Approaching God
Welcome
and Announcements
Prelude
Gathering
Song
Call to Worship
Liturgist: Come, let us serve the Lord with
our praises and thanksgiving.
People: We
will rejoice in God’s Name and seek to blessed by Him.
Liturgist: Let us worship and glorify God!
Amen.
Hymn
Prayer of Adoration
and Confession
Guide:
Loving God of all
creation, we seek Your holy presence and hope to experience Your sacred
strength. You are the Giver of wisdom and the Provider of all blessings. We
humbly approach Your throne of grace, looking for meaning and purpose to be
given to our lives.
People: Merciful Lord, we know that we
are sometimes sinful and proud, selfish and vain, as well as rebellious and
foolish. We come here to confess our faults and to make peace with Your Spirit.
In You, we find refuge for our weary souls and comfort for our anxious spirits.
You alone have the power to forgive our mistaken ways, so please hear us now as
we sincerely confess our sins to You.
- SILENCE -
Guide:
Heavenly Lord, You have
restored us to Your favor through the noble sacrifice of Your Son Jesus Christ.
We cling to Him as our Savior and we look to Him alone for Your loving mercy.
Our prayers are given in the Holy Name of Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord, in
Whose perfect words, we now pray, saying
“Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).
Promise of the
Gospel
Guide: Jesus
was hated by the world because He confronted evil. Today, He confronts the sins
in our lives and challenges us to become more like Him. Through His blood, our
souls are cleansed of our sinful past, so let us rejoice and be glad, for our Jesus,
our Risen Savior, has triumphed over death and sin forevermore. Amen.
Gloria Patri (sung in unison): 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
Anthem
Prayers for Health
and Healing
Pastor:
Let
us give thanks to the LORD and call on His Name; we will make known His
glorious deeds. Let us praise and sing to the One, Triune and Living God, whose
wonderful acts sustain our people. Let us also seek His goodness and approach
Him with confidence and faith. May we look to the Lord for strength; may He
compassionately answer our prayers.
People: We remember the wonders God has
done, even in our own lives, so we ask Him for compassion and mercy. May He
bring healing to our hearts, peace to our minds, strength to our spirits, and
wholeness to our souls, as well as for all whom we now pray.
Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is
lit.
Pastor:
He
is the LORD our God and His blessings are all around us. In Jesus' Name, we pray.
Amen.
(Healing
prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 105)
Singing
of ‘Sanctuary.’
Prayer for
Illumination
Reader:
Holy Spirit, may we all become one in heart
and mind through the power of these sacred scriptures. May we gladly receive
the preaching of His word, so that we may share the teaching of Christ. In
Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
Scripture
Readings
The
Message and the Apostles’ Creed
Serving God
Offering
& Offertory
Dedication (in unison – led by pastor): Lord Jesus, we have voiced our praises to God
and listened to Your scriptural message. You have challenged our lives and sought
to change our ideas. In response, we offer You our tithes and gifts, praying
that You will bless them for the life, work, and ministry of this church, as
well as for Your mission in other parts of the world. In Your Holy Name, we
cheerfully give and pray. Amen.
Second
Hymn:
Benediction (unison):
May we serve Christ each day of our lives; may we please the Father with
our acts and deeds; and may we seek the approval and joy of the Holy Spirit, to
the glory of the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and forever. Amen.
Doxology
& Postlude