SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

5th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

June 27, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

  Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Tony Hill                                                  

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE “F Major Prelude”

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP   Matthew 10:40

Welcome one another in Jesus’ name,

for Christ is truly present among us.     

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might. You call us to holiness and righteousness, but we forever fall short of your standard for us. In Jesus Christ you became a human being, to do for us what we could not do for ourselves. Through faith in you, we are given the grace of your righteousness rather than our own. Help us to extend that grace to others, and see them with the eyes of Christ. Amen.

HYMN 13                  “Prepare the Way”

1 Prepare the way, O Zion, your Christ is drawing near!

Let every hill and valley a level way appear.

Greet One who comes in glory, foretold in sacred story.

Refrain: O blest is Christ who came in God’s most holy name.

3 Fling wide your gates, O Zion; your Savior’s rule embrace,

and tidings of salvation proclaim in every place.

All lands will bow rejoicing, their adoration voicing. [Refrain] 

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                         Deuteronomy 14:3-21

You shall not eat any abhorrent thing. These are the animals you may eat: the ox, the sheep, the goat, the deer, the gazelle, the roebuck, the wild goat, the ibex, the antelope, and the mountain-sheep. Any animal that divides the hoof and has the hoof cleft in two, and chews the cud, among the animals, you may eat. Yet of those that chew the cud or have the hoof cleft you shall not eat these: the camel, the hare, and the rock badger, because they chew the cud but do not divide the hoof; they are unclean for you. And the pig, because it divides the hoof but does not chew the cud, is unclean for you. You shall not eat their meat, and you shall not touch their carcasses. Of all that live in water you may eat these: whatever has fins and scales you may eat. And whatever does not have fins and scales you shall not eat; it is unclean for you. You may eat any clean birds. But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the vulture, the osprey, the buzzard, the kite of any kind; every raven of any kind; the ostrich, the nighthawk, the sea gull, the hawk of any kind; the little owl and the great owl, the water hen and the desert owl, the carrion vulture and the cormorant, the stork, the heron of any kind; the hoopoe and the bat. And all winged insects are unclean for you; they shall not be eaten. You may eat any clean winged creature. You shall not eat anything that dies of itself; you may give it to aliens residing in your towns for them to eat, or you may sell it to a foreigner. For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. You shall not boil a kid in its mother’s milk.         

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN   

ANTHEM                   “Morning Has Broken Medley”

Morning has broken Like the first morning, 

Blackbird has spoken like the first bird. 

Praise for the singing! Praise for the morning! 

Praise for them springing Fresh from the Word!

Mine is the sunlight! Mine is the morning 

Born of the one light Eden saw play!

Praise with elation, Praise every morning, 

God’s recreation of the new day!

A mighty fortress is our God, A bulwark never failing;

Our helper He amid the flood Of mortal ills prevailing.

For still our ancient foe Doth seek to work us woe; 

His craft and power are great, And, armed with cruel hate

On earth is not his equal.

And though this world with devils filled, Should threaten to undo us,

We will not fear for God hath willed His truth to triumph through us.

The prince of darkness grim, We tremble not for him; 

His rage we can endure, For lo! his doom is sure, 

One little word shall fell him. 

Lift high the cross, the love of Christ proclaim 

‘Till all the world adore His sacred name.

Come Christians follow where our Savior trod, 

The Lamb victorious, Christ the Son of God.

