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Thirteenth Sunday After Pentecost
- Date: Sunday, August 27, 2023
- Time: 9:30am–10:30am
- Location: Fellowship Hall
Order of Worship
August 27, 2023, 9:30 a.m.
Prelude
Sonata in C Major, K.545. II. Andante. W. A. Mozart
*Call to Worship
(The congregation responds aloud with the bold red text)
Let all the earth proclaim God’s goodness.
Sing to the glory of God’s name.
Come and see what God has done,
Let the sound of God’s praise be heard in the land.
Blessed is God who has not withdrawn God’s love and care from us.
Come, let us worship God!
*Hymn #81
1. Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
God, whose word cannot be broken,
formed thee for a blest 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.
2. Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord in near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which God gives them when they pray.
3. 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 to_assuage?
Grace, so like the Lord the giver,
never fails from age to age.
Prayer of Adoration
Call to Confession
Prayer of Confession
Merciful God, you made us in your image, with a mind to know you, a heart to love you, and a will to serve you. But our knowledge is imperfect, our love inconstant, and our obedience incomplete. Day by day we fail to grow into your likeness; yet you are slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love. For the sake of Jesus Christ, your Son, our Savior, do not hold our sins against, but in your tender love, forgive.
Lord, have mercy.
Christ, have mercy.
Lord, have mercy.
Silent Prayer of Confession
Assurance of pardon
Hear the good news!
God’s mercy and grace know no bounds.
God is faithful.
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
Thanks be to God!
*Response of Praise: Hymn #582, “Glory to God, Whose Goodness Shines on Me”
1. Glory to God, whose goodness shines on me,
and to the Son, whose grace has pardoned me,
and to the Spirit, whose love has set me free.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.
2. World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
World without end, without end. Amen.
As it was in the beginning, is now and ever shall be. Amen.
*Passing of the Peace
Life in Community
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Children’s Message
Prayer for Illumination
Gracious God, by the power of the Holy Spirit, renew our minds and hearts so we may discern your will, respond in faith, and walk in the way of Jesus Christ, the way that leads us life. Amen.
Scripture: Isaiah 51:1-6
Listen to me, you who pursue righteousness,
you who seek the Lord.
Look to the rock from which you were hewn
and to the quarry from which you were dug.
Look to Abraham your father
and to Sarah, who bore you,
for he was but one when I called him,
but I blessed him and made him many.
For the Lord will comfort Zion;
he will comfort all her waste places
and will make her wilderness like Eden,
her desert like the garden of the Lord;
joy and gladness will be found in her,
thanksgiving and the voice of song.
Listen to me, my people,
and give heed to me, my nation,
for a teaching will go out from me
and my justice for a light to the peoples.
I will bring near my deliverance swiftly;
my salvation has gone out,
and my arms will rule the peoples;
the coastlands wait for me,
and for my arm they hope.
Lift up your eyes to the heavens
and look at the earth beneath,
for the heavens will vanish like smoke,
the earth will wear out like a garment,
and those who live on it will die like gnats,
but my salvation will be forever,
and my deliverance will never be ended.
Hymn #766: “The Church of Christ Cannot Be Bound”
1. The church of Christ cannot be bound
by walls of wood or stone.
Where charity and love are found
there can the church be known.
2. True faith will open up the door
and step into the street.
True service will seek out the poor
and ask to wash their feet.
3. True love will not sit idly by
when justice is denied.
True mercy hears the homeless cry
and welcomes them inside.
4. If what we have we freely share
to meet our neighbor’s need,
then we extend the Spirit’s care
through every selfless deed.
5. The church of Christ cannot be bound
by walls of wood or stone.
Where charity and love are found,
there can the church be known.
Scripture: Matthew 16:13-20
Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist but others Elijah and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you but my Father in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades will not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven.” Then he sternly ordered the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Messiah.
Sermon
“Tell Them About the Dream” Kenneth E. Kovacs
Call to Offering
Offertory
“What a Friend We Have in Jesus,” arr. Jack Schrader
*Doxology #607, “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow”
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Christ, all people here below;
Praise Holy Spirit evermore;
Praise Triune God, whom we adore. Amen.
*Prayer of Dedication
Gracious God, we thank you for the measure of faith you have given to each of us. Increase in us generosity, compassion, and prophetic courage so we may continue to be your body in for the world. With thanksgiving, we pray in the name of Christ. 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 #463: “How FIrm a Foundation”
1. How firm a foundation, ye saints of the Lord,
is laid for your faith in God’s excellent Word!
What more can be said than to you God hath said,
to you who for refuge to Jesus have fled?
2. “Fear not, I am with thee, O be not dismayed,
for I am thy God, and will still give thee aid;
I’ll strengthen thee, help thee, and cause thee to stand,
upheld by my righteous, omnipotent hand.
3. “When through the deep waters I call thee to go,
the rivers of sorrow shall not overflow;
for I will be near thee, thy troubles to bless,
and sanctify to thee thy deepest distress.
4. “When through fiery trials thy pathway shall lie,
my grace, all sufficient, shall be thy supply;
the flame shall not hurt thee; I only design
thy dross to consume, and thy gold to refine.
5. “The soul that on Jesus hath leaned for repose,
I will not, I will not desert to its foes;
that soul, though all hell should endeavor to shake,
I’ll never, no, never, no, never forsake.”
*Benediction
Postlude
“Brethren, We Have Met to Worship,” arr. Cindy Berry
Participants
- Keith and Kathy Glennan,
Ruling Elders, video production - Wendy Johnston,
Organist and Assistant Director of Music - Greg Knauf,
Director of Music - Kenneth E. Kovacs,
Pastor - Vickie Lord,
Social media support - Dottie Marshall,
Sanctuary set up - Cynthia Schwanz,
Liturgist
Sources
- Teri McDowell Ott, The Presbyterian Outlook (Richmond, VA: 2023).
- Glory to God: The Presbyterian Hymnal (Louisville: Westminster John Knox Press, 2013).
- Permission to podcast/stream the music in this service obtained from One License with license #A-734388; CCLI Copyright License B 20481088 + Streaming License B 481071