wresting vict'ry from the grave,
and ascended into heaven,
leading captives in your wake.
Now you stand before the Father,
interceding for your own;
from each tribe and tongue and nation
you are leading sinners home!

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*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Unison: Gracious Father, with Peter we cry out, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.” We thank you for your Son! For in a world of created changeable things, Christ and his Word remain unshaken. Father, you who have the hearts of all men in your hand, form our hearts according to your unchanging Word, according to the image of your eternal, perfect Son. And may Christ the Word, and his Word, be our strength and comfort. In his name we come to you. Amen.

*Confession of Faith: Westminster Confession of Faith 1.4

Minister: What do you believe concerning the Holy Scriptures?

People: The authority of the Holy Scripture, because of which it ought to be believed and obeyed, does not depend upon the testimony of any man or church, but entirely upon God, its author (who is truth itself); therefore it is to be received, because it is the Word of God.

Unison: Sanctify us in your truth; your word is truth. Thanks be to God!

*Gloria (Tune: “Lauda Anima”)

Glory to you, God the Father; glory to you, God the Son;
Glory to you, Holy Spirit; ever three and ever one;
One in might and one in glory while unending ages run.

Old Testament Reading: Psalm 119:1-18
New Testament Reading: Hebrews 4:12-16

Hymn of Preparation: “Thou, Whose Almighty Word” (SH No. 300)

1 Thou, whose almighty word
chaos and darkness heard
and took their flight:
hear us, we humbly pray,
and where the gospel day
sheds not its glorious ray,
let there be light!

2 Thou who didst come to bring,
on thy redeeming wing,
healing and sight,
health to the sick in mind,
sight to the inly blind:
oh, now to all mankind
let there be light!

3 Spirit of truth and love,
life-giving, holy Dove,
speed forth thy flight;
move on the waters' face,
spreading the beams of grace,
and in earth's darkest place
let there be light!

4 Holy and blessed Three,
Glorious Trinity,
Wisdom, Love, Might!
Boundless as ocean's tide,
rolling in fullest pride,
through the world, far and wide,
let there be light!

The Prayers of Intercession

Unison: Our Father which art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done in 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, for ever. Amen.

Minister: Father, we pray for your people throughout the world; for our denomination; for this church; and for all ministers and missionaries. We pray especially for the ministries we support financially: the staff of The Women’s Refuge and of Care Net; and for Amjad and Sarah in England, the Mugaris in Zimbabwe, the Bersachs in Colombia, the Lees and Slaters with RUF, and Mike Osborne with Standing Stone Ministries.

People: We pray for the leaders of our nation and all who hold authority, that they would govern according to your truth, and especially that they would resolve to protect the lives of the unborn and defenseless.

Minister: We pray for the world, especially that you would bring peace and justice and deliverance to nations and peoples oppressed by war, by disaster, by tyranny, and by evil. We pray for our brothers and sisters in these places as they offer the hope of the gospel of Jesus Christ amid great danger and opposition.

People: We pray for our children and future generations which will be born to them. May the knowledge of you, Lord, fill the earth through them.

Minister: May we have grace to glorify Christ in our own day.

Unison: Lord, hear our prayer.

Silent Intercession

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Encouragement

Minister: What then shall we say to these things?
If God is for us, who can be against us?
The Lord is on my side; I will not fear.
What can man do to me?

Romans 8:31; Psalm 118:6

People: Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name!

*Hymn of Thanksgiving: “How Firm a Foundation” (TH No. 94)

1 How firm a foundation, you saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in his excellent Word!
What more can he say than to you he has said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?

2 "Fear not, I am with you, O be not dismayed;
for I am your God, and will still give you aid;
I'll strengthen you, help you, and cause you to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.

3 "When through the deep waters I call you to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be with you, your troubles to bless,
and sanctify to you your deepest distress.

4 "When through fiery trials your pathway shall lie,
my grace, all-sufficient, shall be your supply;
the flame shall not hurt you; I only design
your dross to consume and your gold to refine.

5 "E'en down to old age all my people shall prove
my sovereign, eternal, unchangeable love;
and when hoary hairs shall their temples adorn,
like lambs they shall still in my bosom be borne.

6 "The soul that on Jesus has leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to his foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I'll never, no never, no never forsake."

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Lasst Uns Erfreuen”)

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below; Alleluia! Alleluia!
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host:
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost;
O Praise Him! O Praise Him! Alleluia! Alleluia! Alleluia!

*Prayer of Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: Ephesians 5:1-14

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “Walking in the Light” (Rev. Kevin Gardner)

*Hymn of Response: “O God beyond All Praising” (TH No. 660)

1 O God beyond all praising, we worship you today
and sing the love amazing that songs cannot repay;
for we can only wonder at every gift you send,
at blessings without number and mercies without end:
we lift our hearts before you and wait upon your word,
we honor and adore you, our great and mighty Lord.

2 Then hear, O gracious Savior, accept the love we bring,
that we who know your favor may serve you as our King;
and whether our tomorrows be filled with good or ill,
we'll triumph through our sorrows and rise to bless you still:
to marvel at your beauty and glory in your ways,
and make a joyful duty our sacrifice of praise.

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*Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregational standing, if able.