Order of Worship; August 15, 2021

Posted on Aug 13, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

12th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 15, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

 Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Jeremy Moore                                                   

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

*Please Stand in body or spirit

 

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE                      “Aria – Brian Solomons”

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP                                                     Isaiah 56.1

Maintain justice, and do what is right.

God our Savior is coming soon.                                               

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God for those who know you and those who do not. In you we live and move and have our being. You have laid the foundation of faith in all those who trust you, and all those who do not yet trust you. Give us the courage to serve all your children. Amen.

HYMN 415                      “Come, Labor On”

Come, Labor on. Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain

while all around us waves the golden grain? 

And to each servant does the Master say, “Go work today.”

 

Come, labor on. No time for rest, till glows the western sky,

till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,

and a glad sound comes with the setting sun, “Well done, well done!”

CALL TO CONFESSION        

SILENT CONFESSION                                                          

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves, as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. 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                               Romans 1:16-25 NRSV 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel; it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who has faith, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed through faith for faith; as it is written, ‘The one who is righteous will live by faith.’

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and wickedness of those who by their wickedness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them, because God has shown it to them. Ever since the creation of the world his eternal power and divine nature, invisible though they are, have been understood and seen through the things he has made. So they are without excuse; for though they knew God, they did not honor him as God or give thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their senseless minds were darkened. Claiming to be wise, they became fools; and they exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images resembling a mortal human being or birds or four-footed animals or reptiles.

Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity, to the degrading of their bodies among themselves, because they exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever! Amen.                              

                                  

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN   “Right Where It Is Supposed to Be”

ANTHEM                           “Blessings”

SECOND LESSON                                        Acts 17:16-34

While Paul was waiting for them in Athens, he was greatly distressed to see that the city was full of idols. So he reasoned in the synagogue with both Jews and God-fearing Greeks, as well as in the marketplace day by day with those who happened to be there. A group of Epicurean and Stoic philosophers began to debate with him. Some of them asked, “What is this babbler trying to say?” Others remarked, “He seems to be advocating foreign gods.” They said this because Paul was preaching the good news about Jesus and the resurrection. Then they took him and brought him to a meeting of the Areopagus, where they said to him, “May we know what this new teaching is that you are presenting? You are bringing some strange ideas to our ears, and we would like to know what they mean.” (All the Athenians and the foreigners who lived there spent their time doing nothing but talking about and listening to the latest ideas.) Paul then stood up in the meeting of the Areopagus and said: “People of Athens! I see that in every way you are very religious. For as I walked around and looked carefully at your objects of worship, I even found an altar with this inscription: to an unknown god. So you are ignorant of the very thing you worship—and this is what I am going to proclaim to you. “The God who made the world and everything in it is the Lord of heaven and earth and does not live in temples built by human hands. And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything. Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else. From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth; and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands. God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us. ‘For in him we live and move and have our being.’ As some of your own poets have said, ‘We are his offspring.’ “Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone—an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.” When they heard about the resurrection of the dead, some of them sneered, but others said, “We want to hear you again on this subject.” At that, Paul left the Council. Some of the people became followers of Paul and believed. Among them was Dionysius, a member of the Areopagus, also a woman named Damaris, and a number of others.                             

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON       “Clever Pop-Culture Reference”        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.                                    

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY             “Lord, You Have Come to the Lakeshore”

*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. 

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-

Jews and Greek, slaves and free– and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. …

Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world? I do.

Who is your Lord and Savior? Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his word and showing his love? I will, with God’s help.

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

SENDING

*HYMN 263           “Immortal, Invisible, God Only Wise”

Immortal, invisible, God only wise, 

in light inaccessible hid from our eyes

most blessed, most glorious, the Ancient of Days,

almighty, victorious, thy great name we praise. 

Unresting, unhasteneing, and silent as light,

nor wanting, nor wasting, thou rulest in might:

Thy justice, like mountains high soaring above;

thy clouds which are fountains of goodness and love. 

To all, life thou givest, to both great and small.

In all life thou livest, the true life of all.

We blossom and flourish like leaves on the tree,

then wither and perish; but naught changeth thee. 

Thou reignest in glory; thou dwellest in light.

Thine angels adore thee, all veiling their sight.

All praise we would render; o help us to see

‘tis only the splendor of light hideth thee!

