Order of Worship; June 27, 2021
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
Order of Worship 06_20_2021
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
Order of worship 06/13/2021
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
3rd Sunday after Pentecost
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
June 13, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart
Liturgist: Dennis Price
Please silence all cell phones.
Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting
Bold face indicates congregational participation
GATHERING
WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE “Psalm” Gordon Young
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP Mark 4:31-32
The kingdom of God is like a tiny mustard seed;
it grows into a great plant with many branches.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of all nations, tribes, and peoples. You continue to call your church to the ends of the earth, to the other side of the country, to the other side of the tracks, across the street, and across the aisle. You draw us alongside one another to listen and learn, and to be united as one body from every tribe and tongue and nation. Help us to celebrate in our unity and diversity. Amen.
HYMN 398 “There’s a Sweet Spirit”
There’s a sweet, sweet Spirit in this place,
and I know that it’s the Spirit of the Lord.
there are sweet expressions on each face,
and I know it is the presence of the Lord.
Sweet Holy Spirit, sweet heavenly Dove,
stay right here with us, filling us with your love;
and for these blessings we lift our hearts in praise;
without a doubt we’ll know that we have been revived
when we shall leave this place.
There are blessings you cannot receive
‘till you know him in his fullness and believe;
you’re the one to profit when you say,
“I am going to walk with Jesus all the way.”
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made.
Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI 579
PROCLAMATION
FIRST LESSON Isaiah 53:7-12
He was oppressed, and he was afflicted,
yet he did not open his mouth;
like a lamb that is led to the slaughter,
and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent,
so he did not open his mouth.
By a perversion of justice he was taken away.
Who could have imagined his future?
For he was cut off from the land of the living,
stricken for the transgression of my people.
They made his grave with the wicked
and his tomb with the rich,
although he had done no violence,
and there was no deceit in his mouth.
Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him with pain.
When you make his life an offering for sin,
he shall see his offspring, and shall prolong his days;
through him the will of the Lord shall prosper.
Out of his anguish he shall see light;
he shall find satisfaction through his knowledge.
The righteous one, my servant, shall make many righteous,
and he shall bear their iniquities.
Therefore I will allot him a portion with the great,
and he shall divide the spoil with the strong;
because he poured out himself to death,
and was numbered with the transgressors;
yet he bore the sin of many,
and made intercession for the transgressors.
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
ANTHEM “For the Beauty Medley” Arr. Sandra Cranfill
For the beauty of the earth, for the glory of the skies,
For the love which from our birth Over and around us lies,
Lord of all, to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
For the wonder of each hour Of the day and of the night,
Hill and vale, and tree and flower, Sun, and moon, and stars of light,
Lord of all to Thee we raise This our hymn of grateful praise.
Come, Christians join to sing Alleluia! Amen!
Loud praise to Christ the King; AlleluiaA Amen.
Let all, with heart and voice, Before His throne rejoice;
Praise is His gracious choice; Alleluia! Amen!
Come, lift your hearts on high; Let praises fill the sky;
He is our guide and friend; To us He’ll condescend;
His love shall never end; Alleluia! Amen!
Joyful, Joyful, we adore Thee, God of glory, Lord of love;
Hearts unfold like flowers before Thee, Opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness; Drive the gloom of doubt away;
Giver of immortal gladness, Fill us with the light of day.
Mortals, join this happy chorus Which the morning stars began;
Love divine is reigning o’er us, Joining all in heaven’s plan.
Ever singing, merch we onward, Victors in the midst of strife,
Joyful music leads us sunward In the triumph song of life.
Second Lesson Acts 8:26-40
Now an angel of the Lord said to Philip, “Go south to the road—the desert road—that goes down from Jerusalem to Gaza.” So he started out, and on his way he met an Ethiopian eunuch, an important official in charge of all the treasury of the Kandake (which means “queen of the Ethiopians”). This man had gone to Jerusalem to worship, and on his way home was sitting in his chariot reading the Book of Isaiah the prophet. The Spirit told Philip, “Go to that chariot and stay near it.” Then Philip ran up to the chariot and heard the man reading Isaiah the prophet. “Do you understand what you are reading?” Philip asked. “How can I,” he said, “unless someone explains it to me?” So he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. This is the passage of Scripture the eunuch was reading: “He was led like a sheep to the slaughter, and as a lamb before its shearer is silent so he did not open his mouth. In his humiliation he was deprived of justice. Who can speak of his descendants? For his life was taken from the earth.” The eunuch asked Philip, “Tell me, please, who is the prophet talking about, himself or someone else?” Then Philip began with that very passage of Scripture and told him the good news about Jesus. As they traveled along the road, they came to some water and the eunuch said, “Look, here is water. What can stand in the way of my being baptized?” And he gave orders to stop the chariot. Then both Philip and the eunuch went down into the water and Philip baptized him. When they came up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord suddenly took Philip away, and the eunuch did not see him again, but went on his way rejoicing. Philip, however, appeared at Azotus and traveled about, preaching the gospel in all the towns until he reached Caesarea.
