Approaching God
Welcome
& Announcements
Prelude
Gathering
Song
Call to Worship
Liturgist: Living Lord, we humbly approach
You, seeking to please You with our worship and prayers.
People: O
God, We ask that You prepare our hearts and minds to receive Your important
words for us today.
Liturgist: We welcome Your Holy Spirit to
our sanctuary and hope to be blessed with Your sacred presence. Amen.
Hymn
Prayer of Adoration
and Confession
Guide:
Almighty God, whose
resolve sustains the universe and whose will shapes our lives, we come before
You as Your people, called to worship and glorify Your Everlasting Name. We
want to please You as servants of Your Kingdom, and as followers of Your Holy
Son.
People: Gracious
Father, sometimes we disappoint You with our sinful deeds and selfish ways.
Frequently, we forget to share our faith with other people, or we omit to do
good deeds and kind acts that would witness to Your power in the world. Instead
of following Your words, we make up our own ideas and justify our
misconceptions. Instead of being messengers of Your Gospel, we mess up our
lives, and those of others, through gossip, anger, pride, and vanity. Forgive
us, Lord God, for failing to be sincere servants and genuine Christians. Here
us now as we confess our sins to You alone.
-
SILENCE -
Guide:
Merciful God, instead of
rebuking us, You seek to redeem us; instead of casting us aside, You want to
call us back to Your Son, so that He may become our Savior and Lord. For this,
we are truly thankful, and in Christ’s holy words, we now pray saying, “Our
Father…THE LORD’S PRAYER” (debts/debtors).
Promise of the
Gospel
Guide:
Jesus wants us to come to
Him, to be restored to God’s favor, and proclaim the Kingdom through our
changed lives. He is the Only One, given by God, who can forgive our sins and
welcome us back in God’s service. Let us, therefore, be truly thankful, for
Christ is our Cherished Redeemer and Everlasting King. 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:
In
God, we find our safe place and refuge. All good things originate in His love,
therefore we appeal to His grace for help, healing, and wholeness.
People: Sometimes
our sorrows separate us from God and we feel isolated, vulnerable, and weak.
Our fears cause our faith to falter, and troubles torment our spirits. We seek
assurance and pray for improvement. We long for protection from pain and the
healing of our illnesses.
Pastor:
O
Living Lord, grant us guidance, godly counsel, and invaluable instruction. Heal
us and our loved ones from all that harms us, whether in body, mind, heart or
soul. Hear us now as we pray.
Silent Prayers for ourselves and others. A candle is
lit
Pastor:
May
we delight in the mercy of the Lord and the great gift of His love. In Jesus’
Name, we pray. Amen.
(Healing
Prayer based on words & phrases from Psalm 16)
Singing
of ‘Sanctuary.’
Prayer for
Illumination
Reader:
Holy Spirit, be the
Messenger of Christ’s teaching to us today. Open our hearts and minds to this
proclamation of God’s Kingdom through these sacred words. In Christ’s Holy
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 seek to serve You with our lives
and to follow You through faithful ways. You call us to support the work of
Your Kingdom by giving gifts and offering tithes. Take these tokens of our
gratitude and bless them for Your continuing ministry and mission, both here at
this church, and throughout the world. In Your Holy Name, we give and pray.
Amen.
Hymn
Benediction: May
Christ call us to be messengers of His Gospel to our community; may the Father
keep us faithful to His Everlasting Kingdom; and may the Holy Spirit encourage
us to serve, worship, and glorify the One, Triune, and Living God, both now and
forever. Amen.
Doxology
and Postlude