*PARTING PRAYER       Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

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

POSTLUDE                      “Sortie in F Major – Franck”   

 

Participating in today’s service are Aaron Ochart, Pastor, Julie Hebert, CE Leader, Sandy Cranfill, Music Director, and Sam Garnett, Organist. 


Order of Worship 08_08_21

Posted on Aug 6, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

11th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 8, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

 Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

                                                  Liturgist: Lorraine Hicks                                                   

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE           “Chaconne in F Minor by Pachelbel”

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP                                                      Psalm 85:8

Let us hear what the Lord will speak.

God will speak peace to the faithful.                         

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of grace, you do not judge us according to our sins, which are many. If we had to live up to the perfection of your Law, we would fail every time. You do not judge us on our imperfection, but according to the perfection of Jesus Christ. Since you do not expect perfection of us, help us not to expect perfection from others. Help us to grant others the grace that you so freely give. Amen.

HYMN                 “In Christ There Is No East or West”  

1 In Christ there is no east or west, in him no south or north,

but one great fellowship of love throughout the whole wide earth.

2 In Christ shall true hearts everywhere their high communion find;

his service is the golden cord close-binding humankind.

CALL TO CONFESSION        

SILENT CONFESSION                                                          

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves, as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. 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                                         Romans 3:19-26

Now we know that whatever the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced, and the whole world may be held accountable to God. For “no human being will be justified in his sight” by deeds prescribed by the law, for through the law comes the knowledge of sin. But now, apart from law, the righteousness of God has been disclosed, and is attested by the law and the prophets, the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction, since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are now justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God put forward as a sacrifice of atonement by his blood, effective through faith. He did this to show his righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over the sins previously committed; it was to prove at the present time that he himself is righteous and that he justifies the one who has faith in Jesus.

                                  

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN   

         

SECOND LESSON                                         Acts 15: 1-29

Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.” The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. After they finished speaking, James replied, “My brothers, listen to me. Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, ‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, so that all other peoples may seek the Lord—even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things known from long ago.’ Therefore I have reached the decision that we should not trouble those Gentiles who are turning to God, but we should write to them to abstain only from things polluted by idols and from fornication and from whatever has been strangled and from blood. For in every city, for generations past, Moses has had those who proclaim him, for he has been read aloud every sabbath in the synagogues.” Then the apostles and the elders, with the consent of the whole church, decided to choose men from among their members and to send them to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. They sent Judas called Barsabbas, and Silas, leaders among the brothers, with the following letter: “The brothers, both the apostles and the elders, to the believers of Gentile origin in Antioch and Syria and Cilicia, greetings. Since we have heard that certain persons who have gone out from us, though with no instructions from us, have said things to disturb you and have unsettled your minds, we have decided unanimously to choose representatives and send them to you, along with our beloved Barnabas and Paul, who have risked their lives for the sake of our Lord Jesus Christ. We have therefore sent Judas and Silas, who themselves will tell you the same things by word of mouth. For it has seemed good to the Holy Spirit and to us to impose on you no further burden than these essentials: that you abstain from what has been sacrificed to idols and from blood and from what is strangled[j] and from fornication. If you keep yourselves from these, you will do well. Farewell.”

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON                              “Standards”                 Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE 

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                                          Apostle’s Creed

I BELIEVE in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth, And in Jesus Christ God’s 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.                          

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY            “I Danced in the Morning” 

*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 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.

SENDING

*HYMN                “I Sing a Song of the Saints of God” 

1 I sing a song of the saints of God, patient and brave and true,

who toiled and fought and lived and died 

for the Lord they loved and knew.

And one was a doctor, and one was a queen,

and one was a shepherdess on the green:

they were all of them saints of God, and I mean, 

God helping, to be one too.

2 They loved their Lord so dear, so dear,

and God’s love made them strong;

and they followed the right, for Jesus’ sake,

the whole of their good lives long.

And one was a soldier, and one was a priest,

and one was slain by a fierce wild beast:

and there’s not any reason, no, not the least, why I shouldn’t be one too.

3 They lived not only in ages past; there are hundreds of thousands still;

the world is bright with the joyous saints who love to do Jesus’ will.

You can meet them in school, or in lanes, or at sea,

in church, or in trains, or in shops, or at tea;

for the saints of God are just folk like me, and I mean to be one too.

PARTING PRAYER       Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

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

POSTLUDE                         “Ode to Joy”


Order of Worship 08_01_21

Posted on Jul 30, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

10th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

August 1, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart             

Liturgist: David Garland

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face Masks optional for those fully vaccinated.