Second Lesson                                 Acts 10:1-23

In Caesarea there was a man named Cornelius, a centurion of the Italian Cohort, as it was called. He was a devout man who feared God with all his household; he gave alms generously to the people and prayed constantly to God. One afternoon at about three o’clock he had a vision in which he clearly saw an angel of God coming in and saying to him, “Cornelius.” He stared at him in terror and said, “What is it, Lord?” He answered, “Your prayers and your alms have ascended as a memorial before God. Now send men to Joppa for a certain Simon who is called Peter; he is lodging with Simon, a tanner, whose house is by the seaside.” When the angel who spoke to him had left, he called two of his slaves and a devout soldier from the ranks of those who served him, and after telling them everything, he sent them to Joppa. About noon the next day, as they were on their journey and approaching the city, Peter went up on the roof to pray. He became hungry and wanted something to eat; and while it was being prepared, he fell into a trance. He saw the heaven opened and something like a large sheet coming down, being lowered to the ground by its four corners. In it were all kinds of four-footed creatures and reptiles and birds of the air. Then he heard a voice saying, “Get up, Peter; kill and eat.” But Peter said, “By no means, Lord; for I have never eaten anything that is profane or unclean.” The voice said to him again, a second time, “What God has made clean, you must not call profane.” This happened three times, and the thing was suddenly taken up to heaven. Now while Peter was greatly puzzled about what to make of the vision that he had seen, suddenly the men sent by Cornelius appeared. They were asking for Simon’s house and were standing by the gate. They called out to ask whether Simon, who was called Peter, was staying there. While Peter was still thinking about the vision, the Spirit said to him, “Look, three men are searching for you. Now get up, go down, and go with them without hesitation; for I have sent them.” So Peter went down to the men and said, “I am the one you are looking for; what is the reason for your coming?” They answered, “Cornelius, a centurion, an upright and God-fearing man, who is well spoken of by the whole Jewish nation, was directed by a holy angel to send for you to come to his house and to hear what you have to say.” So Peter invited them in and gave them lodging. The next day he got up and went with them, and some of the believers from Joppa accompanied him.             

The Word of God for the People of God

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON                           “Holy Sheet”                The Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                   Heidelberg Catechism: BOC 4.001                

What is your only comfort, in life and in death?

That I belong body and soul, in life and in death not to myself but to my faithful Savior, Jesus Christ, who at the cost of his own blood has fully paid for all my sins and has completely freed me from the dominion of the devil; that he protects me so well that without the will of my Father in heaven not a hair can fall from my head; indeed, that everything must fit his purpose for my salvation. Therefore, by his Holy Spirit, he also assures me of eternal life, and makes me wholeheartedly willing and ready from now on to live for him.

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 485                 “To God Be the Glory”

1 To God be the glory, great things He hath done!

So loved He the world that He gave us His Son,

Who yielded His life an atonement for sin,

And opened the life gate that all may go in.

Refrain:

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the earth hear His voice!

Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, Let the people rejoice!

O come to the Father through Jesus the Son,

And give Him the glory: great things He hath done.

2 Great things He hath taught us, great things He hath done,

And great our rejoicing through Jesus the Son;

But purer, and higher, and greater will be

Our wonder, our transport, when Jesus we see. [Refrain]

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      Toccata in E minor Pachelbel

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

June 20, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

  Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart                                                

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Ariosa in A -J.S Bach                               Diane Bish

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP   Romans 6:3, 11

Through our baptism, we are dead to sin. 

Now we are alive to God in Christ Jesus.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Living Lord, who meets us on the roads that we travel. You reveal yourself in illuminating light, and help us to see ourselves as we really are. Sometimes we are blind, but convinced that we can see. Sometimes we do not want to love our neighbor as ourselves. Help us to see with your eyes and love with your heart. In the name of Jesus the risen Christ, Amen.

HYMN 357                “O Master, Let Me Walk with Thee”

1 O Master, let me walk with Thee In lowly paths of service free;

Tell me Thy secret; help me bear The strain of toil, the fret of care.

2 Help me the slow of heart to move 

By some clear, winning word of love;

Teach me the wayward feet to stay,

And guide them in the homeward 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                                           Acts 9:1-9

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. 

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN    “A Great Story”

ANTHEM                “My Father’s World Medley”

This is my Father’s world, And to my listening ears All

nature sings, and round me rings The music of the spheres.

This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought Of

rocks and trees, of skies and seas; His hand the wonders wrought.

O Master, let me walk with thee in lowly

paths of service free; tell me thy secret;

help me bear the strain of toil, the fret of care.

Teach me thy patience; still with thee in closer,

dearer company, in work that keeps faith

sweet and strong, in trust that triumphs over wrong;

All hail the power of Jesus’ name! Let angels prostate fall;

Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all!

Bring forth the royal diadem, And crown Him Lord of all!

O that with yonder sacred throng We at His feet may fall!

We’ll join the ever lasting song, And crown Him Lord of all!

We’ll join the ever lasting song, And crown Him Lord of all!

What a friend we have in Jesus, All our sins and griefs to bear!

What a privilege to carry Everything to God in prayer!

O what peace we often forfeit, O what needless pain we bear,

All because we do not carry Everything to God in prayer!

Second Lesson                                 Acts 9:10-20

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.”               

The Word of God for the People of God

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON                     “Do What Now?”                The Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE 

REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM

Just as the body is one and has many members, and all the members of the body, though many, are one body, so it is with Christ.

For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body-