Order of worship 06/13/2021
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
3rd Sunday after Pentecost
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
June 13, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart
Liturgist: Dennis Price
Please silence all cell phones.
Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting
Bold face indicates congregational participation
GATHERING
WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE “Psalm” Gordon Young
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP Mark 4:31-32
The kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed;
it grows into a great plant with many branches.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of all nations, tribes, and peoples. You continue to call your church to the ends of the earth, to the other side of the country, to the other side of the tracks, across the street, and across the aisle. You draw us alongside one another to listen and learn, and to be united as one body from every tribe and tongue and nation. Help us to celebrate in our unity and diversity. Amen.
HYMN 398 “There’s a Sweet Spirit”
There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,
and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
there are sweet expressions on each face,
and I know it is the presence of the Lord.
Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove,
stay right here with us, filling us with your love;
and for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived
when we shall leave this place.
There are blessings you cannot receive
‘till you know him in his fullness and believe;
you’re the one to profit when you say,
“I am going to walk with Jesus all the way.”
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made.
Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI 579
PROCLAMATION
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 53:7-12
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
ANTHEM “For the Beauty Medley” Arr. Sandra Cranfill
For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the wonder of each hour Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun, and moon, and stars of light,
Lord of all to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
Come, Christians join to sing Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ the King; AlleluiaA Amen.
Let all, with heart and voice, Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice; Alleluia! Amen!
Come, lift your hearts on high; Let praises fill the sky;
He is our guide and friend; To us He’ll condescend;
His love shall never end; Alleluia! Amen!
Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the gloom of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
Mortals, join this happy chorus Which the morning stars began;
Love divine is reigning o’er us, Joining all in heaven’s plan.
Ever singing, merch we onward, Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us sunward In the triumph song of life.
Second Lesson Acts 8:26-40
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
The Word of God for the People of God
Thanks be to God.
SERMON “What is to Prevent Me?” The Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE 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 467 “How Great Thou Art”
1 O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hands hath made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Refrain:Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art, how great thou art!
2 When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
I 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;
3 But 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;
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!”
PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Nels Ferré (1908-1971)
Come, O Holy Spirit. Come as Holy Fire and burn in us, come as Holy Wind and cleanse us within, come as Holy Light and lead us in the darkness, come as Holy Truth and dispel our ignorance, come as Holy Power and enable our weakness, come as Holy Life, and dwell in us.
Convict us, convert us, consecrate us, until we are set free from the service of ourselves, to be your servants to the world. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Joy Unceasing and Infinite Praise” Tom Birchwood
Order of Worship; June 6, 2021
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
2nd Sunday after Pentecost
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
June 6, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart
Liturgist: Lynne Sens
Please silence all cell phones.
Face Masks must be worn at all times.
Bold face indicates congregational participation.
GATHERING
WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE Prelude in G Major by J.S. Bach
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive) Matthew 9:13
The Lord desires mercy, not sacrifice.
Jesus calls not the righteous, but sinners.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of mystery, you ask us not to conform to the current patterns of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. You have given us your Word made Flesh in Jesus Christ, you have given us your Word Written in Scripture, and call us to listen to your Word Proclaimed. We do not always want to hear your Word, which always calls us away from ourselves and towards your holiness, away from our darkness and towards your resonating light. Help us to listen, to question, and to be transformed. Amen.
HYMN 397 “O For a Closer Walk with God”
CONFESSION
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made.
Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI 579
PROCLAMATION
FIRST LESSON Romans 12:1-8
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
ANTHEM “Be Still My Soul” Arr. Lloyd Larson
Be still my soul: the Lord is on your side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God, to order and provide;
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still my soul: your best, your heav’nly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still my soul: your God will undertake
To guide the future as He has the past;
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Be still my soul: be still.
SECOND LESSON Acts 5:27-42
When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them, “Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!” They were convinced by him, and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
SERMON “Gadfly” Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH From the Brief Statement of Faith
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, Fully human, fully God.
Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.
We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation.
We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church.
With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise…
…Therefore with all creation we sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest…
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again…
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
HYMN 525 “Here I Am,Lord”
PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Nels Ferré (1908-1971)
Come, O Holy Spirit. Come as Holy Fire and burn in us, come as Holy Wind and cleanse us within, come as Holy Light and lead us in the darkness, come as Holy Truth and dispel our ignorance, come as Holy Power and enable our weakness, come as Holy Life, and dwell in us.
Convict us, convert us, consecrate us, until we are set free from the service of ourselves, to be your servants to the world. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Lord of all Life by Edward Broughton