Bold face indicates congregational participation.

*Please stand in body or Spirit

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME     

PRELUDE      Sarabande from French Suite No. 5 (J.S. Bach)   

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP                                                 

Leader: Arise, Shine; for your light has come,

People: and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Lord of Light, you show us the light of Love, help us to show that love to one another. You show us the light of Trust, help us to put our trust in you. You show your light of Faith, help us to depend upon you in faith. You show us the light of your Joy, Help us to live lives of deep joy. And you show us your light of Hope, help us to bring your hope to the world. Amen. 

*HYMN                    “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy”  

1 There’s a wideness in God’s mercy, like the wideness of the sea.

There’s a kindness in God’s justice, which is more than liberty.

There is no place where earth’s sorrows are more felt than up in heaven.

There is no place where earth’s failings have such kindly judgment given.

2 For the love of God is broader than the measures of the mind.

And the heart of the Eternal is most wonderfully kind.

If our love were but more faithful, we would gladly trust God’s Word,

and our lives reflect thanksgiving for the goodness of our Lord.

CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION

   Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves, as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. Amen.      

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI 579 

PROCLAMATION                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       

SCRIPTURE LESSON       Isaiah 60:1-3

Arise, shine; for your light has come,

   and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.

For darkness shall cover the earth,

   and thick darkness the peoples;

but the Lord will arise upon you,

   and his glory will appear over you.

Nations shall come to your light,

   and kings to the brightness of your dawn.

ANTHEM                     “Discovery on Adventure Island” 

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN                                                                              

SERMON                     “Arise and Shine”                 Rev. Aaron Ochart

 RESPONSE     

*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                  Confession of Belhar   10.5-10.6

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 God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit has conquered the powers of sin and death, and therefore also of irreconciliation and hatred, bitterness and enmity, that God’s lifegiving Word and Spirit will enable the church to live in a new obedience which can open new possibilities of life for society and the world;  

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; 

that any teaching which attempts to legitimate such forced separation by appeal to the gospel, and is not prepared to venture on the road of obedience and reconciliation, but rather, out of prejudice, fear, selfishness and unbelief, denies in advance the reconciling power of the gospel, must be considered ideology and false doctrine. 

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. 

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.

PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION 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.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY                         “Running”                   Discovery Island VBS

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. 

HYMN               “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound”  

1 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

2 ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!

3 Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

5 When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.

PARTING PRAYER       Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

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

POSTLUDE         “Mit Freuden Zart”         


Order of Worship 07_25_21

Posted on Jul 25, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

9th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 25, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

 Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

Liturgist: Evelyn Tobey                                                   

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE           “Holy God We Praise Your Name”      

                               By Maria Theresa arranged by Kevin Hildebrand

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP                                          Romans 8:31, 39

If God is for us, who can be against us?

Nothing can separate us from God’s love.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

God of perfection, you call us in imperfection. We are cracked jars which shed your light, sometimes by accident. We are sinful fallen creatures through whom you choose to show your Glory. Use our victories, the times when we feel good about the work we have done. Use our mistakes, times when we feel like we have failed. Thank you that you bring all things together for those who are in Christ Jesus, Amen. 

HYMN                             “We Gather Together”

1 We gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing;

he chastens and hastens his will to make known;

the wicked oppressing now cease from distressing.

Sing praises to his name; he forgets not his own.

2 Beside us to guide us, our God with us joining,

ordaining, maintaining his kingdom divine;

so from the beginning the fight we were winning;

thou, Lord, wast at our side; all glory be thine!

CALL TO CONFESSION        

SILENT CONFESSION                                                          

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves, as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. 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                                       Isaiah 6:1-8

In the year that King Uzziah died, I saw the Lord sitting on a throne, high and lofty; and the hem of his robe filled the temple. Seraphs were in attendance above him; each had six wings: with two they covered their faces, and with two they covered their feet, and with two they flew. And one called to another and said:

‘Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts;

the whole earth is full of his glory.’

The pivots on the thresholds shook at the voices of those who called, and the house filled with smoke. And I said: ‘Woe is me! I am lost, for I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips; yet my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!’

Then one of the seraphs flew to me, holding a live coal that had been taken from the altar with a pair of tongs. The seraph touched my mouth with it and said: ‘Now that this has touched your lips, your guilt has departed and your sin is blotted out.’ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, ‘Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?’ And I said, ‘Here am I; send me!’

