LARGE PRINT BULLETIN WESTMINSTER PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH Knowing Christ..Making Christ Known February 24, 2019 9:45 A.M. Traditional GATHERING THOUGHT Pronouncing a blessing puts you as close to God as you can get. To learn to look with compassion on everything that is; to see past the terrifying demons outside to the bawling hearts within; to take the first move toward the other, however many times it takes to get close; to open your arms to what is instead of waiting until it is what it should be; to surrender the justice of your own cause for mercy; to surrender the priority of your own safety for love this is to land at God s breast. Barbara Brown Taylor, An Altar in the World
ORDER FOR THE WORSHIP OF GOD February 24, 2019 9:45 A.M. PRELUDE Prelude and Prayer Bach-Frank WELCOME (Please sign and pass the Friendship Pad in your pew.) CHORAL INTROIT Sing, Sing, Sing, Sing! Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing to the Lord, sing and rejoice, Alleluia. Sing, sing, sing, sing, sing to the Lord, sing to the Lord, your God. Clap, clap, clap, clap, Through all your life long, with notes clear and true, Let God be our song, and let the music begin in you. Sing, sing, sing, sing, CALL TO WORSHIP: (from Psalm 37) Leader: Trust in the LORD, and do good; so you will live in the land and be secure. People: Take delight in the LORD, and God will give you the desires of your heart. Leader: Commit your way to the LORD; trust in God, and He will act. People: God will make your vindication shine like the light, and the justice of Your cause like the noonday. Leader: Be patient before the LORD, and wait patiently for Him. People: For the LORD is our God. Let us worship and praise the LORD!
HYMN #450 Be Thou My Vision (stand if able) Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart; Naught be all else to me, save that thou art; Thou my best thought, by day or by night, Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light. Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true Word; I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord; Thou my soul s shelter, and thou my high tower; Raise thou me heavenward, O Power of my power. Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise; Thou mine inheritance, now and always; Thou and thou only, first in my heart, High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art. High King of Heaven, my victory won, May I reach heaven s joys, O bright heaven s Sun! Heart of my own heart, whatever befall, Still be my vision, O Ruler of all. UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION Merciful God, we confess that we have not followed Your ways or trusted Your promises. We love only those who love us; we show kindness only to those who are kind to us; we give only when we expect to receive in return. Forgive us, LORD. Fill our hearts with Your selfless love. Change our lives by Your matchless grace. Let us be channels of Your forgiveness, even as we cherish what it is to be forgiven ourselves. We pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior....(time for us to offer silent prayers of confession)
ASSURANCE OF PARDON Pastor: People: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel. In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. RESPONSE #582 Glory to God (please stand if able) Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me, and to the Son, Whose grace has pardoned me, And to the Spirit, whose love has set me free. World without end, without end. Amen. World without end, without end. Amen. World without end, without end. Amen. As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen. APOSTLES CREED (please stand if able) I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, and in Jesus Christ His only Son our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary, suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead and buried; He descended into hell; the third day He rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty; from thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. I believe in the Holy Ghost, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. SPECIAL MUSIC Amani Utupe KidsJAM Grant us peace; give us courage. Hallelujah, hallelujah!
THOUGHT FOR CHILDREN CONGREGATIONAL GREETING The Peace of Christ MINUTE FOR MISSION Endowment Rich Birkenmaier PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD S PRAYER.Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be Thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for Thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever, Amen. OFFERTORY O Magnify the Lord With Me Lynn O magnify the Lord with me, and let us exalt His name together, let us exalt His name together. Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Hallelujah, Amen. DOXOLOGY (please stand if able) Praise God from whom all blessings flow. Praise Him all creatures here below. Praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. UNISON PRAYER OF DEDICATION (from Feasting on the Word) Holy God, bless these gifts that we have given as expression of our love for You and our neighbors, that they may bring closer to fulfillment Your reign of peace and love; through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSON Luke 6: 27-38 (Page 838) But I say to you that listen, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. If anyone strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also; and from anyone who takes away your coat do not withhold even your shirt. Give to everyone who begs from you; and if anyone takes away your goods, do not ask for them again. Do to others as you would have them do to you. If you love those who love you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners love those who love them. If you do good to those who do good to you, what credit is that to you? For even sinners do the same. If you lend to those from whom you hope to receive, what credit is that to you? Even sinners lend to sinners, to receive as much again. But love your enemies, do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return. Your reward will be great, and you will be children of the Most High; for he is kind to the ungrateful and the wicked. Be merciful, just as your Father is merciful. Do not judge, and you will not be judged; do not condemn, and you will not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap; for the measure you give will be the measure you get back. Pastor: The Word of the Lord. People: Thanks be to God. SERMON What s the Price of Gold These Days Don Lincoln
HYMN #445 God, How Can We Forgive? (please stand if able) God, how can we forgive when bonds of love are torn? How can we rise and start anew, our trust reborn? When human loving fails and every hope is gone, your love gives strength beyond our own to face the dawn. When we have missed the mark, and tears of anguish flow, how can you still release our guilt, the debt we owe? The ocean depth of grace surpasses all our needs. A priest who shares our human pain, Christ intercedes. Who dares to throw the stone to damn another s sin, when you, while knowing all our past, forgive again? No more we play the judge, for by your grace we live. As you, O God, forgive our sin, may we forgive. BENEDICTION POSTLUDE Postlude in Classic Style Young Thank you for worshipping with us via live stream this morning.