Sunday, September 26
Eighteenth Sunday After Pentecost
*Please stand as you are comfortable
Greeting and Announcements
Trinity Chimes
Prelude “Come, Ye Sinners, Poor and Wretched” MCMICHAEL/ROSTASH
Carole and Rudy Rostash, clarinets
*Call to Worship
One: If it had not been God who was on our side,
All: the troubles of our world would have swallowed us whole.
One: If it had not been God who was on our side,
All: the sorrows of our times would have swept us away.
One: Are any among us suffering?
All: Come and pray.
One: Are any among us cheerful?
All: Come sing songs of praise.
One: Are any among us sick?
All: Come and ask for healing.
One: Our help is in our God,
All: The One who made heaven and earth. God, our Creator and Rescuer is on our side.
*by Amy B. Hunter from Ministry Matters
*Hymn of Praise UMH #185 “When Morning Gilds the Skies” (vs. 1 & 4) LAUDES DOMINI
- When morning gilds the skies my heart awaking cries: May Jesus Christ be praised!
Alike at work and prayer, to Jesus I repair: May Jesus Christ be praised!
- Be this, while life is mine, my canticle divine: May Jesus Christ be praised!
Be this th’ eternal song through all the ages long: May Jesus Christ be praised!
Words: Jerry Sinclair, 1972 Music: Jerry Sinclair, 1972
Scripture
James 5:10 – 20 NRSV
One: The word of God for the People of God
All: Thanks be to God!
Music of Preparation “Great is Thy Faithfulness” KIRKLAND
The Sanctuary Choir
Musical Response “This is My Father’s World” KIM/ROSTASH
Carole and Rudy Rostash, clarinets
Invitation to Offering
God, make us the agents of your love, blocking no one’s entrance into the presence of your grace. Use our gifts and offerings to spread your love to all the world so all may know of your redeeming grace. Amen.
Prayers of the People
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Farewell to Members David and Kay Hendricks
*Sending Hymn UMH #2001 “We Sing to You, O God” (vs. 1 & 4) DARWALL
- We sing to You O God The Rock who gave us birth
Let our rejoicing sing Your name In all the earth
To You O God let songs be raised In joyful hymns our feast of praise
- O God eternal God We hide within Your wings
The everlasting arms to whom Our praises ring
Your Word is true Your way is just You are the God in whom we trust
Words: Gracia Grindal Music: John Darwall ©1993 Selah Publishing Co., Inc
Benediction
Let us be a single minded people of praise and prayer with God thriving at the center of our lives so that the
Gospel is known through our living and the world might be transformed by God’s grace and redemption at work
in us each, amen.
Postlude “The Christian’s Farewell” MCMICHAEL/ROSTASH
Carole and Rudy Rostash, clarinets
Sunday, September 19
Seventeenth Sunday After Pentecost
*Please stand as you are comfortable
Greeting and Announcements
Trinity Chimes
Prelude “No One Understands Like Jesus” PETERSON/HUSTAD
*Call to Worship
One: Come now let us seek God.
All: God is our shelter and refuge, our solid rock!
One: Come now let us know God.
All: We meet God in loving our neighbor and caring for others.
One: Come now, depend on God.
All: God feeds the hungry, heals the sick, and restores us all.
One: Come, let us praise God.
All: Alleluia, God, we give you praise!
*Hymn of Praise UMH #117 “O God, Our Help in Ages Past” (vs. 1, 2 & 3) ST. ANNE
- O God, our help in ages past, our hope for years to come,
our shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal home!
- Under the shadow of thy throne, still may we dwell secure;
sufficient is thine arm alone, and our defense is sure.
- Before the hills in order stood, or earth received her frame,
from everlasting, thou art God, to endless years the same.
Words: Isaac Watts, 1719 Music: Jesse Seymour Irvine, 1872; harm. by TCL. Pritchard, 1929.