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN   

ANTHEM                    “Blessed Assurance Medley”              

Second Lesson                                                     Acts 14:8-20

In Lystra there was a man sitting who could not use his feet and had never walked, for he had been crippled from birth. He listened to Paul as he was speaking. And Paul, looking at him intently and seeing that he had faith to be healed, said in a loud voice, ‘Stand upright on your feet.’ And the man sprang up and began to walk. When the crowds saw what Paul had done, they shouted in the Lycaonian language, ‘The gods have come down to us in human form!’ Barnabas they called Zeus, and Paul they called Hermes, because he was the chief speaker. The priest of Zeus, whose temple was just outside the city, brought oxen and garlands to the gates; he and the crowds wanted to offer sacrifice. When the apostles Barnabas and Paul heard of it, they tore their clothes and rushed out into the crowd, shouting, ‘Friends, why are you doing this? We are mortals just like you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these worthless things to the living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them. In past generations he allowed all the nations to follow their own ways; yet he has not left himself without a witness in doing good—giving you rains from heaven and fruitful seasons, and filling you with food and your hearts with joy.’ Even with these words, they scarcely restrained the crowds from offering sacrifice to them.

But Jews came there from Antioch and Iconium and won over the crowds. Then they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city, supposing that he was dead. But when the disciples surrounded him, he got up and went into the city. The next day he went on with Barnabas to Derbe.

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON                             “Falling Forward”          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.

                   

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.

COLLECTION OF OFFERINGS

OFFERTORY              “Jesus Our Re-Creator”              by Paul Demer

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. 

SENDING

HYMN                   “Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty”

1 Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!

O my soul, praise him, for he is thy health and salvation!

All ye who hear, now to his temple draw near; 

join me in glad adoration!

2 Praise ye the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth,

shelters thee under his wings, yea, so gently sustaineth!

Hast thou not seen how thy desires e’er have been 

granted in what he ordaineth?

3 Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore him!

All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before him!

Let the amen sound from his people again; 

gladly for aye we adore him.

PARTING PRAYER    Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

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

POSTLUDE       “Praise the Lord! Ye Heavens Adore Him”    

              By Richard Blake arranged by Rowland H. Prichard


Order of Worship 07_18_21

Posted on Jul 15, 2021 in Bulletin |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

8th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 18, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

 Minister: The Rev. Aaron Ochart

                                                     Liturgist: Bill Bottomley                                                   

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE           “Soliloquy”                                 Healey Willan

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP  

One: In Christ we are no longer strangers;  

Many: we are members of the household of God.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Christ, you call us from the south, and from the north, and from the west, and from the east; you call us as women, and men, and people; you call us as black, and brown, and white; as young, and old, and in-between; boomers, Gen-Z, Generation X, Millennials. You call us as unique and gifted individual people to serve your Kindom together as your people. Amen.  

HYMN 429                    “Lord, You Give the Great Commision”

CALL TO CONFESSION        

SILENT CONFESSION                                                          

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves, as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. 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                                   Genesis 11: 1-9

Now the whole earth had one language and the same words. And as they migrated from the east, they came upon a plain in the land of Shinar and settled there. And they said to one another, “Come, let us make bricks, and burn them thoroughly.” And they had brick for stone, and bitumen for mortar. Then they said, “Come, let us build ourselves a city, and a tower with its top in the heavens, and let us make a name for ourselves; otherwise we shall be scattered abroad upon the face of the whole earth.” The Lord came down to see the city and the tower, which mortals had built. And the Lord said, “Look, they are one people, and they have all one language; and this is only the beginning of what they will do; nothing that they propose to do will now be impossible for them. Come, let us go down, and confuse their language there, so that they will not understand one another’s speech.” So the Lord scattered them abroad from there over the face of all the earth, and they left off building the city. Therefore it was called Babel, because there the Lord confused the language of all the earth; and from there the Lord scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN   

ANTHEM                       “Together We Serve”             Daniel Damon

Together we serve, united by love,

inviting God’s world to the glorious feast.

We work and we pray through sorrow and joy,

extending your love to the last and the least.

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 

Together, 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.

                     

Second Lesson                                   Acts 13:1-3, 42-52

Now in the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon who was called Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen a member of the court of Herod the ruler, and Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” Then after fasting and praying they laid their hands on them and sent them off. 

