ORDER OF WORSHIP February 10, 2016 7:00 p.m. (SILENTLY GATHER) *Congregation Stands (If you prefer, It is acceptable to remain seated.) I acknowledge my transgressions. OPENING READING Nick Robertson To sin is mortal. Only God is perfect. Our greatest weakness is our failure to recognize our spiritual limitations and the inevitableness of sin. Our most common sin is the smug selfsatisfaction that we are not as other people. The selfrighteous are farther from the Kingdom of God than the penitent sinner. He who prays loud and long might not be heard while the sobbing, whispered prayer may open the Fount of Grace. Honest, searching, examination of our faith, of our religious practices, of our sincerity,.and of our soul satisfying experiences is necessary at times to discover and to acknowledge our sins of omission and our sins of commission. Most often it is the habitual sin from failure to lead a full, vibrant, productive religious life which we do not discover and which if we did discover we would not acknowledge before God. CALL TO WORSHIP Nick Robertson Rend your hearts and not your clothing. Return to the Lord, your God. For God is gracious and merciful, God is slow to anger. God is abounding in steadfast love, and he relents from punishing. Come let us draw near to God!
*HYMN: HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD (Hymn #584) (VERSE 1) Thou art the Potter, I am the clay. Mold me and make me after thy will, while I am waiting yielded and still. (VERSE 2) Search me and try me, Master, today! Whiter than snow, Lord, wash me just now, as in thy presence humbly I bow. (VERSE 3) Wounded and weary, help me I pray! Power all power surely is thine! Touch me and heal me, Savior divine! (VERSE 4) Hold o er my being absolute sway! Fill with thy Spirit till all shall see Christ only, always, living in me! WORDS OF EXHORTATION Carole Stuart We beseech you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. For your sake God made to be sin the One who knew no sin, so that in this very one we might become the righteousness of God. For God says, At the acceptable time I have listened to you and helped you on the day of salvation. Now is the acceptable time. Now is the day of salvation. HEBREW SCRIPTURE LESSON: Joel 2:1-2, 12-17a Lois Robertson PSALM OF CONFESSION: Carole Stuart, Lois Robertson Psalm 51
Have mercy on me, O God, according to your steadfast love; you who have great mercy, forgive what I have done. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin! For I know what I have done wrong; my sins are ever before me and heavy on my heart. Against you, God, you only, have I sinned; you who know all things know what I have done. You have every right to judge me for my actions and every right to punish me for them. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. In the time since I was born, I have committed many sins, and done many things which I wish I had not done. God, you want me to be truthful to my very core; therefore, teach me wisdom in the depths of my heart. If you will do it, O God, I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be pure. Fill me with joy and gladness! Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. Then I will lead others to return to you, O God, and learn your ways. Deliver me from my guilt, O God of my salvation, and I will sing aloud of your deliverance. I will sing your praises. You take no delight in sacrifices; you would not be pleased if I were to offer one to you. The sacrifice acceptable to you is a broken spirit; a contrite heart, O God, you will not reject. Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me. Restore to me the joy of your salvation and uphold me with a willing spirit. TIME FOR SILENT PRAYER HYMN: LORD JESUS, THINK ON ME
(Hymn #462) (VERSE 1) Lord Jesus, think on me and purge away my sin; from earthborn passions set me free and make me pure within. (VERSE 2) Lord Jesus, think on me, with care and woe oppressed; let me thy loving servant be and gain thy promised rest. (VERSE 3) Lord Jesus, think on me nor let me go astray; through darkness and perplexity point thou the heavenly way. (VERSE 4) Lord Jesus, think on me, that, when the flood is past, I may th eternal brightness see and share thy joy at last. EPISTLE LESSON: 2 Corinthians 6:3-10 Nick Robertson *HYMN: GLORIA PATRI (Hymn #805) 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. GOSPEL LESSON: Matthew 6:1-6, 16-21 Carole Stuart PASTORAL PRAYER Rev. Don Meekhof BLESSING OF THE ASHES Rev. Don Meekhof May these ashes be to us, O God, an acknowledgment of our wrongdoing and our acceptance of your forgiveness. In these ashes are our prejudices, our impatience, the times we have turned our backs on the suffering of others, our neglect of the environment, our indifference, our materialism, our greed, our hypocrisy, our envy, all of our sins. In these ashes of repentance are the seeds of our forgiveness and our transformation. For God always accepts us and forgives us.
Through our repentance and forgiveness comes transofrmation. May God create within each of us a clean heart and a new and right spirit. IMPOSITION OF ASHES Rev. Don Meekhof *HYMN: JUST AS I AM, WITHOUT ONE PLEA (Hymn #445) (VERSE 1) Just as I am, without one plea but that thy blood was shed for me, and that thou bidd st come to thee, (VERSE 2) Just as I am, and waiting not to rid my soul of one dark blot, to thee whose blood can cleanse each spot, (VERSE 3) Just as I am, though tossed about with many a conflict, many a doubt, fightings and fears within, without, (VERSE 4) Just as I am, poor, wretched, blind, sight, riches, healing of the mind, yea, all I need in thee to find, (VERSE 5) Just as I am, poor, thou wilt receive, wilt welcome, pardon, cleanse, relieve; because thy promise I believe,
~ PLEASE DEPART QUIETLY ~