Order of Service
| Prelude | Chris Johansen, piano | |
| Opening Prayer | Raleigh Johnson | |
| Confession & Forgiveness | Liz Dodge | |
| Gathering Song | My Faith Looks Up to Thee #759 | Harry Johansen Chris Johansen, piano |
| Prayer of the Day | Raleigh Johnson | |
| Psalm 105 | vs. 1-8 | Harry Johansen Chris Johansen, piano |
| Scripture | Acts 15: 1 – 18 | Liz Dodge |
| Reflection / Commentary | written by Mary Hinkel Shore | Liz Dodge |
| Creed | Liz Dodge | |
| Prayers of Intercession | Barb Kass | |
| Lord’s Prayer | Liz Dodge | |
| Communion | Shawn Mai | |
| Blessing / Benediction | Liz Dodge | |
| Closing Hymn | The Church’s One Foundation #654 | Harry Johansen Chris Johansen, piano |
| Postlude | Chris Johansen, piano |
Audio Recording
Prelude
Chris Johansen
Welcome
Opening Prayer
Life-giving God, we are a blessed people.
In this moment of worship we pray that you might bless us anew.
Give us ears to hear the melodies of praise that fill the world around us.
And as we hear the songs, teach us to sing,
to dance with abandon,
to rejoice in the wonders of your grace.
Forgive us when we have passed by signs of your mercy.
From this moment forward,
open our eyes to the places where joy is springing up from parched ground.
Lead us by your Spirit in the pathways of your overflowing peace, hope, and joy.
Amen.
Confession & Forgiveness
P: In the name of the Father, and of the +Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
C: Amen
P: We confess our entanglements with justice, hurts, and greed – and God’s difficult,
blessed vision of a very different way. We seek the face of God, confessing our sin.
Silence for reflection and self-examination.
Holy God,
we have sinned against you and each other. We pray for your forgiveness and healing. The good we want to do, we often fail to do. The harmful actions and thoughts we do not want, we turn to again and again. Deliver us, Gracious God. Save us, save our neighbors, save all your creatures from our lack of imagination and courage. Gird us for the challenges of change needed, called for, overdue. Guide our way in your way. Amen
P: We who were once far off have been brought near to God through the cross of Christ.
May we forgive one another as God in Christ has first forgiven us. Amen
Gathering Song – My Faith Looks Up to Thee
1.
My faith looks up to thee,
thou Lamb of Calvary,
Savior divine!
Now hear me while I pray,
take all my guilt away,
oh, let me from this day
be wholly thine!
2.
May thy rich grace impart
strength to my fainting heart,
my zeal inspire;
as thou hast died for me,
oh, may my love to thee
pure, warm, and changeless be,
a living fire!
3.
While life’s dark maze I tread
and griefs around me spread,
be thou my guide;
bid darkness turn to day,
wipe sorrow’s tears away,
nor let me ever stray
from thee aside.
4.
When ends life’s transient dream,
when death’s cold, sullen stream
shall o’er me roll;
blest Savior, then, in love
fear and distrust remove;
oh, bear me safe above,
a ransomed soul!
Text: Ray Palmer
Music: Lowell Mason
Greeting
We gather in the triune name of sacred Love. May God’s peace be ever with you, Christ’s mercy near at hand, and may the Holy Spirit guide and encourage you in all circumstances and in every need. Amen
Prayer of the Day
Lord of all,
In Jesus you have made us all sisters and brothers in Christ. There is no distinction between Gentile and Jew. There is no separation that can remove any from fellowship in Christ’s community. Blind us to our differences so that in unity we may proclaim your truth to all, for the sake of Jesus Christ in whom there is harmony and peace.
Amen
Psalm 105: 1-8
1 Give thanks to the Lord and call up-|on God’s name;
make known the deeds of the Lord a-|mong the peoples.
2 Sing to the | Lord, sing praises,
and speak of all God’s | marvelous works.
3 Glory in God’s | holy name;
let the hearts of those who seek the | Lord rejoice.
4 Search for the strength | of the Lord;
continually | seek God’s face.
5 Remember the marvels | God has done,
the wonders and the judgments | of God’s mouth,
6 O offspring of Abra-|ham, God’s servant,
O children of Jacob, God’s | chosen ones.
7 The Lord | is our God,
whose judgments prevail in | all the world,
8 who has always been mindful | of the covenant,
the promise made for a thousand | generations
Scripture Reading – Acts 15: 1-18
Then certain individuals came down from Judea and were teaching the brothers, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.” 2And after Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and debate with them, Paul and Barnabas and some of the others were appointed to go up to Jerusalem to discuss this question with the apostles and the elders. 3So they were sent on their way by the church, and as they passed through both Phoenicia and Samaria, they reported the conversion of the Gentiles, and brought great joy to all the believers. 4When they came to Jerusalem, they were welcomed by the church and the apostles and the elders, and they reported all that God had done with them. 5But some believers who belonged to the sect of the Pharisees stood up and said, “It is necessary for them to be circumcised and ordered to keep the law of Moses.”