As Paul and Barnabas were going out, the people urged them to speak about these things again the next sabbath. When the meeting of the synagogue broke up, many Jews and devout converts to Judaism followed Paul and Barnabas, who spoke to them and urged them to continue in the grace of God.

The next sabbath almost the whole city gathered to hear the word of the Lord. But when the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy; and blaspheming, they contradicted what was spoken by Paul. Then both Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly, saying, “It was necessary that the word of God should be spoken first to you. Since you reject it and judge yourselves to be unworthy of eternal life, we are now turning to the Gentiles. For so the Lord has commanded us, saying,

‘I have set you to be a light for the Gentiles,

    so that you may bring salvation to the ends of the earth.’”

When the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and praised the word of the Lord; and as many as had been destined for eternal life became believers. Thus the word of the Lord spread throughout the region. But the Jews incited the devout women of high standing and the leading men of the city, and stirred up persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and drove them out of their region. So they shook the dust off their feet in protest against them, and went to Iconium. And the disciples were filled with joy and with the Holy Spirit.                      

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON               “Apostles: The Next Generation”    Rev. Aaron Ochart

RESPONSE 

OFFERTORY

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                         Confession of 1967 9.53-9.56

God’s redeeming work in Jesus Christ embraces the whole of man’s life: social and cultural, economic and political, scientific and technological, individual and corporate. It includes man’s natural environment as exploited and despoiled by sin. It is the will of God that his purpose for human life shall be fulfilled under the rule of Christ and all evil be banished from his creation. Biblical visions and images of the rule of Christ, such as a heavenly city, a father’s house, a new heaven and earth, a marriage feast, and an unending day culminate in the image of the kingdom. The kingdom represents the triumph of God over all that resists his will and disrupts his creation. Already God’s reign is present as a ferment in the world, stirring hope in men and preparing the world to receive its ultimate judgment and redemption. With an urgency born of this hope, the church applies itself to present tasks and strives for a better world. It does not identify limited progress with the kingdom of God on earth, nor does it despair in the face of disappointment and defeat. In steadfast hope, the church looks beyond all partial achievement to the final triumph of God. “Now to him who by the power at work within us is able to do far more abundantly than all we ask or think, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” 

REAFFIRMATION OF BAPTISM

One: 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.

Many: For in the one Spirit we were all baptized into one body- Jews and Greek, slaves and free– and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. 

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 415                    “Come, Labor On” 

1 Come, labor on. Who dares stand idle, on the harvest plain

While all around him waves the golden grain?

And to each servant does the Master say, “Go work today.”

2 Come, labor on.Claim the high calling angels cannot share;

To young and old the Gospel gladness bear.

Redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly. The night draws nigh.

3 Come, labor on. Away with gloomy doubts and faithless fear!

No arm so weak but may do service here;

Though feeble agents, may we all fulfill God’s righteous will.

4 Come, labor on.No time for rest, till glows the western sky,

Till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,

And a glad sound comes with the setting sun,“Well done, well done!”

PARTING PRAYER    Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

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

POSTLUDE                 “Mighty Maker of All”                      Rachel Sawyer


Order of Worship 07_11_21

Posted on Jul 11, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

7th Sunday after Pentecost

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 11, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

 Guest Minister: The Rev. Zoë Garry

Liturgist: Sharon Fortin                                                   

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting 

Bold face indicates congregational participation

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME

PRELUDE Little Prelude in F BWV 556 – J.S. Bach

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP  

One: The word of the Lord will not return empty;

Many: it will accomplish all that God intends.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Lord God Almighty, we praise you for who you are and what you have done. You are the healer, bring healing in this place. You are our righteousness, bring transformation in this place. You are the provider, increase our trust in you. You are the God who is with us, let us enter your presence. You are the God of Peace, bring comfort in our chaos.  Through Jesus Christ, our Lord, Amen.

HYMN 394                          There is a Balm in Gilead

(Refrain) There is a Balm in Gilead to make the wounded whole;

There is a balm in Gilead to heal the sin-sick soul. 