The Word of God for the People of God
Thanks be to God.
SERMON “What is to Prevent Me?” The Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH Nicene Creed
We believe in one God, the Father, the Almighty, maker of heaven and earth, of all that is, seen and unseen.
We believe in one Lord, Jesus Christ, the only Son of God, eternally begotten of the Father, God from God, Light from Light, true God from true God, begotten, not made, of one Being with the Father; through him all things were made. For us and for our salvation he came down from heaven, was incarnate of the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary and became truly human. For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate; he suffered death and was buried. On the third day he rose again in accordance with the Scriptures; he ascended into heaven and is seated at the right hand of the Father. He will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead, and his kingdom will have no end.
We believe in the Holy Spirit, the Lord, the giver of life, who proceeds from the Father and the Son, who with the Father and the Son is worshiped and glorified, who has spoken through the prophets. We believe in one holy catholic and apostolic Church. We acknowledge one baptism for the forgiveness of sins. We look for the resurrection of the dead, and the life of the world to come. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
Our Father who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread; and forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors; and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
HYMN 467 “How Great Thou Art”
1 O Lord, my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the works thy hands hath made;
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder,
Thy power throughout the universe displayed;
Refrain:Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art, how great thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God, to thee:
How great thou art, how great thou art!
2 When through the woods and forest glades I wander,
I hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees;
When I look down from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze;
3 But when I think that God, his Son not sparing,
Sent him to die, I scarce can take it in,
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin;
4 When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation,
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, “My God, how great thou art!”
PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Nels Ferré (1908-1971)
Come, O Holy Spirit. Come as Holy Fire and burn in us, come as Holy Wind and cleanse us within, come as Holy Light and lead us in the darkness, come as Holy Truth and dispel our ignorance, come as Holy Power and enable our weakness, come as Holy Life, and dwell in us.
Convict us, convert us, consecrate us, until we are set free from the service of ourselves, to be your servants to the world. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE “Joy Unceasing and Infinite Praise” Tom Birchwood
Order of Worship; June 6, 2021
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
2nd Sunday after Pentecost
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
June 6, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart
Liturgist: Lynne Sens
Please silence all cell phones.
Face Masks must be worn at all times.
Bold face indicates congregational participation.
GATHERING
WORDS OF WELCOME
PRELUDE Prelude in G Major by J.S. Bach
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP (Responsive) Matthew 9:13
The Lord desires mercy, not sacrifice.
Jesus calls not the righteous, but sinners.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God of mystery, you ask us not to conform to the current patterns of the world, but to be transformed by the renewing of our minds. You have given us your Word made Flesh in Jesus Christ, you have given us your Word Written in Scripture, and call us to listen to your Word Proclaimed. We do not always want to hear your Word, which always calls us away from ourselves and towards your holiness, away from our darkness and towards your resonating light. Help us to listen, to question, and to be transformed. Amen.
HYMN 397 “O For a Closer Walk with God”
CONFESSION
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Almighty God, in raising Jesus from the grave, you shattered the power of sin and death. We confess that we remain captive to doubt and fear, bound by the ways that lead to death. We overlook the poor and the hungry, and pass by those who mourn; we are deaf to the cries of the oppressed, and indifferent to calls for peace; we despise the weak, and abuse the earth you made.
Forgive us, God of mercy. Help us to trust your power to change our lives and make us new, that we may know the joy of life abundant given in Jesus Christ, the risen Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI 579
PROCLAMATION
FIRST LESSON Romans 12:1-8
I appeal to you therefore, brothers and sisters, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your minds, so that you may discern what is the will of God—what is good and acceptable and perfect.
For by the grace given to me I say to everyone among you not to think of yourself more highly than you ought to think, but to think with sober judgement, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. For as in one body we have many members, and not all the members have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually we are members one of another. We have gifts that differ according to the grace given to us: prophecy, in proportion to faith; ministry, in ministering; the teacher, in teaching; the exhorter, in exhortation; the giver, in generosity; the leader, in diligence; the compassionate, in cheerfulness.
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN
ANTHEM “Be Still My Soul” Arr. Lloyd Larson
Be still my soul: the Lord is on your side!
Bear patiently the cross of grief or pain;
Leave to your God, to order and provide;
In ev’ry change He faithful will remain.
Be still my soul: your best, your heav’nly friend
Through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
Be still my soul: your God will undertake
To guide the future as He has the past;
Your hope, your confidence let nothing shake;
All now mysterious shall be bright at last.
Be still my soul: the waves and winds still know
His voice who ruled them while He dwelt below.