6The apostles and the elders met together to consider this matter. 7After there had been much debate, Peter stood up and said to them, “My brothers, you know that in the early days God made a choice among you, that I should be the one through whom the Gentiles would hear the message of the good news and become believers. 8And God, who knows the human heart, testified to them by giving them the Holy Spirit, just as he did to us; 9and in cleansing their hearts by faith he has made no distinction between them and us. 10Now therefore why are you putting God to the test by placing on the neck of the disciples a yoke that neither our ancestors nor we have been able to bear? 11On the contrary, we believe that we will be saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, just as they will.” 12The whole assembly kept silence, and listened to Barnabas and Paul as they told of all the signs and wonders that God had done through them among the Gentiles. 13After they finished speaking, James replied, “My brothers, listen to me. 14Simeon has related how God first looked favorably on the Gentiles, to take from among them a people for his name. 15This agrees with the words of the prophets, as it is written, 16‘After this I will return, and I will rebuild the dwelling of David, which has fallen; from its ruins I will rebuild it, and I will set it up, 17so that all other peoples may seek the Lord— even all the Gentiles over whom my name has been called. Thus says the Lord, who has been making these things 18known from long ago.
Commentary
by Mary Hinkel Shore
click here to open a new tab with the Commentary text
Statement of Faith
In you, Father all-mighty, we have our preservation and our bliss.
In you, Christ, we have our restoring and our saving. You are our mother, brother, and Savior.
In you, our Lord the Holy Spirit, is marvelous and plenteous grace.
You are our clothing; for love you wrap us and embrace us.
You are our maker, our lover, our keeper.
Teach us to believe that by your grace all shall be well, and all shall be well, and all manner of things shall be well. Amen
~ Julian of Norwich
Prayers of Intercession
God our strength: Change us by your grace.
United in Christ who is always present and listening, let us pray to God:
For the Church, the Body of Christ,
that we might live the unity we receive
through the Holy Spirit.
God our strength: Change us by your grace.
For the leaders of our churches
that they may be faithful to the unity
to which all Christians are called.
God our strength: Change us by your grace.
For the nations of the world,
that they may find common ground and respect.
May that lead to peace with one another
and the reality of justice for all people.
God our strength: Change us by your grace..
For all people,
that we may be good stewards of the earth
mindful of all creatures plants and fungi.
God our strength: Change us by your grace..
For the people of our society,
that we may be transformed to live
as caring neighbors to each other.
God our strength: Change us by your grace.
For the sick and suffering,
that they may be transformed
by your healing presence.
God our strength: Change us by your grace..
For all families and households,
that their struggles and joys may find their fulfillment
in your love.
God our strength: Change us by your grace..
For the dying,and for the grieving,
that they may be comforted by your presence.
God our strength: Change us by your grace.
Lord, stand in our midst and grant us unity and peace.
Amen.
Lord’s Prayer
Our Father in heaven, hallowed be your name,
your kingdom come, your will be done,
on earth as in heaven.
Give us today our daily bread and forgive us our sins
as we forgive those who sin against us.
Save us from the time of trial and deliver us from evil.
For the kingdom, the power, and the glory are yours, now and forever. Amen
Communion
Benediction
As you go from here into the week ahead,
Keep your eyes open for God,
watch for His works;
be alert for signs of His presence.
For He is God—our God—
in charge of the whole earth.
And He remembers His Covenant—
for a thousand generations He’s been as good as His word.
So go with confidence and joy,
knowing that God goes with you.
Amen
Hymn – The Church’s One Foundation
1.
The church’s one foundation is Jesus Christ, her Lord;
she is his new creation by water and the word.
From heav’n he came and sought her to be his holy bride;
with his own blood he bought her, and for her life he died.
2.
Elect from ev’ry nation, yet one o’er all the earth,
her charter of salvation one Lord, one faith, one birth:
one holy name she blesses, partakes one holy food,
and to one hope she presses with ev’ry grace endued.
3.
Though with a scornful wonder this world sees her oppressed,
by schisms rent asunder, by heresies distressed,
yet saints their watch are keeping; their cry goes up: “How long?”
and soon the night of weeping shall be the morn of song.
4.
Through toil and tribulation and tumult of her war,
she waits the consummation of peace forevermore;
till with the vision glorious her longing eyes are blest,
and the great church victorious shall be the church at rest.
5.
Yet she on earth hath union with God, the Three in One,
and mystic sweet communion with those whose rest is won.
Oh, blessed heav’nly chorus! Lord, save us by your grace,
that we, like saints before us, may see you face to face.
Text: Samuel J. Stone
Music: Samuel S. Wesley