CALL TO WORSHIP                                                                    Isa. 12:2         

ONE: Surely God is our salvation;

MANY: Trust in the Lord and do not be afraid.                                                       

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of all people, Show us how to let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an every-flowing stream. Create justice and righteousness in us, that all may rejoice in your blessings. Amen.

HYMN                              “Together We Serve”

1. Together we serve, united by love,

inviting God’s World to the glorious feast.

We work and we pray through sorrow and joy,

extending God’s love to the last and the least.  

2. We seek to become a beacon of hope,

a lamp for the heart and a light for the feet.

We learn, year by year, to let love shine through

until we see Christ in each person we meet. 

3. We welcome the scarred, the wealthy, the poor,

the busy, the lonely, and all who need care.

We offer a home to those who will come,

our hands quick to help, our hearts ready to dare.

4. We gather, by grace, we witness and work,

remembering Jesus, in whom we grow strong.

Together we serve in Spirit and truth,

 Remembering love is the strength of our song. 

 CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

Merciful God, we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart. We have failed to be an obedient church. We have not done your will, we have broken your law, we have rebelled against your love. We have not loved our neighbors, and we have refused to hear the cry of the needy.

Forgive us, we pray. Free us for joyful obedience; through Jesus Christ our Lord. 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

FIRST LESSON                                                          John 7:10-18, 37-44                                                                                                                                                                                                                  

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN    

ANTHEM                             Author of Justice                      Jordan/Larson

Author of justice, on time’s endless page, 

Your theme is justice in race, creed and age;                                                                                  Justice for women, for children, for men.  

Stewards of justice, we pledge our “Amen.”                                                                                        Where there is someone unfairly accused, 

where there is strength and in power abused,                                                                                   Where prejudice lives, and dignity dies, 

lead us to action courageous and wise.                                                                                                 Let it be written we sang freedom’s song, 

challenging rights that are morally wrong.                                                                                      From rage and chaos, to hope and control, 

Author of justice, heal our wounds, make us whole.                                                                             Friends of the helpless, of victims in need, 

foes of intolerance, hatred and greed;                                                                                             May we move mountains, as faith lights our way.  

Brighter tomorrows are born of today.                                                                                           Author of justice, your message impart, 

till loving kindness redeems ev’ry heart;                                                                                                     And earth embraces her new destiny,

 justice for everyone with true equity.  Amen.

 

        

SECOND LESSON                                         Amos 1:1-2; 5:14-15, 21-24

The words of Amos, who was among the shepherds of Tekoa, which he saw concerning Israel in the days of King Uzziah of Judah and in the days of King Jeroboam son of Joash of Israel, two years before the earthquake. And he said: The Lord roars from Zion, and utters his voice from Jerusalem; the pastures of the shepherds wither, and the top of Carmel dries up.

Seek good and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, just as you have said. Hate evil and love good,

and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

I hate, I despise your festivals, and I take no delight in your solemn assemblies. Even though you offer me your burnt offerings and grain offerings, I will not accept them; and the offerings of well-being of your fatted animals. I will not look upon. Take away from me the noise of your songs; I will not listen to the melody of your harps. But let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream.

      

SERMON                         “Empty Devotion”               Rev. Aaron Ochart 

 RESPONSE     

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                   Brief Statement of Faith: Lines 1-8, 20-26, 27-27-41, 52-57, 77-80

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.

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY      “God of Wonders” arr. Carol Tornquist             

*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. 

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 434          “Today We All Are Called to Be Disciples”

1. Today we are all called to be Disciples of the Lord,

To help to set the captives free, Make plow-share out of sword,

To feed the hungry, quench their thirst, Make love and peace our fast,

To serve the poor and homeless first, Our ease and comfort last.

1. God made the world and at its birth Ordained our human race

To live as stewards of the earth, Responding to God’s grace.

But we are vain and sadly proud, We sow not peace but strife,

Our discord spreads a deadly cloud That threatens all of life.

1. Pray justice may come rolling down As in a mighty stream,

With righteousness in field and town To cleanse us and redeem.

For God is longing to restore An earth where conflicts cease,

A world that was created for A harmony of peace.

1. May we in service to our God Act out the living word,

And walk the road the saints have trod Till all have seen and heard.

As stewards of the earth may we Give thanks in one accord

To God who calls us all to be Disciples of the Lord.

1. Together we serve, united by love,

inviting God’s World to the glorious feast.

We work and we pray through sorrow and joy,

extending God’s love to the last and the least.  

2. We seek to become a beacon of hope,

a lamp for the heart and a light for the feet.

We learn, year by year, to let love shine through

until we see Christ in each person we meet. 

3. We welcome the scarred, the wealthy, the poor,

the busy, the lonely, and all who need care.

We offer a home to those who will come,

our hands quick to help, our hearts ready to dare.

4. We gather, by grace, we witness and work,

remembering Jesus, in whom we grow strong.

Together we serve in Spirit and truth,

Remembering love is the strength of our song. 