Be still my soul: the hour is hast’ning on
When we shall be forever with the Lord,
When disappointment, grief, and fear are gone,
Sorrow forgot, love’s purest joys restored.
Be still my soul: when change and tears are past,
All safe and blessed we shall meet at last.
Be still my soul: be still.
SECOND LESSON Acts 5:27-42
When they had brought them, they had them stand before the council. The high priest questioned them, saying, “We gave you strict orders not to teach in this name, yet here you have filled Jerusalem with your teaching and you are determined to bring this man’s blood on us.” But Peter and the apostles answered, “We must obey God rather than any human authority. The God of our ancestors raised up Jesus, whom you had killed by hanging him on a tree. God exalted him at his right hand as Leader and Savior that he might give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. And we are witnesses to these things, and so is the Holy Spirit whom God has given to those who obey him.”
When they heard this, they were enraged and wanted to kill them. But a Pharisee in the council named Gamaliel, a teacher of the law, respected by all the people, stood up and ordered the men to be put outside for a short time. Then he said to them, “Fellow Israelites, consider carefully what you propose to do to these men. For some time ago Theudas rose up, claiming to be somebody, and a number of men, about four hundred, joined him; but he was killed, and all who followed him were dispersed and disappeared. After him Judas the Galilean rose up at the time of the census and got people to follow him; he also perished, and all who followed him were scattered. So in the present case, I tell you, keep away from these men and let them alone; because if this plan or this undertaking is of human origin, it will fail; but if it is of God, you will not be able to overthrow them—in that case you may even be found fighting against God!” They were convinced by him, and when they had called in the apostles, they had them flogged. Then they ordered them not to speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. As they left the council, they rejoiced that they were considered worthy to suffer dishonor for the sake of the name. And every day in the temple and at home they did not cease to teach and proclaim Jesus as the Messiah.
SERMON “Gadfly” Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH From the Brief Statement of Faith
In life and in death we belong to God. Through the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit, we trust in the one triune God, the Holy One of Israel, whom alone we worship and serve. We trust in Jesus Christ, Fully human, fully God.
Jesus was crucified, suffering the depths of human pain and giving his life for the sins of the world. God raised this Jesus from the dead, vindicating his sinless life, breaking the power of sin and evil, delivering us from death to life eternal.
We trust in God, whom Jesus called Abba, Father. In sovereign love God created the world good and makes everyone equally in God’s image male and female, of every race and people, to live as one community. But we rebel against God; we hide from our Creator. Ignoring God’s commandments, we violate the image of God in others and ourselves, accept lies as truth, exploit neighbor and nature, and threaten death to the planet entrusted to our care. We deserve God’s condemnation. Yet God acts with justice and mercy to redeem creation.
We trust in God the Holy Spirit, everywhere the giver and renewer of life. The Spirit justifies us by grace through faith, sets us free to accept ourselves and to love God and neighbor, and binds us together with all believers in the one body of Christ, the Church.
With believers in every time and place, we rejoice that nothing in life or in death can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. Glory be to the Father, and to the Son, and to the Holy Spirit. Amen.
THE SACRAMENT OF HOLY COMMUNION
The Great Prayer of Thanksgiving
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them to the Lord.
Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise…
…Therefore with all creation we sing your praise:
Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest…
Great is the mystery of faith:
Christ has died, Christ is risen, Christ will come again…
The gifts of God for the people of God.
Thanks be to God.
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
HYMN 525 “Here I Am,Lord”
PARTING PRAYER Attributed to Nels Ferré (1908-1971)
Come, O Holy Spirit. Come as Holy Fire and burn in us, come as Holy Wind and cleanse us within, come as Holy Light and lead us in the darkness, come as Holy Truth and dispel our ignorance, come as Holy Power and enable our weakness, come as Holy Life, and dwell in us.
Convict us, convert us, consecrate us, until we are set free from the service of ourselves, to be your servants to the world. Amen.
CHARGE AND BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Lord of all Life by Edward Broughton
Order of Worship 05_30_21
SERVICE FOR THE LORD’S DAY
Trinity Sunday
PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH (USA)
May 30, 2021 Ten Thirty in the morning
Minister: The Reverend Aaron Ochart
Liturgist: Karla Russo
Please silence all cell phones.
Face masks must be worn while entering and exiting
Bold face indicates congregational participation
GATHERING
WORDS OF WELCOME
MINUTE for MISSION
PRELUDE Prelude in C Major, BWV 553 (“Little”) attributed to J.S. Bach
ADORATION
CALL TO WORSHIP Psalm 133
How very good and pleasant it is
when kindred live together in unity!
It is like the dew of Hermon,
which falls on the mountains of Zion.
