Approaching God
Announcements & A Word of Welcome
Prelude
First Hymn:
Prayers of Adoration & Confession
Guide: Everlasting God, whose kingdom is above all the nations, and whose dominion extends throughout all of creation, we come to worship Your ways and praise Your sacred Name.
Your words are always fulfilled and Your ways can never be stopped. We approach You humbly and reverently, seeking to please You with our songs, and to petition You with our heartfelt prayers.
People: Gracious Lord, we are constantly attacked by temptation and besieged by sin; we are continually fighting against faithless ways and selfish choices. In the midst of all our restless and wrongful ways, forgive us for failing You, for neglecting others' needs, and for imposing our sinful demands on those around us. Hear us now as we make our sincere confessions.
- Silent Confessions -
Guide: Compassionate Lord, You have given us Your Son Jesus to save us from our mistakes, wrongdoing, and faults. He alone can cleanse us of the past. He alone can shield us from Your wrath. In Christ, we place our lives and souls, seeking mercy and absolution, forgiveness and restoration. In His Name, we pray, saying, "Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors)
Promise of the Gospel
Guide: Jesus personally touched the lives of many and made them better people. His words were full of healing and holiness, challenge and change. We have come to Him with our confessions and He has received our prayers. Let us give thanks and rejoice, for Christ is our everlasting Savior and Merciful King. 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
Choir Anthem
Prayers for Health and Healing
Pastor: We cry to the Lord in the midst of our troubles; we come to Him with our worries and fears. The Lord listens to our voices and is attentive to our prayers for health and strength, peace and healing.
People: If God judged and punished us for our sins, we could not come to Him with our anxieties and cares. In Him, we find forgiveness and compassion, grace and love. He is the source of our strength and the center of our existence.
Pastor: We wait for the Lord to be merciful. We call upon His Holy name and seek salvation through Him alone. We place our hopes for healing in Him; we place our family and friends into His unfailing love. May we each be healed of all that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul.
Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit.
Pastor: God Himself will answer our prayers and set us free from all our fears. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 130)
Singing of ‘Jesus, Draw Me Close’.
Prayer of Illumination:
Reader: Holy Spirit, guide us by the power of these sacred words and help us to apply Christ's teaching in our lives. Enable us to grasp the meaning of today's message and to seek effective ways with which to practice its importance. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
Scripture Readings
The Message & The Apostles' Creed
Serving God
Offering & Offertory
Dedication (unison):
Lord Jesus, we give You thanks for all that You have done on our behalf and for granting us salvation. We place before You our tithes and offerings, asking that You bless them for the edifying of Your church, the enhancement of faith in our community, and the sharing of the Gospel throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray. Amen.
Closing Hymn:
Benediction (unison): May we remain in Christ and continue to honor Him each day; may the Father captivate our hearts and minds, so that we may serve Him with our gifts and talents; and may the Holy Spirit keep us true to our faith in the One, Triune and Living God, both now and forevermore. Amen.
Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; etc & Postlude
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