251026: Worship Bulletin

For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”
Romans 1:16-17

Prelude

Welcome and Announcements

The Voluntary for Silent Prayer

*Call to Worship: Psalm 46

Minister: God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble;

People: Therefore, we will not fear though the earth gives way, though the mountains be moved into the heart of the sea.

Minister: “Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth!”

People: The LORD of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our fortress.

Unison: Come, let us sing and praise our God!

*Hymn of Adoration: “A Mighty Fortress Is Our God” (No. 92)

1 A mighty fortress is our God,
a bulwark never failing;
our helper he amid the flood
of mortal ills prevailing.
For still our ancient foe
doth seek to work us woe;
his craft and pow'r are great;
and armed with cruel hate,
on earth is not his equal.

2 Did we in our own strength confide,
our striving would be losing;
were not the right man on our side,
the man of God's own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be?
Christ Jesus, it is he,
Lord Sabaoth his name,
from age to age the same,
and he must win the battle.

3 And though this world, with devils filled,
should threaten to undo us,
we will not fear, for God hath willed
his truth to triumph through us.
The prince of darkness grim,
we tremble not for him;
his rage we can endure,
for lo! his doom is sure;
one little word shall fell him.

4 That Word above all earthly pow'rs,
no thanks to them, abideth;
the Spirit and the gifts are ours
through him who with us sideth.
Let goods and kindred go,
this mortal life also;
the body they may kill:
God's truth abideth still;
his kingdom is forever.

*Prayer of Adoration and Congregational Prayer

Unison: O Most High, Creator of the ends of the earth, Governor of the universe, Judge of all men, Head of the church, Savior of sinners: your greatness is unsearchable, your goodness infinite, your compassions unfailing, your providence boundless, your mercies ever new. We thank you for your unspeakable gift. Your Son is our only refuge, foundation, hope, and confidence. We depend upon his death, rest in his righteousness, and desire to bear his image. May his glory fill our minds and his love reign in our affections. In his name we come to you. Amen.

Adapted from The Valley of Vision

*Affirmation of Faith: The Westminster Larger Catechism Q 70

Minister: What is justification?

People: Justification is an act of God’s free grace to sinners, in which he pardons all their sins and accepts and accounts their whole persons as righteous in his sight, not for anything worked into them or done by them, but only because of the perfect obedience and full satisfaction of Christ imputed to them by God, received by faith alone.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his inexpressible gift!

*Gloria (Tune: “To God Be the Glory”)

To God be the glory, great things he has done!
So loved he the world that he gave us his Son,
who yielded his life an atonement for sin,
and opened the life-gate that we may go in.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear his voice!
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice!
O come to the Father thro' Jesus the Son,
and give him the glory, great things he has done!

New Testament Reading: Galatians 3:1-14, 23-29

*Hymn of Response: “Thy Works, Not Mine, O Christ” (No. 524)

1 Thy works, not mine, O Christ,
speak gladness to this heart;
they tell me all is done;
they bid my fear depart.

Refrain:
To whom, save thee, who canst alone
for sin atone, Lord, shall I flee?

2 Thy pains, not mine, O Christ,
upon the shameful tree,
have paid the law's full price
and purchased peace for me. [Refrain]

3 Thy cross, not mine, O Christ,
has borne the awful load
of sins that none in heav'n
or earth could bear but God. [Refrain]

4 Thy righteousness, O Christ,
alone can cover me:
no righteousness avails
save that which is of thee. [Refrain]

Prayers of the People

Unison: God of Mercy: We praise you! For we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We were following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air, and we were by our nature children of wrath. But you, God, are rich in mercy! Because of your great love for us, even while we were dead in our trespasses, you made us alive together with Christ. By grace we have been saved! And you raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places, so that in the coming ages you might show the immeasurable riches of your grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For this, Father, we thank you and we praise you. In the name of Jesus, we pray. Amen.

From Ephesians 2:1-7

Pastoral Prayer

Words of Assurance

Minister: For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God's righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:23-26)

Unison: Bless the Lord, O my soul; and all that is within me, bless His holy name!

*Hymn of Praise: “Jesus! What a Friend for Sinners!” (No. 498)

1 Jesus! what a Friend for sinners!
Jesus! lover of my soul;
friends may fail me, foes assail me,
he, my Savior, makes me whole.

Refrain:
Hallelujah! what a Savior!
Hallelujah, what a Friend!
Saving, helping, keeping, loving,
he is with me to the end.

2 Jesus! what a strength in weakness!
Let me hide myself in him;
tempted, tried, and sometimes failing,
he, my strength, my vict'ry wins. [Refrain]

3 Jesus! what a help in sorrow!
While the billows o'er me roll,
even when my heart is breaking,
he, my comfort, helps my soul. [Refrain]

4 Jesus! what a guide and keeper!
While the tempest still is high,
storms about me, night o'ertakes me,
he, my pilot, hears my cry. [Refrain]

5 Jesus! I do now receive him,
more than all in him I find;
he hath granted me forgiveness,
I am his, and he is mine. [Refrain]

Worship of God through Tithes and Offerings

*Doxology (Tune: “Old Hundredth”)

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 Thanksgiving and Dedication

*Reading of The Holy Scriptures: I Samuel 20:1-11

Minister: This is the Word of God.

Unison: Thanks be to God for his Word!

*The Prayer for Illumination

Sermon: “Following Jesus into Community” (Rev. Michael Osborne)

*Hymn of Response: “From All That Dwell below the Skies” (No. 7)

1 From all that dwell below the skies
let the Creator’s praise arise;
let the Redeemer’s name be sung
through every land, by every tongue.

2 In every land begin the song;
to every land the strains belong.
In cheerful sound all voices raise
and fill the world with joyful praise.

3 Eternal are your mercies, Lord;
eternal truth attends your word.
Your praise shall sound from shore to shore
till suns rise and set no more.

*The Benediction

Postlude

*Denotes congregational standing, if able.