ORDER OF WORSHIP May 27, 2018 Trinity Sunday 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 Rev. Peter Blank PRELUDE Come, O Thou Traveler Unknown Organ trad. Scottish Rev. Peter Blank Since we are justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have obtained access to this grace in which we stand; and we boast in our hope of sharing the glory of God. And not only that, but we also boast in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not disappoint us, because God s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit that has been given to us. In the shadow of God s peace, in the powerful name of Jesus, and with the hope of the Holy Spirit, let us worship God. CALL TO WORSHIP based on Romans 5:1-5, NRSV Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources *SONGS OF WORSHIP: COME THOU ALMIGHTY KING (Hymn #5) (VERSE 1) Come, thou Almighty King, help us thy name to sing, help us to praise: Father, all glorious, O er all victorious, come, and reign over us, Ancient of Days. (VERSE 2)
Come, thou Incarnate Word, gird on thy mighty sword, our prayer attend: come, and thy people bless, and give thy word success: Spirit of holiness, on us descend. (VERSE 3) Come, Holy Comforter, thy sacred witness bear in this glad hour: thou who almighty art, now rule in every heart, and ne er from us depart, Spirit of power. (VERSE 4) To thee, great One in Three, eternal praises be hence, evermore! Thy sovereign majesty may we in glory see, and to eternity love and adore! HOLY, HOLY, HOLY! LORD GOD ALMIGHTY (Hymn #2) (VERSE 1) Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! Early in the morning our song shall rise to thee; Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity! (VERSE 2) Holy, holy, holy! All the saints adore thee, casting down their golden crowns around the glassy sea; cherubim and seraphim falling down before thee, which wert and art, and evermore shalt be. (VERSE 3) Holy, holy, holy! Though the darkness hide thee, though the eye of sinful flesh thy glory may not see; only thou art holy; there is none beside thee, perfect in power in love and purity. (VERSE 4) Holy, holy, holy! Lord God Almighty! All thy works shall praise thy name in earth and sky and sea; Holy, holy, holy! Merciful and mighty! God in three persons, blessed Trinity.
Walter Welch Call to Confession Let us confess our sins to the One who gives life eternally. TIME OF PRAYER Prayer of Confession Holy God, we know that you are always there to lead us, yet we somehow lose our way and fall back into fear. We confess that we have stumbled, and we recognize our need for you to lift us up and help us start again. Forgive us our failings, restore us to strength, and reconcile us with you, ourselves, and each other, through the power of Christ and the gift of your Spirit. Amen. [Silent Prayer] Declaration of Forgiveness Sisters and brothers, hear the good news: We did not receive the spirit of slavery, but rather the spirit of adoption. Your guilt has departed; your sin is blotted out, for you are God s beloved children forgiven, loved, and free. May God s peace be with you. And also with you. Reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word worship Companion. 2015 SONG OF WORSHIP: PLEASE REMAIN SEATED SEARCH ME, O GOD (Hymn #460) (VERSE 1) Search me, O God, and know my heart today; try me, O Savior, know my thoughts, I pray. See if there be some wicked way in me; cleanse me from every sin and set me free.
(VERSE 2) I praise thee, Lord, for cleansing me from sin; fulfill thy Word and make me pure within. Fill me with fire where once I burned with shame; grant my desire to magnify thy name. (VERSE 3) Lord, take my life and make it wholly thine; fill my poor heart with thy great love divine. Take all my will, my passion, self, and pride; I now surrender, Lord in me abide. (VERSE 4) O Holy Spirit, revival comes from thee; send a revival start the work in me. Thy Word declares thou wilt supply our need; for blessings now, O Lord, I humbly plead. PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Rev. Peter Blank OFFERING OF OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS Walter Welch Reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word worship Companion. 2015 Invitation to the Offering For God so loved the world that he gave his only Son, so that all who love him may have life eternally. With loving hearts, let us bring our offerings to God. *Doxology Praise God from whom all blessings flow; Praise him, all creatures here below Praise him above ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son and Holy Ghost. Amen. Prayer of Thanksgiving/Dedication Holy God, your love overflows in the gift of your Spirit. Bless these gifts that we offer that they may spread your blessing in a world of hurt and need; in Christ s name. Amen.
