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Prelude: Bach: Sleepers Wake, for Night Is Flying, played by Andrew Unsworth
Pastoral Prayer
Faithful and loving God, we enter into this time of worship trusting in Your presence with us. As we wait for Your Kingdom to become evident to us in our lives, help us remain faithful to You. Strengthen our faith so that whatever happens within our lives we can see Your actions guiding us, being present to us to comfort or rejoice with us, and see Your forgiveness when we totally forget about you. In this time of waiting show us how to let our "light" shine into the world so we become Your people in this hurting world.
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 with confidence,
We come to pray for Our Church, for it's leaders and congregation
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. We pray for any among us who feel constrained, or emotionally distressed by our time and era and 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. 540 I Love Thy Kingdom, Lord
Call to Worship: Psalm 34 [adapted]
Choral Anthem: Parks: Acclamation and Praise
God of our hope, we wait for the fulfillment of Your Kingdom within our lives. Sometimes we see glimpses of You and Your kingdom, but often we lose sight of You working in and among us. Sometimes we become weary of waiting for You to act within our lives, or try to configure our own way in the world without acknowledging Your lordship on our lives. Forgive us when we miss Your faithfulness within our lives. Send forth Your Holy Spirit to enliven our hearts, souls, and minds to witness Your victories in our journeys of faith so we can enter into Your Kingdom with rejoicing and praises. Give us that "oil" in sufficient amount, so our lamps burn bright at the dawning of Your presence. Guide us in all truth about Your Kingdom so we become Your faithful people who await the fulfillment of Your kingdom in the world.
Hymn: No. 720 Wake, Awake, for Night is Flying
Gospel Reading and message:
Closing Hymn: No. 396 O Jesus I Have Promised
Postlude: Boƫllmann: Menuet Gothique, from Suite Gothique, played by Andrew Unsworth