Sept. 12, 2021 Order of Worship

 

First Presbyterian Church

September 12, 2021

10:00 AM

Order of Worship

 

CALL TO WORSHIP

When God calls, will we be ready to answer?

When the Lord calls, may we be strengthened to offer our hearts.

How then shall we respond to our God?

Here I am, the servant of the Lord, let it be with me according to Your Word.

 Let us worship the Living God.

 

*Hymn of Praise: “Blessed Assurance”

1. 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, praising my Savior all the day long.

2. Perfect submission, perfect delight, visions of rapture now burst on my sight; angels descending bring from above echoes of mercy, whispers of love. (Refrain)

3. 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)

      PRAYER OF CONFESSION (In Unison)

 Father in heaven, we confess to You our sins and shortcomings, give us the strength to open our lives to Your healing love.  May we know the wonder of forgiveness, the blessedness of renewal, and experience the full grace that Jesus gives to us.  We know that we have sinned and fallen short of Your glory, dearest Lord.  We come now to invest ourselves in Your grace that we may be renewed and live lives more worthy of You.  Amen.

*SILENT PRAYERS OF CONFESSION

ASSURANCE OF PARDON

Jesus is our Savior.  By His death and resurrection, we have received the gift of grace from our God that our sins are forgiven, that we are made right with the Almighty.  Know these words and be at peace.

 

 

*THE GLORIA PATRI

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.

INVITATION: “Dear Lord, I need You, please come into my life today.  Amen”

SCRIPTURAL INTRODUCTION

 LESSONS: Luke 1: 26-38; Hebrews 2: 11-18

In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin engaged to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. The virgin’s name was Mary. And he came to her and said, “Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you.” But she was much perplexed by his words and pondered what sort of greeting this might be. The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. And now, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you will name him Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his ancestor David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” Mary said to the angel, “How can this be, since I am a virgin?” The angel said to her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be holy; he will be called Son of God. And now, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son; and this is the sixth month for her who was said to be barren. For nothing will be impossible with God.” Then Mary said, “Here am I, the servant of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word.” Then the angel departed from her.

¹¹For the one who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one Father. For this reason Jesus is not ashamed to call them brothers and sisters, ¹²saying, “I will proclaim your name to my brothers and sisters, in the midst of the congregation I will praise you.” ¹³And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Here am I and the children whom God has given me.”

¹⁴Since, therefore, the children share flesh and blood, he himself likewise shared the same things, so that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by the fear of death. ¹⁶  For it is clear that he did not come to help angels, but the descendants of Abraham. ¹⁷Therefore he had to become like his brothers and sisters in every respect, so that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make a sacrifice of atonement for the sins of the people.   ¹⁸Because he himself was tested by what he suffered, he is able to help those who are being tested.

SERMON:                       “The Importance of Jesus as Human”                                Rev. Peter Hofstra

 

 

 

 

 

AFFIRMATION OF FAITH (from A Brief Statement of Faith)

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. The same Spirit who inspired the prophets and apostles rules our faith and life in Christ through Scripture, engages us through the Word proclaimed, claims us in the waters of baptism, feeds us with the bread of life and the cup of salvation, and calls women and men to all ministries of the Church. In a broken and fearful world the Spirit gives us courage to pray without ceasing, to witness among all peoples to Christ as Lord and Savior, to unmask idolatries in Church and culture, to hear the voices of peoples long silenced, and to work with others for justice, freedom, and peace. In gratitude to God, empowered by the Spirit, we strive to serve Christ in our daily tasks and to live holy and joyful lives, even as we watch for God’s new heaven and new earth, praying, “Come, Lord Jesus!”

PASSING OF THE PEACE

THE OFFERING OF OUR TITHES & GIFTS

A generous person will be enriched. Those who give freely will grow all the richer. Let us present our tithes and offering to our God

 

*DOXOLOGY

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow; Praise Him, all creatures here below; Praise Him above, ye heavenly host; Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.  Amen.

*PRAYER OF DEDICATION

Holy God, take these gifts and bless them for good use to your glory. May these tokens of our gratitude be of service in blessing the poor, feeding the hungry, clothing and sheltering those struggling to survive. Use these gifts to further Christ’s mission and ministry in a hurting world. Amen

 JOYS AND CONCERNS

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

Blessed, praised, honored, exalted, respected, adored and glorified be the name of our Holy God. Words alone cannot adequately express our praise and thanksgiving, Holy One. May the words we pray honestly reflect the desire and devotion of our hearts and guide us to a strong and right relationship with you. In your mercy, Lord, hear our prayers. We pray for health and healing in the midst of our continuing crisis. Strengthen medical professionals who have spent all of their reserves of endurance. Encourage them when death prevails despite their heroic efforts. Grant them courage and confidence in the face of never-ending trials. Show us all signs of your healing grace. As our nation marks 20 years since the attacks of September 11, 2001, we pray for a collective moment of pause. Help us stop what we are doing, Holy God. Help us set aside the stress and strain of the everyday to honor the lives that were lost, the families devastated, the first responders who ran toward danger to help and save. May the memory of this terrible and tragic day make us ever more motivated to work for peace across our world. Help us to build cultural, global and interfaith bridges, pathways and partnerships of mutual care and understanding. Merciful God, as we remember the pain of this tragic day, fill us with your peace that passes all understanding, fill us with the hope that your kingdom will come and your will be done. Compassionate God, bind up the wounds of the suffering among us. Provide help and hope for families facing eviction. Provide safety and security for refugees and asylum seekers. Provide justice for peoples and nations long oppressed. Provide liberation for the dehumanized as well as for those who cooperate with dehumanizing practices. Free us all, Holy God, by faith. God of life, the burdens we carry are heavy and the road forward feels dreary and endless. Turn our eyes to where your skies are full of promise, tune our hearts to your brave love, fill our souls with moral courage so we can find our purpose and our path in you. United as a family of faith and as the Body of Christ, we lift these prayers up to you, God our Creator, Redeemer and Sustainer. Finally, hear us pray the prayer Christ taught us, saying,

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.  Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil; for Thine is the kingdom and the power, and the glory forever.  Amen.

*CLOSING HYMN: “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.

3. 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;

4. In hope that sends a shining ray far down the future's broadening way, in peace that only thou canst give, with thee, O Master, let me live.

*BENEDICTION

*THREE FOLD AMEN

Elements of Order of Worship Liturgy written by Teri McDowell Ott.