  1. Sometimes I feel discouraged, and think my work’s in vain, 

but then the Holy Spirit revives my soul again. (refrain)

  1. Don’t ever feel discouraged, for Jesus is your friend,

and if you lack for knowledge, he’ll not refuse to lend. (refrain)

  1. If you cannot preach like Peter, if you cannot pray like Paul,

you can tell the love of Jesus and say, “he died for all.” (refrain)

CALL TO CONFESSION        

SILENT CONFESSION                                                          

PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)

Merciful God, in your presence we confess our sin and the sin of this world. Although Christ is among us as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as our peace, we are a people divided against ourselves as we cling to the values of a broken world. The profit and pleasures we pursue lay waste the land and pollute the seas. The fears and jealousies that we harbor set neighbor against neighbor and nation against nation. 

We abuse your good gifts of imagination and freedom, of intellect and reason, and have turned them into bonds of oppression. 

Lord, have mercy upon us; heal and forgive us. Set us free to serve you in the world as agents of your reconciling love in Jesus Christ. 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                                       Isaiah 61:1-4       

   The spirit of the Lord God is upon me,

   because the Lord has anointed me;

he has sent me to bring good news to the oppressed,

   to bind up the broken-hearted,

to proclaim liberty to the captives,

   and release to the prisoners;

to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favour,

   and the day of vengeance of our God;

   to comfort all who mourn;

to provide for those who mourn in Zion—

   to give them a garland instead of ashes,

the oil of gladness instead of mourning,

   the mantle of praise instead of a faint spirit.

They will be called oaks of righteousness,

   the planting of the Lord, to display his glory.

They shall build up the ancient ruins,

   they shall raise up the former devastations;

they shall repair the ruined cities,

   the devastations of many generations.    

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN    “One Spirit for All”

ANTHEM                          “More Like You” Scott Brown

More like You, Jesus, more like You. 

Fill my heart with Your desire to make me more like You.

More like You, Jesus, more like You.

Touch my lips with holy fire and make me more like You.

Lord, You are my mercy.  Lord, You are my grace.

All my deepest sins have forever been erased.

Draw me in Your presence.  Lead me in Your ways.

I long to bring You glory in righteousness and praise.

Second Lesson                                           Acts 12:6-16

     The very night before Herod was going to bring him out, Peter, bound with two chains, was sleeping between two soldiers, while guards in front of the door were keeping watch over the prison. Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared and a light shone in the cell. He tapped Peter on the side and woke him, saying, ‘Get up quickly.’ And the chains fell off his wrists. The angel said to him, ‘Fasten your belt and put on your sandals.’ He did so. Then he said to him, ‘Wrap your cloak around you and follow me.’ Peter went out and followed him; he did not realize that what was happening with the angel’s help was real; he thought he was seeing a vision. After they had passed the first and the second guard, they came before the iron gate leading into the city. It opened for them of its own accord, and they went outside and walked along a lane, when suddenly the angel left him. Then Peter came to himself and said, ‘Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hands of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting.’

As soon as he realized this, he went to the house of Mary, the mother of John whose other name was Mark, where many had gathered and were praying. When he knocked at the outer gate, a maid named Rhoda came to answer. On recognizing Peter’s voice, she was so overjoyed that, instead of opening the gate, she ran in and announced that Peter was standing at the gate. They said to her, ‘You are out of your mind!’ But she insisted that it was so. They said, ‘It is his angel.’ Meanwhile, Peter continued knocking; and when they opened the gate, they saw him and were amazed.                

The Word of the Lord.

Thanks be to God. 

SERMON                “Peter Kept Knocking”                The Rev. Zoë Garry

RESPONSE 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH              Theological Declaration of Barmen 

 Jesus Christ, as he is attested for us in Holy Scripture, is the one Word of God which we have to hear and which we have to trust and

obey in life and in death.

  As Jesus Christ is God’s assurance of the forgiveness of all our sins, so in the same way and with the same seriousness is he also God’s mighty claim upon our whole life. Through him befalls us a joyful deliverance from the godless fetters of this world for a free, grateful service to his creatures.

  The Christian Church is the congregation of the brethren in which Jesus Christ acts presently as the Lord in Word and Sacrament through the Holy Spirit. As the Church of pardoned sinners, it has to testify in the midst of a sinful world, with its faith as with its obedience, with its message as with its order, that it is solely his property, and that it lives and wants to live solely from his comfort and from his direction in the expectation of his appearance. 

     The various offices in the church do not establish a dominion of some over the others; on the contrary, they are for the exercise of the ministry entrusted to and enjoined upon the whole congregation.