Reprinted by permission of Westminster John Knox Press from Feasting on the Word worship Companion. 2015 You may 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 Come, Christians, Join to Sing trad. Spanish Organ READING OF THE SCRIPTURES Psalm 103:1 6, 8 14 (NRSV) Laverne Meekhof 1 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name. 2 Bless the Lord, O my soul, and do not forget all his benefits 3 who forgives all your iniquity, who heals all your diseases, 4 who redeems your life from the Pit, who crowns you with steadfast love and mercy, 5 who satisfies you with good as long as you live so that your youth is renewed like the eagle s. 6 The Lord works vindication and justice for all who are oppressed. 8 The Lord is merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. 9 He will not always accuse, nor will he keep his anger forever. 10 He does not deal with us according to our sins, nor repay us according to our iniquities. 11 For as the heavens are high above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him; 12 as far as the east is from the west, so far he removes our transgressions from us. 13 As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who fear him. 14 For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. John 10:1 10 (NRSV) Christie Hand
1 Very truly, I tell you, anyone who does not enter the sheepfold by the gate but climbs in by another way is a thief and a bandit. 2 The one who enters by the gate is the shepherd of the sheep. 3 The gatekeeper opens the gate for him, and the sheep hear his voice. He calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. 4 When he has brought out all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. 5 They will not follow a stranger, but they will run from him because they do not know the voice of strangers. 6 Jesus used this figure of speech with them, but they did not understand what he was saying to them. 7 So again Jesus said to them, Very truly, I tell you, I am the gate for the sheep. 8 All who came before me are thieves and bandits; but the sheep did not listen to them. 9 I am the gate. Whoever enters by me will be saved, and will come in and go out and find pasture. 10 The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. MESSAGE Rev. Don Meekhof Being Mortal and More Sermon Text: The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly. John 10:10 (NRSV) *SONG OF WORSHIP: THE SOLID ROCK (Hymn #517) (VERSE 1) My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus blood and righteousness; I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus name.
(REFRAIN) On Christ the solid Rock I stand; all other ground is sinking sand; all other ground is sinking sand. (VERSE 2) When darkness veils his lovely face, I rest on his unchanging grace; in every high and stormy gale my anchor holds within the veil. (REPEAT REFRAIN) (VERSE 3) His oath, his covenant, his blood support me in the whelming flood; when all around my soul gives way he then is all my hope and stay. (REPEAT REFRAIN) (VERSE 4) When he shall come with trumpet sound, O may I then in him be found, dressed in his righteousness alone, faultless to stand before the throne. (REPEAT REFRAIN) BENEDICTION Rev. Don Meekhof POSTLUDE Lord of our Life Organ Lani Smith * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In the pulpit today: Don Meekhof is our Pastor Emeritus. Don and his wife Laverne have 3 children and 9 grandchildren. Now that he is retired and participating in Shared Ministry as a layperson, Don serves on the Congregational Care Team. We are blessed to have him with us! Today s Lectionary Readings
Isaiah 6:1 8 Romans 8:12 17 Psalm 29 John 3:1 17 Questions for Reflection Jesus invites us to be born from above to receive new and abundant life. Salvation, or abundant life, is understood as a present reality in the Gospel of John. If the gift of God s love made known to us in Christ through the Spirit is stirred up by gratitude, what daily practice could increase your sense of gratitude? How could a simple practice of thanking God at any given moment in the day enliven your experience of salvation? Household Prayer: Morning Life-giving God, awaken me to your threefold presence in the world this day that I may share your love with others as freely as you have done for us in Christ. Amen. Household Prayer: Evening Abba, I give thanks for the immeasurable gifts of this day, above all, for the gift of your love made known in Christ. How grateful I am that by his love I am counted as a precious member of your family. Mere words cannot convey the wonder of this love. 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