ORDER OF WORSHIP September 9, th Sunday after Pentecost/23 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time

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1 ORDER OF WORSHIP September 9, th Sunday after Pentecost/23 rd Sunday in Ordinary Time Please sign and pass the Friendship Book ( pew pad ) where you can also record any prayer requests. Our prayer is that you will experience the presence of the Living God as we worship together. We invite you to focus your heart and mind in worship. * indicates please stand as you are able. WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Tom Tiffany PRELUDE Savior, Like a Shepherd Lead Us Piano William B. Bradbury / arr. Chris Rice Tom Tiffany God of light and truth, you are beyond our grasp or conceiving. Before the brightness of your presence the angels veil their faces. With lowly reverence and adoring love we acclaim your glory and sing your praise, for you have shown us your truth and love in Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen. Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources CALL TO WORSHIP *SONGS OF WORSHIP: GATHER US IN (VERSE 1) Here in this place new light is streaming, now is the darkness vanished away, see in this space our fears and our dreamings, brought here to you in the light of this day. Gather us in the lost and forsaken, gather us in the blind and the lame; call to us now, and we shall awaken, we shall arise at the sound of our name. (VERSE 2) We are the young our lives are a myst ry. We are the old who yearn for your face.

2 We have been sung throughout all of hist ry, called to be light to the whole human race. Gather us in the rich and the haughty, gather us in the proud and the strong; give us a heart so meek and so lowly; give us courage to enter the song. (VERSE 3) Here we will take the wine and the water, here we will take the bread of new birth. Here you shall call your sons and your daughters, call us anew to be salt for the earth. Give us to drink the wine of compassion; give us to eat the bread that is you; nourish us well, and teach us to fashion lives that are holy and hearts that are true. (VERSE 4) Not in the dark of buildings confining, not in some heaven, light-years away: here in this place the new light is shining; now is the kingdom, now is the day. Gather us in and hold us forever; gather us in and make us your own; gather us in, all people together, fire of love in our flesh and our bone. 1982, GIA Publications, Inc., Marty Haugen All rights reserved. OneLicense.net License #A I SING THE MIGHTY POWER OF GOD (Hymn #52) (VERSE 1) I sing the mighty power of God that made the mountains rise, that spread the flowing seas abroad and built the lofty skies. I sing the wisdom that ordained the sun to rule by day; the moon shines full at his command and all the stars obey. (VERSE 2)

3 TIME OF PRAYER I sing the goodness of the Lord that filled the earth with food; he formed the creatures with his word and then pronounced them good. Lord, how your wonders are displayed where'er I turn my eye, if I survey the ground I tread or gaze upon the sky! (VERSE 3) There's not a plant or flower below but makes your glories known; and clouds arise and tempests blow by order from your throne; while all that borrows life from you is ever in your care, and everywhere that I may be, you, God, are present there. Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources Misty Rowley Call to Confession The proof of God s amazing love is this: While we were sinners, Christ died for us. Let us therefore approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. Trusting in God s faithfulness and compassion, let us confess our sin before God and one another. based on Romans 5:8; Hebrews 4:16, NRSV Prayer of Confession Our Father in heaven, we thank you that you have led us into the light. We thank you for sending the Savior to call us from death to life. We confess that we were dead in sin before we heard his call, but when we heard him, like Lazarus, we arose.

4 But, O Father, the grave clothes bind us still. Old habits that we cannot throw off, old customs that are so much a part of our lives that we are helpless to live the new life that Christ calls us to live. Give us strength, O Father, to break the bonds; give us courage to live a new life in you; give us faith to believe that with your help we cannot fail. All this we ask in the name of the Savior who has taught us to come to you. Amen. [Silent Prayer] Declaration of Forgiveness This is the message we have heard from God and proclaim to you, that God is light and in God there is no darkness at all. If we walk in the light, as God is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. from 1 John 1:5, 7, NRSV SONG OF WORSHIP: PLEASE REMAIN SEATED CHRIST BE OUR LIGHT (LONGING FOR LIGHT, WE WAIT IN DARKNESS) (VERSE 1) Longing for light, we wait in darkness. Longing for truth, we turn to you. Make us your own, your holy people, light for the world to see. (REFRAIN) Christ, be our light! Shine in our hearts. Shine through the darkness. Christ, be our light! Shine in your church gathered today. (VERSE 2) Longing for peace, our world is troubled.

