October 29 – The Compassionate Life
October 28, 2023 by Rich
Filed under Featured, Livestream Links and Order for Worship
May our worship on this Reformation Sunday inspire each person participating
to become a messenger of our Savior’s Gospel of grace.
WELCOME
PRELUDE – Simple Gifts
*CALL TO WORSHIP – Pat Winship
One: Rejoice, people of God!
All: We praise God for the gift of life!
One: God is gracious and merciful.
All: God is slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love.
One: Our God is a Mighty Fortress.
All: Together, let us praise God!
*HYMN – A Mighty Fortress Is Our God – #1
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.
Did we in our own strength confide, Our striving would be losing,
Were not the right Man on our side, the Man of God’s own choosing.
Dost ask who that may be? Christ Jesus, it is He;
Lord Sabaoth His name, from age to age the same;
And He must win the battle.
82ils 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.
That word above all earthly powers no thanks to them abideth;
The Spirit and the gifts are ours Through him who with us sideth:
Let goods and kindred go, This mortal life also;
The body they may kill: God’s truth abideth still;
His kingdom is forever!
*PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Pat Winship
God Who Leads; we have not reached the Promised Land. We have not yet seen the fulfillment of all that you have spoken down through the generations. There remains much work to be done as your disciples in pursuit of “a just world for all.”
God Who Fulfills Promises; grant that we may have the vision of Moses, who trusted that your Realm Eternal, your precious Land of Milk and Honey, steadily is drawing near. Grant that we may be blessed with the courage of your prophets to continue working on behalf of your justice, even when these efforts seem futile.
Dear God, we give you thanks for gathering us together this morning. Here in your sanctuary, we vividly sense your closeness. We praise you for guiding us toward loving as Christ loves – toward being willing to sacrifice our own lives for others. Fill us with your Spirit of unselfishness, Jesus. We come to learn from you; for we long to walk in your footsteps. Amen.
*RESPONSE – We Bow Down – worship booklet, p. 93
You are Lord of creation and Lord of my life,
Lord of the land and the sea;
you were Lord of the heavens before there was time,
and Lord of all lords you will be.
We bow down, and we worship you, Lord;
we bow down, and we worship you, Lord;
we bow down, and we worship you, Lord;
Lord of all lords you will be.
GOD’S WORD – Psalm 1 – Pat Winship
SPECIAL MUSIC — Be Thou My Vision – Paul Manz
GOD’S WORD – 1 Thessalonians 2:1-8 & Matthew 22:34-46 – Pastor Dan
SERMON – Pastor Dan
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH & THE LORD’S PRAYER – Pastor Dan
UCC STATEMENT OF FAITH – worship booklet, p. 4
*HYMN – Be Thou My Vision – #400
Be Thou my Vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that Thou art;
Thou my best thought by or by night,
Waking and sleeping, Thy presence my light.
Be Thou my Wisdom, and Thou my true Word;
I ever with Thee and Thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I Thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with Thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise,
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and Thou only the first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my Treasure Thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heav’n’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.
*BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan
*POSTLUDE – Prelude in Classic Style – Gordon Young
March 14 Virtual Worship –Â No Matter What
March 14, 2021 by Rich
Filed under Featured, Livestream Links and Order for Worship
Thank you for joining us at Ivy Chapel United Church of Christ as we make the journey toward Easter together.
We ran into a few technical challenges with our stream this morning. It’s now in two parts:
Here is this week’s order for worship:
March 14 – No Matter What
WELCOME
PRELUDE – Anna DiVesta
*CALL TO WORSHIP – Pastor Dan Wilson
One: God’s goodness has entered the world!
All: What joy to know this!
One: Rejoice, people of God! Christ died and rose on high!
All: By God’s Word, we are delivered from destruction.
One: By God’s mercy, we are made whole.
All: Let all that breathes sing God’s praises!
HYMN – O Love That Will Not Let Me Go – #439
- O Love that will not let me go, I rest my weary soul in Thee;
I give Thee back the life I owe,
That in Thine ocean depths its flow May richer, fuller be. - O Light that foll’west all my way, I yield my flick’ring torch to Thee;
My heart restores its borrowed ray,
That in Thy sunshine’s blaze its day May brighter, fairer be. - O Joy that seekest me through pain, I cannot close my heart to Thee;
I trace the rainbow through the rain,
And feel the promise is not vain That morn shall tearless be.
UNISON PRAYER OF INVOCATION – Pastor Dan
God of unending patience, we call on you now. Often, we are impatient and troubled. We dream of being like you, Christ Jesus. Our calling is to follow you. Discipleship is your beautiful dream for all people. Yet we hesitate, for we are afraid of embracing changes that may come with the new life you offer. We are preoccupied with all sorts of other voices instead of being focused on responding to your Voice. Distracted by complexities, pressures and demands of our day; we neglect to set aside time to be still before you, God. Even now, we have gathered without much preparation, as if meeting you requires little of us. Yet we come here in search of the healing and the wholeness which you give. Merciful God, we call on you this moment, asking you to meet us as we are. Amen.
RESPONSE – O How He Loves You and Me – #254
- O how He loves you and me, O how He loves you and me;
He gave His life – what more could He give?
O how He loves you, O how He loves me, O how He loves you and me! - Jesus to Calv’ry did go, His love for mankind to show;
What He did there bro’t hope from despair;
O how He loves you, O how He loves me, O how He loves you and me!
CHILDREN’S MESSAGE – Liz Schurwan
GOD’S WORD – Psalm 107:1-3, 17-22 – Pastor Dan
SPECIAL MUSIC Here I Am, Lord, Send Me
GOD’S WORD – John 3:14-21 – Pastor
SERMON – Pastor Dan
PRAYERS OF THE CHURCH – Pastor Dan
Pastoral Prayer and the Lord’s Prayer (debts… debtors)
HYMN – Lamb of God – worship booklet, p. 59
- Your only Son, no sin to hide, but you have sent him from your side,
to walk upon this guilty sod, and to become the Lamb of God
REFRAIN
O Lamb of God, sweet Lamb of God, I love the holy Lamb of God!
O wash me in his precious blood – my Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God!
- Your gift of love, they crucified, they laughed and scorned him as He died,
the humble King they named a fraud and sacrificed the Lamb of God.
REFRAIN
- I was so lost, I should have died, but You have brought me to your side,
to be led by your staff and rod, and to be called a lamb of God.
REFRAIN
BENEDICTION – Pastor Dan
POSTLUDE
CCLI License #456361​​
