SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

Twelfth Sunday After Pentecost

Aug 28th, 2022 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: Rev. Aaron Ochart       

Liturgist: Ron Palmisano

Bold face indicates congregational participation.

* Please stand, in body or spirit

GATHERING

PRELUDE                                                                                   

*PROCESSIONAL HYMN: Blue #376

 “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling”

1. Love divine, all loves excelling, Joy of heaven to earth come down,

fix in us Thy humble dwelling, All thy faithful mercies crown!

Jesus thou art all compassion, Pure unbounded love Thou art;

Visit us with Thy salvation, Enter every trembling heart.

 

2. Breathe, O Breathe, Thy loving Spirit Into every troubled breast!

Let us all in Thee inherit, Let us find the promised rest;

Take away the love of sinning: Alpha and Omega be;

End of faith as its beginning, set our hearts at liberty.

WORDS OF WELCOME   

ADORATION 

CALL TO WORSHIP             Heb. 13:16       

ONE: Do good and share what you have,

MANY: for such sacrifices are pleasing to God. 

 

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of blessing. You bless us abundantly, yet we try to control your blessings. We so often hord your blessings instead of sharing them with others. We seek to control where your blessings flow, and curse those who do not fit our expectations. Help us to recognize the grace that you have given us despite our sin, and share your blessings with others. Amen.

HYMN                                                “Thy Word”

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path,

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.

 

1. When I feel afraid, and I think I’ve lost my way, 

still you’re there right beside me. 

Nothing Will I fear as long as you are near

please be near me to the end. (chorus)

             

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN

 

 CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Eternal God, our judge and redeemer, we confess that we have tried to hide from you, for we have done wrong. We have lived for ourselves, and apart from you. We have turned from our neighbors, and refused to bear the burdens of others. We have ignored the pain of the world, and passed by the hungry, the poor, and the oppressed. 

In your great mercy forgive our sins and free us from selfishness, that we may choose your will and obey your commandments; through Jesus Christ our Savior. Amen. 

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

*GLORIA PATRI #579 

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.

PROCLAMATION

SCRIPTURE LESSON                                                                  Genesis 9:16-29

The sons of Noah who went out of the ark were Shem, Ham, and Japheth. Ham was the father of Canaan. These three were the sons of Noah; and from these the whole earth was peopled.

 

Noah, a man of the soil, was the first to plant a vineyard. He drank some of the wine and became drunk, and he lay uncovered in his tent. And Ham, the father of Canaan, saw the nakedness of his father, and told his two brothers outside. Then Shem and Japheth took a garment, laid it on both their shoulders, and walked backwards and covered the nakedness of their father; their faces were turned away, and they did not see their father’s nakedness. When Noah awoke from his wine and knew what his youngest son had done to him, he said,

‘Cursed be Canaan;

   lowest of slaves shall he be to his brothers.’

He also said,

‘Blessed by the LORD my God be Shem;

   and let Canaan be his slave.

May God make space for Japheth,

   and let him live in the tents of Shem;

   and let Canaan be his slave.’

 

After the flood Noah lived for three hundred and fifty years. All the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years; and he died.

 

ONE: The Word of the Lord

MANY: Thanks be to God

 

SERMON                           “Implicit Bias”                      The Rev. Aaron Ochart 

RESPONSE     

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                                           Confession of Belhar

We believe that Christ’s work of reconciliation is made manifest in the church as the community of believers who have been reconciled with God and with one another. 

that unity is, therefore, both a gift and an obligation for the church of Jesus Christ; that through the working of God’s Spirit it is a binding force, yet simultaneously a reality which must be earnestly pursued and sought: one which the people of God must continually be built up to attain;

That this unity must become visible so that the world may believe that separation, enmity, and hatred between people and groups is sin which Christ has already conquered, and accordingly that anything which threatens this unity may have no place in the church and must be resisted;

That this unity of the people of God must be manifested and be active in a variety of ways:  in that we love one another; that we experience, practice, and pursue community with one another; that we are obligated to give ourselves willingly and joyfully to be of benefit and blessing to one another; that we share one faith, having one calling, are of one soul and one mind; have one God and Father, are filled with one Spirit, are baptized with one baptism, eat of one bread and drink of one cup, confess one name, and share one hope; together come to know the height and the  depth of the love of Christ; together are built up to the stature of Christ, to the new humanity; together know and bear one another’s burdens, thereby fulfilling the law of Christ; that we need one another and upbuild one another, admonishing and comforting one another; that we suffer with one another for the sake of righteousness; pray together, together serve God in this world; and together fight against all may threaten or hinder this unity;

that this unity can be established only in freedom and not under constraint; that the variety of spiritual gifts, opportunities, backgrounds, convictions, as well as the various languages and cultures, are by virtue of the reconciliation in Christ, opportunities for mutual service and enrichment within the one visible people of God; 

That true faith in Jesus Christ is the only condition for membership of this church;

Therefore we reject any doctrine which absolutizes either natural diversity or the sinful separation of people in such a way that this absolutization hinders or breaks the visible and active unity of the church, or even leads to the establishment of a separate church formation;

which professes that this spiritual unity is truly being maintained in the bond of peace while believers of the same confession are in effect alienated from one another for the sake of diversity and in despair of reconciliation;

which denies that a refusal earnestly to pursue this visible unity as a priceless gift is sin;

which explicitly or implicitly maintains that descent or any other human or social factor should be a consideration in determining membership of the church. 

ANNOUNCEMENTS

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY        Jesus, Joy of Man’s Desiring        arr. F. Campbell-Watson Sharon Fortin and Kelly Cuppett, soloists

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God from whom all blessings flow;

Praise God, all creatures here below;

Praise God above, ye heavenly hosts;

Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen

PRAYERS of the PEOPLE and 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

*HYMN [Blue Hymnal #289]  “O God of Every Nation”

1. O God of every nation, Of every race and land,

Redeem the whole creation With your almighty hand;

Where hate and fear divide us And bitter threats are hurled,

In love and mercy guide us And heal our strife-torn world. 

 

2. From search for wealth and power And scorn of truth and right,

From trust in bombs that shower Destruction through the night,

From pride of race and station And blindness to Your way,

Deliver every nation, Eternal God we pray.

 

3. Lord, strengthen those who labor That all may find release

from fear of rattling saber, From dread of war’s increase;

When hope and courage falter, Your still small voice be heard;

With faith that none can alter, Your servants undergird. 

 

4. Keep bright in us the vision Of days when war shall cease,

When hatred and division Give way to love and peace,

Till dawns the morning glorious When peace on Earth shall reignand 

And Christ shall rule victorious O’er all the world’s domain.

 

*PARTING PRAYER    

Almighty God, by the love of Jesus Christ you draw people to faith, and welcome them into the church family. May we show your joy by embracing new siblings, who with us believe and with us will work to serve you. Keep us close together in your Spirit, breaking bread in faith and love, one with Jesus Christ our Lord and Master. Amen

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE   Fugue in C – Bach

Participating in today’s service are Rev. Aaron Ochart, Pastor; Louise Ochart, CE Leader; Sam Garnett, Music Director; and Kelly Cuppett, Asst. Music Director; and Josh Sierra Delgado, guest musician.  Appreciation to Dennis Lauland, Mike Fortin, and David Garland for the video production of today’s service. 

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.