5 Longing for hope, many despair. Your word alone has pow'r to save us. Make us your living voice. (REPEAT REFRAIN) (VERSE 3) Longing for food, many are hungry. Longing for water, many still thirst. Make us your bread, broken for others, shared until all are fed. (REPEAT REFRAIN) (VERSE 4) Longing for shelter, many are homeless. Longing for warmth, many are cold. Make us your building, sheltering others, walls made of living stone. (REPEAT REFRAIN) (VERSE 5) Many the gifts, many the people, many the hearts that yearn to belong. Let us be servants to one another, making your kingdom come. (REPEAT REFRAIN) PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Rev. Peter Blank Misty Rowley Reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word worship Companion OFFERING OF OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS Invitation to the Offering Christ gave his own life for the life of the world. As Christ s body, we are called to give our lives for others, stretching out our hands to share the gifts we have received. *Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below

6 Praise him above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. Prayer of Thanksgiving/Dedication Almighty God, We dedicate ourselves to serve you, for you alone are our god. Receive, O God, the gifts we offer, and with these gifts accept the offering of our lives; through Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen. You are invited to bring your offering and/or light a candle at the front or back of the sanctuary. The children are excused at this time to attend Junior Chapel. Offertory Jesus Loves Me Piano William B. Bradbury / arr. Lorie Line READING OF THE SCRIPTURES Aaron Cross Psalm 56:1 11 (NRSV) 1 Be merciful to me, my God, for my enemies are in hot pursuit; all day long they press their attack. 2 My adversaries pursue me all day long; in their pride many are attacking me. 3 When I am afraid, I put my trust in you. 4 In God, whose word I praise in God I trust and am not afraid. What can mere mortals do to me? 5 All day long they twist my words; all their schemes are for my ruin. 6 They conspire, they lurk, they watch my steps, hoping to take my life. 7 Because of their wickedness do not let them escape; in your anger, God, bring the nations down. 8 Record my misery; list my tears on your scroll are they not in your record?

7 9 Then my enemies will turn back when I call for help. By this I will know that God is for me. 10 In God, whose word I praise, in the Lord, whose word I praise 11 in God I trust and am not afraid. What can man do to me? 1 John 1:1 7 (NIV) 1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked at and our hands have touched this we proclaim concerning the Word of life. 2 The life appeared; we have seen it and testify to it, and we proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and has appeared to us. 3 We proclaim to you what we have seen and heard, so that you also may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son, Jesus Christ. 4 We write this to make our joy complete. 5 This is the message we have heard from him and declare to you: God is light; in him there is no darkness at all. 6 If we claim to have fellowship with him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live out the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, purifies us from all sin. MESSAGE Finding Light in a Cave Bill Robinson *SONG OF WORSHIP: CHRIST, WHOSE GLORY FILLS THE SKIES (Hymn #562) (VERSE 1) Christ, whose glory fills the skies, Christ, the true, the only light,

8 Sun of righteousness, arise, triumph over shades of night: Dayspring from on high, be near, Daystar, in my heart appear! (VERSE 2) Dark and cheerless is the dawn till your glories shine on me: joyless is the day s return till your mercy s beams I see: as they inward light impart, cheer my eyes and warm my heart. (VERSE 3) Visit then this soul of mine, pierce the gloom of sin and grief; fill me, radiancy divine, scatter all my unbelief: more and more yourself display, shining to the perfect day! BENEDICTION Rev. Bill Robinson POSTLUDE In Christ Alone (My Hope is Found) Stuart Townend and Keith Getty / arr. Victor Labenske * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * Piano In the pulpit today: Bill Robinson is president emeritus of Whitworth University in Spokane, Washington. He served as Whitworth's 17th president, from 1993 to 2010, after serving as president of Manchester University, in Indiana, from 1986 to Bill is married to Bonnie Robinson, principal organist at the First Presbyterian Church of Spokane. They have three married children and six grandchildren. Their daughter Brenna has filled our pulpit in the past and will be preaching here again later this month. Today s Lectionary Readings Song of Solomon 2:8 13 James 1:17 27 Psalm 45:1 2, 6 9 Mark 7:1 8, 14 15, 21 23

9 Questions for Reflection My beloved speaks and says to me, Arise, my love, my fair one, and come away (Song 2:10). Song of Solomon portrays a vivid picture of romantic love in poetic form. Can you recall an experience of romantic love? In what ways does romantic love parallel our relationship with Christ? In what ways is it different? Household Prayer: Morning Beloved Savior, my heart overflows with your goodness. The night has passed. The morning has come. Your voice calls me to arise and come with you into this new day. Let your love strengthen me to answer your call and follow you, caring for those in need of your love. Amen. Household Prayer: Evening Christ, Beloved One, I desired to keep pace with your steps of love today, but I found my mind wandering, my feet straying, my heart forgetting your love. Gather me again in your gracious embrace and renew my strength as I rest in your love this night. Amen. The Morning & Evening Household Prayers and Questions for Reflection are reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word Worship Companion. 2015