Scripture
James 4:11 – 5:11 NRSV
One: The word of God for the People of God
Music of Preparation “My Jesus I Love Thee” Adoniram Gordon/Dan Forrest
Message Faith Lived: Comparative Religion Pastor Beth
Musical Response “A Clare Benediction” RUTTER
Kathy Ferguson, piano
Invitation to Offering
God of the beginning, God of now, and God of what will be; in your claiming us as your own, you have given us the most gracious and powerful invitation – to offer you all that weighs on our hearts, with the confidence that you respond with love and grace. As we offer gifts to you this morning, we pray that you will dedicate them so that they might bring love, compassion, joy, and mercy to your hurting world. Remind us that in you we are rich beyond measure. In the name of Jesus, our rock and our redeemer. Amen.
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil, for thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.
Baptism James Force
*Sending Hymn UMH #534 “Be Still, My Soul” (vs. 1 & 2) FINLANDIA
- 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 every change God faithful will remain. Be still, my soul: your best, your heavenly friend through thorny ways leads to a joyful end.
- Be still, my soul: your God will undertake to guide the future, as in ages 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 the Christ who ruled them while he dwelt below.
Words: Katharina von Schlegel, 1752; trans. by Jane Borthwick, 1855 (Ps. 46:10)
Benediction
May the Endurance of God thrive in us so that the Gospel is known through our patience and compassion and the world might be transformed by God’s grace and redemption at work in all, amen.
Postlude “There’s a Song in My Heart” PETERSON/HUSTAD
Kathy Ferguson, piano / Janet Tolman, organ
Sunday, September 12
Sixteenth Sunday After Pentecost
*Please stand as you are comfortable
Greeting and Announcements
Trinity Chimes
Prelude “Day by Day the Shepherd Leads” R. MALLORY
The Christ Church Ringers
*Call to Worship
One: In your Wisdom, O God, you guide us
All: As we long to hear your Word spoken in our hearts!
One: In your Peace, God, you grow us
All: As we learn to bear the fruit of mercy.
One: Into your friendship, God, you call us
All: Let us seek to worship and live by your grace. Amen
*Hymn of Praise UMH #327 “Crown Him with Many Crowns” (vs. 1 & 3) DIADEMATA
- Crown him with many crowns, the Lamb upon his throne.
Hark! how the heavenly anthem drowns all music but its own.
Awake, my soul, and sing of him who died for thee,
and hail him as thy matchless King through all eternity.
- Crown him the Lord of peace, whose power a scepter sways
from pole to pole, that wars may cease, and all be prayer and praise.
His reign shall know no end, and round his pierced feet
fair flowers of paradise extend their fragrance ever sweet.
Words: Matthew Bridges, 1851, and Godfrey Thring, 1874 (Rev. 19:12). Music: George J. Elvey, 1868.
Scripture
James 3:13 – 4:10 NRSV
One: The word of God for the People of God
Music of Preparation “I’ll Fly Away” C. MOKLEBUST
The Christ Church Ringers
Invitation to Offering
There are so many ways we give to back to God and to one another. We give by our prayers, our presence, our gifts, our service, our witness, we give in all the ways we live and share our lives. God, we pause here to reflect on all you have given us. We lift up our thanks and gratitude and ask that you continue to cultivate your wisdom in our lives so that all might meet you. Amen.
Musical Response “More Precious than Silver”
Janet Tolman, piano
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 trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us, 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 UMH #369 “Blessed Assurance” (vs. 1 & 3) ASSURANCE
- Blessed assurance, Jesus is mine! O what a foretaste of glory divine!
Heir of salvation, purchase of God, born of his Spirit, washed in his blood.
Refrain:
This is my story, this is my song,
praising my Savior all the day long;
this is my story, this is my song,
- Perfect submission, all is at rest; I in my Savior am happy and blest,
watching and waiting, looking above, filled with his goodness, lost in his love.
(Refrain)
Words: Fanny J. Crosby, 1873. Music: Phoebe P. Knapp, 1873.
Benediction
May the Wisdom of God thrive in us so that the Gospel is known through our peacemaking and seeking and the world might be transformed by God’s grace and redemption at work in us each, amen.
Postlude “Voluntary in A Major” SELBY/BIGGS
