ORDER OF WORSHIP June 21, 2015 4 th Sunday after Pentecost 12 th Sunday in Ordinary Time / Proper 7 *Congregation Stands (If you prefer, It is acceptable to remain seated.) Welcome to Knox Presbyterian Church! Please sign and pass the Friendship Book located at the end of your pew. If you re a first-time visitor, our prayer is that you will experience the presence of the eternal, as we worship our God together. We invite you to take the time during the prelude to focus your heart and mind in worship. WELCOME & ANNOUNCEMENTS Ryan Moore PRELUDE Prelude on Lasst uns erfreuen Organ Lani Smith Bill Colvin As a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion for those who respect him. For he knows how we were made; he remembers that we are dust. But the steadfast love of the Lord is from everlasting to everlasting on those who respect him, And his righteousness to children s children. CALL TO WORSHIP from Psalm 103 *SONGS OF WORSHIP: FAITH OF OUR FATHERS (Hymn #692) (VERSE 1) Faith of our fathers! living still in spite of dungeon, fire and sword: O how our hearts beat high with joy when e er we hear that glorious word! Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death! (VERSE 2) Faith of our fathers! we will strive
to win all nations unto thee, and through the truth that comes from God, we all shall then be truly free. Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death! (VERSE 3) Faith of our fathers! we will love both friend and foe in all our strife: and preach thee too, as love knows how, by kindly words and virtuous life: Faith of our fathers, holy faith! We will be true to thee till death! IMMORTAL, INVISIBLE, GOD ONLY WISE (Hymn 62) (VERSE 1) Immortal, invisible, God only wise, In light inaccessible hid from our eyes, most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days, almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise. (VERSE 2) Unresting, unhasting, and silent as light, nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might; thy justice like mountains high soaring above thy clouds, which are fountains of goodness and love. (VERSE 3) To all life thou givest, to both great and small; in all life thou livest, the true life of all; we blossom and flourish as leaves on the tree, and wither and perish but naught changeth thee. (VERSE 4) Great Father of glory, pure Father of light, thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight; all praise we would render; O help us to see tis only the splendor of light hideth thee. TIME OF PRAYER Prayer of Confession Kristen Robertson
Almighty God, you despise nothing you have made, and you forgive the sins of all who are penitent. Create in us new and contrite hearts, that, truly repenting of our sins and acknowledging our brokenness, we may obtain from you, the God of all mercy, full pardon and forgiveness, through your Son, Jesus Christ, our Redeemer, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. [Silent Prayer] Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources Assurance of Pardon Return to the Lord your God, for he is gracious and merciful, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love. In Christ, we are forgiven! Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! based on Joel 2:13; 2 Corinthians 9:15, NRSV Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources Kristen Robertson Prayer of Thanksgiving/Dedication God has shown us the meaning of generosity in the beautiful diversity of creation, in the overflowing love of Jesus Christ, in the never-ending gift of the Holy Spirit. God has abundantly blessed us and called us to be a community that honors each other, to serve others with joy, to share our love and material possessions. Let us rejoice in what we have been given and in what is ours to give. OFFERING OF OURSELVES & OUR GIFTS: Reprinted by permission from The Worship Sourcebook, 2004, Faith Alive Christian Resources *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. Bringing our gifts forward and/or lighting a candle Also at this time the children are excused to the back of the sanctuary to attend Junior Chapel. Offertory Minuet Organ G.F. Handel PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE Rev. Don Meekhof *SONG OF WORSHIP: HOW GREAT THOU ART (Hymn #21) (VERSE 1) O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder consider all the worlds thy hands have made, I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder, thy power throughout the universe displayed. (VERSE 2) When through the woods and forest glades I wander and hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees, when I look down from lofty mountain grandeur, and hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze. (VERSE 3) And when I think that God, his Son not sparing, sent him to die, I scarce can take it in, that on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
he bled and died to take away my sin. (VERSE 4) When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation and take me home, what joy shall fill my heart! Then I shall bow in humble adoration, and there proclaim, My God, how great thou art. READING OF THE SCRIPTURES Lois Robertson Hosea 11:1 9 (NIV) When Israel was a child, I loved him, and out of Egypt I called my son. 2 But the more they were called, the more they went away from me. They sacrificed to the Baals and they burned incense to images. 3 It was I who taught Ephraim to walk, taking them by the arms; but they did not realize it was I who healed them. 4 I led them with cords of human kindness, with ties of love. To them I was like one who lifts a little child to the cheek, and I bent down to feed them. 5 Will they not return to Egypt and will not Assyria rule over them because they refuse to repent? 6 A sword will flash in their cities; it will devour their false prophets and put an end to their plans.
