one God, now and forever. Amen.

HYMN [Blue#][GTG#300] We Are One in the Spirit

1 We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord;

we are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord,

and we pray that all unity may one day be restored:

Refrain

And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love;

yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.

2 We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand;

we will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand,

and together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land: Refrain

3 We will work with each other; we will work side by side;

we will work with each other; we will work side by side,

and we’ll guard human dignity and save human pride:Refrain

4 All praise to the Father, from whom all things come,

and all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s only Son,

REPENTANCE

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful Lord,

We know that your throne is surrounded by the voices of many angels and that you are worshiped by the multitudes of the heavenly host, but we so often fail to join in their “amen.” We do not fall down and worship you as we know we should. We are distracted by our catch, by our high priests, by our mourning, and our doubts. Show yourself to us anew and give us the faith to cast our nets in other waters. Strengthen us to worship you alone as the one on the throne and the Lamb slaughtered for all.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI [Blue#579[ [GTG581]     

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.

THE WORD READ AND PROCLAIMED

1st SCRIPTURE Psalm 30

I will extol you, O Lord , for you have drawn me up, and did not let my foes rejoice over me. O Lord my God, I cried to you for help, and you have healed me. O Lord , you brought up my soul from Sheol, restored me to life from among those gone down to the Pit. Sing praises to the Lord , O you his faithful ones, and give thanks to his holy name. For his anger is but for a moment; his favor is for a lifetime. Weeping may linger for the night, but joy comes with the morning. As for me, I said in my prosperity, “I shall never be moved.” By your favor, O Lord, you had established me as a strong mountain; you hid your face; I was dismayed. To you, O Lord , I cried, and to the Lord I made supplication: “What profit is there in my death, if I go down to the Pit? Will the dust praise you? Will it tell of your faithfulness? Hear, O Lord , and be gracious to me! O Lord , be my helper!” You have turned my mourning into dancing; you have taken off my sackcloth and clothed me with joy, so that my soul may praise you and not be silent. O Lord my God, I will give thanks to you forever.

2nd  SCRIPTURE     Acts 9:1-20    

Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” The men who were traveling with him stood speechless because they heard the voice but saw no one. Saul got up from the ground, and though his eyes were open, he could see nothing; so they led him by the hand and brought him into Damascus. For three days he was without sight, and neither ate nor drank. Now there was a disciple in Damascus named Ananias. The Lord said to him in a vision, “Ananias.” He answered, “Here I am, Lord.” The Lord said to him, “Get up and go to the street called Straight, and at the house of Judas look for a man of Tarsus named Saul. At this moment he is praying, and he has seen in a vision a man named Ananias come in and lay his hands on him so that he might regain his sight.” But Ananias answered, “Lord, I have heard from many about this man, how much evil he has done to your saints in Jerusalem; and here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who invoke your name.” But the Lord said to him, “Go, for he is an instrument whom I have chosen to bring my name before Gentiles and kings and before the people of Israel; I myself will show him how much he must suffer for the sake of my name.” So Ananias went and entered the house. He laid his hands on Saul and said, “Brother Saul, the Lord Jesus, who appeared to you on your way here, has sent me so that you may regain your sight and be filled with the Holy Spirit.” And immediately something like scales fell from his eyes, and his sight was restored. Then he got up and was baptized, and after taking some food, he regained his strength. For several days he was with the disciples in Damascus, and immediately he began to proclaim Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is the Son of God.” 

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON  “Road to Transformation”  CP Ford Dieth

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Apostle’s Creed

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.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY 

DOXOLOGY [GTG#609]

Praise God from whom all blessings flow.

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly host;

PRAYER OF DEDICATION

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER 

HYMN [Blue #][GTG#71] Surely, It Is God Who Saves Me

Refrain:

Surely, it is God who saves me;  I will trust and not be afraid. For the Lord is my stronghold 

and my sure defense, and God will be my Savior.

1 Therefore you shall draw water with rejoicing from the springs of salvation and on that day you shall say, Give thanks to the Lord and call upon God’s name.” Refrain

2 Make God’s deeds known among the peoples; see that they remember that the Lord is exalted. Sing the praises of the Lord, for God has done great things and this is known in all the world. Refrain

3 Cry aloud, inhabitants of Zion; ring out your joy,

for the great one in the midst of you

is the Holy One of Israel. Refrain

PARTING PRAYER   

O gracious and holy God, 

give us diligence to seek you, wisdom to perceive you, 

and patience to wait for you. Grant us, O God, a mind to meditate on you; eyes to behold you; ears to listen for your word; a heart to love you; and a life to proclaim you; through the power of the Spirit of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

RESPONSE [Blue#][GTG#550] Give Praise to the Lord (Psalm 149)

3 In glory exult, all saints of the Lord;

with song in the night high praises accord;

go forth in God’s service and strong in God’s might

to conquer all evil and stand for the right.

POSTLUDE                                   

*Note: the hymn lyrics in the bulletin and on the projection screen are from the Glory To God Hymnal (© 2013 Westminster John Knox Press), which we are transitioning to. Words in the “Blue” Presbyterian Hymnal (© 1990) in your pew may differ slightly. The Scripture quotations contained herein are from the New Revised Standard Version of the Bible, copyright © 1989, Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the U.S.A. Used by Permission. All Rights Reserved.