Approaching God
Welcome and Announcements
Gathering & Prelude
Hymn:
Confessional Prayer
Guide: Almighty and Infinite God, Majestic and All-Powerful Creator, we approach You with awe and reverence; we gather in humility and service. Your Hands have formed our universe; Your Will sustains our lives. What are we that You are mindful of us? Who are we to receive Your compassion and care?
People: Gracious Lord, nothing is hidden from Your gaze; no secrets can be kept from Your heart. We have shamefully sinned and selfishly centered our lives upon greed, power, desire and deceit. We have also neglected our faith, spoken harsh words, passed by people in need, and put You to the back of our minds. We are guilty of many sins, so we seek Your forgiveness and ask for mercy. Hear us now as we solemnly pray.
- SILENCE -
Guide: Loving Father, we are unworthy to receive grace and yet You have given to us Your Son, Jesus Christ, to die for our mistakes, to take the punishment due for our sins, and to sacrifice Himself for all the wrong things we have said and done.
People: Without our Savior, we are unforgiven. Without Christ’s obedience, we are unrestored. Hear us now as we unite our hearts with His, through Christ’s own words, saying “Our Father,…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)
Promise of the Gospel
Guide: Christ knows all of our secrets and everything that goes on in our minds, hearts and lives. Only He can fully offer us salvation. Only He can restore us to the One, True and Living God. When we honestly believe in Him and sincerely confess our sins, He will forgive us and bring us back to God. So let us rejoice and be glad, for Jesus has pardoned our foolish ways and re-established our everlasting relationship with the LORD, both now and always. Amen.
Gloria Patri (sung): Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Ghost.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be, world without end. Amen. Amen.
Family Sermon (parents and all children, including Elementary school students come forward)
Encountering God
Prayers for Health and Healing
Pastor: Lord, You have been our dwelling place and healing source throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born, or the Earth was brought in being, You existed.
People: O LORD, how long shall we suffer? Have compassion upon us and heal all Your servants. Satisfy our prayers with Your unfailing love, so that we may praise and glorify You every day.
Pastor: Make us glad by restoring our health; bring peace, hope and healing to all our loved ones.
May Your compassionate deeds be shown to us; may the splendor of Your strength be experienced by all, for whom we now pray.
Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit
Pastor: May the favor of the LORD rest upon us. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.
(Healing Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 90)
Choir Anthem
The Message: Part #1
Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw me Close’
Prayer for Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, open our hearts to Christ’s teaching, and enable us to spread His message amongst the people we know and love, through the applying of these sacred words in our everyday lives. In Jesus’ Name. Amen.
Scripture Readings
The Message: Part #2 & The Apostles’ Creed
Serving God
Offering & Offertory:
Dedication(unison): Lord Jesus, through the things that we do, we witness to Your ministry. Today, we gather this offering as a true token of our faith and a loving response to Your sacred words. Take these gifts and tithes and bless them for Your continuing work and ways amongst us. In Your Holy Name we pray. Amen.
Hymn:
Benediction(unison): May Christ feed us with faith, hope and love; may the Father look down upon us with compassion and care; and may the Holy Spirit perfectly lead us into the presence of the One, Triune and Living God, where we shall live and be accepted forevermore. Amen.
Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; etc & Postlude
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