   The church’s commission, upon which its freedom is founded, consists in delivering the message of the free grace of God to all people in Christ’s stead, and therefore in the ministry of his own Word and work through sermon and Sacrament. 

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  525                                   Here I Am, Lord

  1. I the Lord of sea and sky, I have heard my people cry.

All who dwell in deepest sin my hand will save.

I who made the stars of night, I will make their darkness bright.

Who will bear my light to them? Whom shall I send?

(Refrain) Here I am, Lord. Is it I, Lord? 

I have heard you calling in the night. 

I will go, Lord, if you lead me. I will hold your people in my heart. 

  1. I, the Lord of snow and rain, I have born my people’s pain.

I have wept for love of them, they turn away. 

I will break their hearts of stone, give them hearts for love alone.

I will speak my word to them. Whom shall I send? (refrain)

  1. I, the Lord of wind and flame, I will tend the poor and lame.

I will set a feast for them. My hand will save. 

Finest bread I will provide till their hearts be satisfied. 

I will give my life to them. Whom shall I send? (refrain)

PARTING PRAYER    Attributed to Benedict of Nursia (c. 480-c. 547)   

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

POSTLUDE       Participating in today’s service are Zoe Garry, Guest Pastor, Julie Hebert, CE Leader, Sandy Cranfill, Music Director, and Sam Garnett, Organist. Appreciation to David Garland and Dennis Lauland for the video production of today’s service.  


02
Jul '21

Order of Worship 07_04_2021

Posted on Jul 2, 2021 in Bulletin |

02
Jul '21

SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY

Independence Sunday

PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)

July 4, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning

Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart             

Liturgist: Louise Ochart

Please silence all cell phones. 

Face Masks optional for those fully vaccinated.

Bold face indicates congregational participation.

GATHERING

WORDS OF WELCOME     

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF NATIVE LANDS

Every community owes its existence and vitality to generations from around the world who contributed their hopes, dreams, and energy to making the history that led to this moment. Some were brought here against their will, some were drawn to leave their distant homes in hope of a better life, and some have lived on this land for more generations than can be counted. Truth and acknowledgment are critical to building mutual respect and connection across all barriers of heritage and difference. We begin this effort to acknowledge what has been buried by honoring the truth. We are standing on the ancestral lands of the Chitmacha, Acolapissa (now a part of the Houma People), and Chahta Yakni (commonly called Chocktaw). We pay respects to their elders past and present. Please take a moment to consider the many legacies of violence, displacement, migration, and settlement that bring us together here today.

PRELUDE           “Trumpet Processional In G”                   David German

ADORATION

CALL TO WORSHIP                                                 

The earth is the Lord’s,

And the fullness thereof.

God alone is our sovereign

To whom all bow in allegiance.

Come, let us worship the Lord,

Our God, the Ruler of all nations.

PRAYER OF THE DAY

Sovereign Lord who gives us independence from sin, both individual and corporate. Help us to remember that our freedom and righteousness are dependent on you alone. We thank you for the freedom that you have given us in this country, help us to use that freedom wisely. Give us the strength to recognize our own shortcomings, and work together for a more perfect union. 

HYMN 561 “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee”

CONFESSION 

CALL TO CONFESSION                                                                  

SILENT CONFESSION

PRAYER OF CONFESSION           Woodrow Wilson (1856-1924)

Almighty God, ruler of all the peoples of the earth, forgive, we pray, our shortcomings as a nation; purify our hearts to see and love truth; give wisdom to our counselors and steadfastness to our people; and bring us at last to the fair city of peace, whose foundations are mercy, justice, and goodwill, and whose builder and maker you are; through your Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

ASSURANCE OF PARDON                     

GLORIA PATRI 579 

PROCLAMATION

FIRST LESSON                                                              Isaiah 58:1-12                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN     “We are Witnesses”

                     

ANTHEM                   “As The Deer”             Martin Nystrom

As the deer pants for the water so my soul longs after You.

You alone are my heart’s desire, and I long to worship You.

You alone are my strength, my shield.

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship You.

You’re my friend and You are my brother even though You are the King.

I love You more than any other, so much more than anything.

You alone are my strength, my shield.

To You alone may my spirit yield.

You alone are my heart’s desire and I long to worship You.

          

SECOND LESSON                                                          Acts 10:24-48                                  

SERMON            “Let Freedom Ring”                        Rev. Aaron Ochart 

 RESPONSE     

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                     Westminster Shorter Catechism

Q1. What is the main purpose for humanity?