PRAYER OF THE DAY
God who cares for the sparrow, for the widow, and the orphan. God who numbers each of the hairs on our heads, and calls us to care for all of our neighbors. Help us to share from our abundance of time, treasure, and talent. Help us to use our privilege and property to speak for those without either. Help us to lay down our lives for your great kingdom. Amen.
HYMN 457 V. 1,5 I Greet Thee, Who My Sure Redeemer Art
- I greet Thee, who my sure Redeemer art,
My only trust and Savior of my heart,
Who pain didst undergo for my poor sake;
- I pray Thee from our hearts all cares to take.
Our hope is in no other save in Thee;
Our faith is built upon Thy promise free;
Lord, give us peace, and make us calm and sure,
That in Thy strength we evermore endure.
CALL TO CONFESSION
SILENT CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (unison)
Almighty God, you poured your Spirit upon gathered disciples creating bold tongues, open ears, and a new community of faith. We confess that we hold back the force of your Spirit among us. We do not listen to your word of grace, speak the good news of your love, or live as people made one in Christ.
Have mercy on us, O God. Transform our timid lives by the power of your Spirit, and fill us with a flaming desire to be your faithful people, doing your will for the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
GLORIA PATRI 579
PROCLAMATION
FIRST LESSON Luke 3:7-17
John said to the crowds that came out to be baptized by him, “You brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Bear fruits worthy of repentance. Do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our ancestor’; for I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children to Abraham. Even now the ax is lying at the root of the trees; every tree therefore that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.” And the crowds asked him, “What then should we do?” In reply he said to them, “Whoever has two coats must share with anyone who has none; and whoever has food must do likewise.” Even tax collectors came to be baptized, and they asked him, “Teacher, what should we do?” He said to them, “Collect no more than the amount prescribed for you.” Soldiers also asked him, “And we, what should we do?” He said to them, “Do not extort money from anyone by threats or false accusation, and be satisfied with your wages.” As the people were filled with expectation, and all were questioning in their hearts concerning John, whether he might be the Messiah, John answered all of them by saying, “I baptize you with water; but one who is more powerful than I is coming; I am not worthy to untie the thong of his sandals. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fork is in his hand, to clear his threshing floor and to gather the wheat into his granary; but the chaff he will burn with unquenchable fire.”
MESSAGE FOR THE CHILDREN “What’s Mine Is Yours”
ANTHEM By Faith Arr. Richard Nichols
By faith we see the hand of God in the light of creation’s grand design,
In the lives of those who prove His faithfulness,
who walk by faith and not by sight.
By faith our fathers roamed the earth with the pow’r of His promise in their hearts Of a holy city built by God’s own hand, a place where peace and justice reign. (refrain) We will stand as children of the promise; we will fix our eyes on Him our soul’s reward. Till the race is finished and the work is done, we’ll walk by faith and not by sight.
By faith the prophets saw a day when the longed-for Messiah would appear With the pow’r to break the chains of sin and death and rise triumphant from the grave.
By faith the church was called to go in the pow’r of the Spirit to the lost To deliver captives and to preach good news in ev’ry corner of the earth. (refrain)
By faith this mountain shall be moved, and the pow’r of the gospel shall prevail. For we know in Christ all things are possible for all who call upon His name. (refrain)
Second Lesson Acts 4:32-37
Now the whole group of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one claimed private ownership of any possessions, but everything they owned was held in common. With great power the apostles gave their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as owned lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold. They laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need. There was a Levite, a native of Cyprus, Joseph, to whom the apostles gave the name Barnabas (which means “son of encouragement”). He sold a field that belonged to him, then brought the money, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
The Word of God for the People of God
Thanks be to God.
SERMON “No One In Need” The Rev. Aaron Ochart
RESPONSE
RECOGNITION OF GRADUATING SENIORS
Leader: God of truth and knowledge, by your wisdom we are taught the way and the truth. Bless our graduates as they now finish this course of study.
All: We thank you for those who taught and worked beside them,
and all who supported them along the way.
Leader: Walk with the graduates as they leave and move forward in life. Take away their anxiety and confusion of purpose.
All: Strengthen their many talents and skills, instill in them a confidence in the future you plan, where energies may be gathered up and used for the good of all people.
Leader: For the graduates, this truly is a season of new beginnings, a time to remember and move on, and a time to believe what love is bringing.
All: May they always know that Christ is alive and goes before us,
to show and share what love can do. This is a day of new beginnings, our God is making all things new.
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.
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 442 The Church’s One Foundation AURELIA
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ her Lord.
She is his new creation by water and the word.
From heaven he came and sought her to be his holy bride.
With his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
Mid toil and tribulation, and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation of peace forevermore:
till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
Yet she in earth has union with God, the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won:
O happy ones and holy! Lord, give us grace that we,
like them, the meek and lowly, may live eternally.
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 Allegro maestoso from Sonata II – Felix Mendelssohn