7 My people are determined to turn from me. Even though they call me God Most High, I will by no means exalt them. 8 How can I give you up, Ephraim? How can I hand you over, Israel? How can I treat you like Admah? How can I make you like Zeboyim? My heart is changed within me; all my compassion is aroused. 9 I will not carry out my fierce anger, nor will I devastate Ephraim again. For I am God, and not a man the Holy One among you. I will not come against their cities. Luke 15:11 32 (NIV) 15 So he went and hired himself out to a citizen of that country, who sent him to his fields to feed pigs. 16 He longed to fill his stomach with the pods that the pigs were eating, but no one gave him anything. 17 When he came to his senses, he said, How many of my father s hired servants have food to spare, and here I am starving to death! 18 I will set out and go back to my father and say to him: Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son; make me like one of your hired servants. 20 So he got up and went to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. 21 The son said to him, Father, I have sinned against heaven and against you.i am no longer worthy to be called your son. 22 But the father said to his servants, Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. 23 Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let s have a feast and celebrate. 24 For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. So they began to celebrate.
25 Meanwhile, the older son was in the field. When he came near the house, he heard music and dancing. 26 So he called one of the servants and asked him what was going on. 27 Your brother has come, he replied, and your father has killed the fattened calf because he has him back safe and sound. 28 The older brother became angry and refused to go in. So his father went out and pleaded with him. 29 But he answered his father, Look! All these years I ve been slaving for you and never disobeyed your orders. Yet you never gave me even a young goat so I could celebrate with my friends. 30 But when this son of yours who has squandered your property with prostitutes comes home, you kill the fattened calf for him! 31 My son, the father said, you are always with me, and everything I have is yours. 32 But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found. MESSAGE Rev. Don Meekhof The Waiting Father Sermon Text: But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and was filled with compassion for him; he ran to his son, threw his arms around him and kissed him. Luke 15:20b *CLOSING SONG COME, THOU FOUNT OF EVERY BLESSING (Hymn #45) (VERSE 1) Come, thou Fount of every blessing,
tune my heart to sing thy grace; streams of mercy never ceasing, call for songs of loudest praise. Teach me some melodious sonnet, sung by flaming tongues above; praise his name I m fixed upon it name of God s redeeming love. (VERSE 2) Here I raise my Ebenezer, hither by thy help I ve come; and I hope by thy good pleasure, safely to arrive at home. Jesus sought me when a stranger, wandering from the fold of God; he, to rescue me from danger, bought me with his precious blood. (VERSE 3) O to grace how great a debtor daily I m constrained to be! Let thy goodness, like a fetter, bind my wandering heart to thee: prone to wander Lord, I feel it, prone to leave the God I love; here s my heart, O, take and seal it; seal it for thy courts above. BENEDICTION Rev. Don Meekhof POSTLUDE Trumpet Tune Organ Michael A. Johnson * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * In the pulpit today: Don Meekhof is our Temporary Stated Supply pastor. Those words in quotes are the official title given by Presbytery, because with Shared Ministry there is no full-time pastor. However, Don most definitely has a fulltime love for shepherding the flock of Christ and we are blessed to have him with us!