August 23, 2020
Twelfth Sunday after Pentecost
*Indicates the time you are to stand in body or spirit. Bold indicates congregational participation.
GATHERING IN GOD’S PRESENCE
GREETING & ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRELUDE Amy Alley
GREETINGS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP (Matthew 16:13-20; Romans 12:1-8)
Who do people say Jesus is?
Some say Moses, some say Elijah,
Some say s Prophet who comes with a word from the Holy.
Who do you say Jesus is?
The Messiah, the “Human One,”
The healer who shares the life of the Holy.
Who do you say Jesus is?
Emmanuel, God-with-us,
Wisdom, teacher of truth
Ruler of Peace, Bringer of Justice.
Who do you say Jesus is?
He is the Body to which we belong;
We are his members, each needed, treasured.
In hmi we are transformed
into his Hope, his Love, his Vision.
He is the One we long for, the One we seek here today,
The One who empowers our lives.
Come, Let us worship!
Opening Prayer
With thankful hearts for the bounties of our lives we come,
O God, to offer our prayers and praise.
As we gather this week
keep us mindful of all the blessings in our lives
and those we share our lives with.
Thank you for being here today with us in worship.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
*OPENING HYMN Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God;
he whose word cannot be broken
formed thee for his own abode;
on the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation's walls surrounded,
thou may'st smile at all thy foes.
See the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters,
and all fear of want remove;
who can faint while such a river
ever flows their thirst t'assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the giver,
never fails from age to age.
Round each habitation hov'ring,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a cov'ring,
showing that the Lord is near;
thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which he gives them when they pray.
Savior, if of Zion's city
I, thro' grace, a member am,
let the world deride or pity,
I will glory in thy name;
fading is the worldling's pleasure,
all his boasted pomp and show;
solid joys and lasting treasure
none but Zion's children know.
CALL TO CONFESSION
*SILENT PRAYER OF CONFESSION
CORPORATE PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Almighty God,
you love us, but we have not loved you;
you call, but we have not listened.
We walk away from neighbors in need,
wrapped up in our own concerns.
We have gone along with evil,
with pride, quarreling, and divisiveness.
Holy God, forgive us.
Help us to face up to ourselves,
so that, as you move toward us in mercy,
we may repent, turn to you, and receive mercy;
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
ASSURANCE OF PARDON
*PASSING OF THE PEACE
(Worshipers are invited to share the peace of Christ.)
The peace of the risen Christ be with you.
And also with you.
GLORIA PATRI (remember masks)
THE WORD
PRAYER FOR ILLUMINATION
O God, you spoke through your Son Jesus Christ,
that we will know the truth, and the truth will set us free.
Set us free now through your written Word read and spoken.
Amen.
SCRIPTURE LESSON Exodus 1:8 - 2:10
For the Word of God in Scripture,
For the Word of God among us,
For the Word of God within us,
Thanks be to God.
SCRIPTURE LESSON Matthew 16:13-20
For the Word of God in Scripture,
For the Word of God among us,
For the Word of God within us,
Thanks be to God.
SERMON The Rev. Leslie Traylor
RESPONDING TO THE WORD
Declaration of our Christian Faith Traditional Apostles' Creed
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE/PASTORAL PRAYER
Lord, in your steadfast love,
Hear our prayer.
*THE LORD’S PRAYER
OFFERTORY
PRAYER OF DEDICATION
Generous God, you give the best to each of us;
thank you for this opportunity to share from our abundance.
We give these gifts, and we devote ourselves to you.
In Jesus’ name, we pray. AMEN.
*CLOSING HYMN My Hope Is Built on Nothing Less
My hope is built on nothing less
than Jesus' blood and righteousness;
I dare not trust the sweetest frame,
but wholly lean on Jesus' name.
Refrain:
On Christ, the solid rock, I stand;
all other ground is sinking sand,
all other ground is sinking sand.
When darkness veils his lovely face,
I rest on His unchanging grace;
in ev'ry high and stormy gale,
my anchor holds within the veil. [Refrain]
His oath, his covenant, his blood
support me in the whelming flood;
when all around my soul gives way,
He then is all my hope and stay. [Refrain]
When he shall come with trumpet sound,
O may I then in Him be found,
dressed in His righteousness alone,
faultless to stand before the throne. [Refrain]
*CHARGE & BENEDICTION
*TAKING THE LIGHT INTO THE WORLD
*POSTLUDE Amy Alley