  1. The main purpose for humanity is to glorify and enjoy God forever.

Q2. What rule has God given to tell us how we may glorify and enjoy God?

  1. The Word of God which is contained in the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments is the only rule to tell us how we may glorify and enjoy God.

Q3. What do the Scriptures mainly teach?
A. The Scriptures mainly teach what we are to believe about God, and what duty God requires of us.

Q6. How many Persons are there in the Trinity?
A. There are three Persons in the Trinity: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit; and these three are one God, the same in substance, equal in power and glory.

Q14. What is Sin?

  1. Sin is any lack of obedience to, or violation of, the law of God.

Q18. What does this state of sin mean for humanity?
A. This state of sin means that humanity: bears the guilt of Adam and Eve’s first sin, lacks the righteousness that God intended for us, and that human nature has been corrupted; along with all actual transgressions which result from our fallen nature.

Q21. Who is the Redeemer of God’s elect?
A. The only Redeemer of God’s elect is the Lord Jesus Christ, who, being the eternal Son of God, became man, and so was, and continues to be, God and human, in two distinct natures, and one Person forever.

Q30. How does the Spirit apply to us the redemption purchased by Christ?
A. The Spirit applies to us the redemption purchased by Christ by working faith in us, and thereby uniting us to Christ in our effectual calling.

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 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.

3 God of our weary years, God of our silent tears,

Thou who hast brought us thus far on the way;

Thou who hast by Thy might led us into the light;

Keep us forever in the path, we pray.

Lest our feet stray from the places, our God, where we met Thee;

Lest, our hearts drunk with the wine of the world, we forget Thee;

Shadowed beneath Thy hand may we forever stand,

True to our God, true to our native land.

PARTING PRAYER     George Washington

Almighty God: We make our earnest prayer that Thou wilt keep the United States in Thy holy protection; that thou wilt incline the hearts of the citizens to cultivate a spirit of subordination and obedience to government, and entertain a brotherly affection and love for one another and for their fellow-citizens of the United States at large. And finally that Thou wilt most graciously be pleased to dispose us all to do justice, to love mercy and to demean ourselves with that charity, humility and pacific temper of mind which were the characteristics of the Divine Author of our blessed religion without a humble imitation of whose example in these things we can never hope to be a happy nation. Grant our supplication, we beseech Thee, through Jesus Christ, our Lord. Amen.                                                           

CHARGE AND BENEDICTION

POSTLUDE         God of Our Fathers          

 


24
Jun '21

Order of Worship; June 27, 2021

Posted on Jun 24, 2021 in Bulletin |

24
Jun '21

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


20
Jun '21

Order of Worship 06_20_2021

Posted on Jun 20, 2021 in Bulletin |

20
Jun '21

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-

Jews and Greek, slaves and free– and we were all made to drink of the one Spirit. …

 

Trusting in the gracious mercy of God, do you turn from the ways of sin and renounce evil and its power in the world?

I do.

Who is your Lord and Savior?

Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior.

Will you be Christ’s faithful disciple, obeying his word and showing his love?

I will, with God’s help.

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH                                    Scots Confession 3.01 

We confess and acknowledge one God alone, to whom alone we must cleave, whom alone we must serve, whom only we must worship, and in whom alone we put our trust. Who is eternal, infinite, immeasurable, incomprehensible, omnipotent, invisible; one in substance and yet distinct in three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. By whom we confess and believe all things in heaven and earth, visible and invisible, to have been created, to be retained in their being, and to be ruled and guided by his inscrutable providence for such end as his eternal wisdom, goodness, and justice have appointed, and to the manifestation of his own glory.

            

THANKSGIVING FOR BAPTISM

 

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 280           “Amazing Grace, How Sweet the Sound”

1 Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, That saved a wretch like me!

I once was lost, but now am found, Was blind, but now I see.

2 ’Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, And grace my fears relieved;

How precious did that grace appear The hour I first believed!

3 Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come;

’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.

4 The Lord has promised good to me, His Word my hope secures;

He will my shield and portion be As long as life endures.

5 When we’ve been there ten thousand years, Bright shining as the sun,

We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise Than when we’d first begun.

 

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      


13
Jun '21

Order of worship 06/13/2021

Posted on Jun 13, 2021 in Bulletin, Uncategorized |

13
Jun '21

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


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