June 21st, 2020 - 3rd Sunday after Pentecost : God's ways are not our ways; God remains faithful
Prelude: Sandell: Children of the Heavenly Father performed by Chris Oelkers
Faithful and loving God, You call us to be part of Your Kingdom, and to trust in Your ways. In this time of worship, send forth Your Holy Spirit to open our hearts and souls to trust in Your abiding presence with us and Your faithfulness, so that whatever happens within our lives we will see and have faith in You. During this time of worship, center our hearts, our souls, and our minds on Your Presence with us as we lift to you the prayers of our hearts. We know You promise to hear our prayers, always, and in confidence
We come to pray for: Our world and our country our loved ones - keep them: keep them in health, in safety, in comfort, in Your care Keep us, also and send forth Your Holy Spirit of truth, of comfort, and of power for any among us who feel constrained, or emotionally distressed by our time and era for any who need to know Your love for them in this hurting world.
We also lift to You those who need comfort as they mourn their loved ones. Jesus promised to send the Holy Spirit, The comforter, who would remind us of Your promises that Nothing in life, or in Death, things present, nor things to come, nor angel or demons within our lives, nor anything in all of creation will ever be able to separate us from Your love in Jesus the Christ, our Lord.
The Lord's Prayer
Opening Hymn: No. 578 God of Love and God of Power
Call to Worship: Psalm 86:5, 6, 2, 4a [adapted]
- Pastor: The Lord is good and forgiving, abounding in steadfast love to all who call on God.
- People: Give ear, O Lord to our prayers; listen to our cry of supplication.
- Pastor: Save your servants who trust in You;
- People: Gladden the soul of Your servants.
Choral Anthem: Choplin: Hold On to the Rock
True and gracious God, we are here to lean on Your eternal love for us. Our lives have so many ups and downs, fears then celebrations. As Your servants we sometime expect smooth sailing and an easy life. Jesus taught his disciples, then and now, that life is not easy, but You are faithful no matter what happens. We are reminded through the life, ministry, death, and resurrection of Jesus that Your ways are not the ways of the world, or even our ideas of what should take place for disciples. Jesus taught that the road was difficult for him, and will be for us as we follow Your call on our lives to proclaim Your kingdom in a hurting world. Jesus warns us that not everyone wants to hear the Truth of God, and yet we are promised that when we become faithful to God, God will be faithful to us no matter the hardships we endure. We are asked to give our lives in service to the Cross of love and forgiveness so others may hear Your grace towards them in this time and era.
Hymn: No. 398 Jesus Calls Us
Gospel Reading and message Matthew 10: 24-39 God's ways are not our ways; God remains faithful
Closing Hymn: Taylor [Abbot's Leigh]: God Is Love
- Pastor: God has promised God's people a future;
- People: We will journey forward knowing that God is faithful from everlasting to everlasting.
- Pastor: God has a ministry for us and calls us to take up our cross and follow Jesus.
- People: We will trust God, like Jesus trusted God.
- Pastor: You are valuable to God; precious in God's sight and heart.
- People: We live knowing that God knows us by name, and knows even the hairs on our head.
- Pastor: We do not need to live in fear;
- People: For God is with us, and God loves us beyond measure.
- Pastor: We can trust God;
- People: For God is faithful and loving; abounding in steadfast love.
- Pastor: God knows our future and will keep us safe forever.
- People: Surely goodness and mercy shall follow us all the days of our lives, and we shall dwell in the shelter of God forever.
Postlude: Charpentier: Prelude to Te Deum performed by Mark Steiner