Approaching God
Prelude
Welcome and announcements
Gathering song
Call to Worship
Pastor: In our hearts, God is known; His Name is great throughout the Earth.
People: God dwells among us and His presence strengthens our hearts
Pastor: The LORD is resplendent with light and more majestic than the mountains. Let us praise and worship God!
First Hymn:
Prayer of Adoration and Confession
Guide: Everlasting Lord and Glorious Majesty, who speaks to all creation and with one Word sustains the entire universe, we worship and adore Your wonderful ways. We are blessed with Your sacred presence and strengthened by Your divine love. Come among us, O Lord, and sanctify our worship, for You are the One, True, and Living God
People: Gracious Father, You require us to listen to Your voice and to follow Your commands. We confess that we have disobeyed You and have often rebelled against Your rules. We are weak, mortal, and imperfect; You are holy, immortal, and almighty. Forgive our faithless words and selfish ways; pardon our mistaken acts and sinful deeds. Hear us now as we silently pray.
- Silent Confessions -
Guide: Loving God, enable us to pay attention to You, so that we may truly hear what You have to say through Jesus Christ, Your Holy Son. In Him, our spirits are reunited to You. Through Him, we are saved from eternal destruction. We thank You, Immortal Lord, for bringing Jesus, our Savior into our lives. In His Name and by His words, we conclude these prayers, saying, saying, "Our Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER (debts/debtors).
Promise of the Gospel
Guide: We thirst for Jesus and His soul-refreshing words. He is the Savior of our souls and the Healer of our hearts. Let us rejoice and be glad, for Christ has overcome sin and death, bringing to us eternal blessings of faith, hope, and love Amen.
Gloria Patri (unison 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 call to You, with all of our hearts, O LORD; answer us and we will obey Your decrees. We call upon You to save us and heal us. We also pledge to follow Your counsel and accept Your ways.
People: Each day, Lord, we ask You for help; we place our hopes in Your promises and words. Hear our prayers, Lord, in accordance with Your love; preserve and sustain us through the abundance of Your compassion.
Pastor: You are near to us, O Lord, and Your promises are true. We bring before You our loved ones, our neighbors, other people and ourselves. We need You to heal us of everything that harms us in body, mind, heart, and soul. Hear us now, as we inwardly pray.
Silent Prayers for others and ourselves. A candle is lit.
Pastor: Lord God, long ago Your words were created, written and sanctified, helping our people to faithfully follow You. Grant us healing and wholeness in Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen.
(Healing prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 119:Qoph)
Singing of ‘Jesus Draw Me Close.’
Prayer of Illumination
Reader: Holy Spirit, let these words of scripture send us a meaningful message today. Enable our hearts to receive Christ's teaching, and open our minds to His ways. In Jesus' Name, we pray. Amen. (Acts 5:27)
Scripture Readings
The Message & the Apostles' Creed
Serving God
Offering & Offertory
Dedication (unison): Lord Jesus, You have come among us to display God's good works in our lives, as well as throughout the world. You call upon us to faithfully serve Your continuing ministry and mission. Take these gifts as our cheerful responses to that invitation, blessing them for the life and work that our church undertakes and fulfills to the glory of God and His Kingdom. Amen.
Closing Hymn:
Benediction (unison): May Christ enable us to please God throughout our days; may the Father continually direct our choices in purposeful ways; and may the Holy Spirit empower us to make meaningful contributions of our lives, to the glory of the One, Triune, and Living God, forever and ever. Amen.
Doxology Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; etc & Postlude