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON                                                               John 12:27-36

 “Now my soul is troubled. And what should I say—‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it is for this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.” The crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, “An angel has spoken to him.” Jesus answered, “This voice has come for your sake, not for mine. Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be driven out. And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” He said this to indicate the kind of death he was to die. The crowd answered him, “We have heard from the law that the Messiah remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, so that the darkness may not overtake you. If you walk in the darkness, you do not know where you are going. While you have the light, believe in the light, so that you may become children of light.” 

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN    

ANTHEM                  “Softly and Tenderly”               Charles McCartha

Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me.

With open arms He is waiting and watching, watching for you and for me.

Come home, come home, you who are weary, come home.

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, calling, “O sinner, come home!”

Why should we linger when Jesus is pleading, 

pleading for you and for me?

Why turn away when He offers His mercy, mercy for you and for me?

Come home, come home, you who are weary, come home.

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, calling, “O sinner, come home!”

O for the wonderful love He has promised, promised for you and for me!

Though we have sinned He brings mercy and pardon, 

pardon for you and for me.

Come home, come home, you who are weary, come home.

Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling, calling, “O sinner, come home!”

SECOND LESSON                                                       1 Kings 19:1-18

ONE: The Words of God for the People of God

MANY: Thanks be to God

SERMON       “What Are You Doing Here?”          Rev. Aaron Ochart 

 RESPONSE   

PRAYER OF BLESSING                                                                        

ONE: O Lord, bless the signs of our heritage we have presented today and bless the people of the clans and families which they signify. May we strive to live up to the very highest ideals they represent.

MANY: Bless us that we may be a blessing, O Lord.

ONE: We thank you, God, for your Word which has ordained a rich heritage of faith and sacrifice from our ancestors: from Adam to Noah, from Noah to Abraham, from Abraham to David, so onward to the incarnation of Jesus, to the establishment of his church: our brothers and sisters in Christ everywhere. Never let us forget that a heritage of faith is a joy to be shared.

MANY: Bless us that we may be a blessing, O Lord.

ONE: Thank you, O God, for the blessings of family; the warmth, comfort, and security of family love. Never let us forget that our family love is a gift to be shared with kin and stranger.

MANY: Bless us that we may be a blessing, O Lord.

ONE: We praise you, O God, for those who have lived and died in Christ. We especially those who have died in the last year: Randall Patrick Antill, Dorothy Egan, Alba Hill, James Kennedy III, Julie Laporte, Eloyease Lybrand, The Rev. Michael Benjamin Mann, Bill Memmott, Mildred Miley, Joann Chastain Nunguesser, and Charlotte Diane Parry.

MANY: Bless us that we may be a blessing, O Lord.

ONE: On behalf of all clans, families, and nations, we stand before God in gratitude for our heritage, and we pray God’s blessings on all beloved children in all lands.

MANY: We proclaim that we are united in the covenant of Jesus, the Christ, for there is but one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of us all. Amen.

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                               Confession of Belhar

We believe that God has entrusted the church with the message of reconciliation in and through Jesus Christ; 

that the church is called to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, that the church is called blessed because it is a peacemaker, that the church is witness both by word and by deed to the new heaven and the new earth in which righteousness dwells…

that the credibility of this message is seriously affected and its beneficial work obstructed when it is proclaimed in a land which professes to be Christian, but in which the enforced separation of people on a racial basis promotes and perpetuates alienation, hatred and enmity…

Therefore, we reject any doctrine which, in such a situation sanctions in the name of the gospel or of the will of God the forced separation of people on the grounds of race and color and thereby in advance obstructs and weakens the ministry and experience of reconciliation in Christ. 

RECEIVING OF TITHES AND OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY          

*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. 

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…

According to Christ’s commandment:

We remember his death, we proclaim his resurrection, we await his coming glory…

The gifts of God for the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION  

HYMN 563            “Lift Every Voice and Sing” 

1. Lift every voice and sing till earth and heaven ring,

ring with the harmonies of liberty.

Let our rejoicing rise high as the listening skies;

let it resound loud as the rolling sea.

Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us;

sing a song full of the hope that the present has brought us.

Facing the rising sun of our new day begun,

let us march on, till victory is won.

2. Stony the road we trod, bitter the chastening rod,

felt in the days when hope unborn had died.

Yet, with a steady beat, have not our weary feet

come to the place for which our parents sighed?

We have come over a way that with tears has been watered;

we have come, treading our path through the blood of the slaughtered,

out from the gloomy past, till now we stand at last

where the white gleam of our bright star is cast.

PARTING PRAYER    

Almighty God, you have knit together your elect in one communion and fellowship in the mystical body of Christ our Lord. Give us grace to follow your blessed saints in all virtuous and godly living that we may come to those ineffable joys that you have prepared for those who truly love you; through Jesus Christ our Savior, who with you and the Holy Spirit lives and reigns, one God, in glory everlasting. Amen.

*CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

*BENEDICTION RESPONSE (#596)  “May the Lord, Mighty God”

May the Lord, mighty God, bless and keep you forever;

grant you peace, perfect peace, courage in every endeavor.

Lift up your eyes and see God’s face, full of grace forever.

May the Lord, mighty God, bless and keep you forever. 

POSTLUDE    “Improvisation on SINE NOMINE”