SOMETHING TO PONDER 8
By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be
my disciples. 9As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you.
Abide in my love. 10If you keep my commandments, you will abide
in my love, just as I have kept my Father's commandments and abide in his
love. John 15:8-10 (ESV)
PRELUDE :
(A time for quiet reflection and preparation for worship)
HYMN: "Lord, You Give The Great Commission" V.U. 512 (Tune VU 244 Sing Your Praise to God Eternal)
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader:
Listen up, everyone!
God has given us work to do.
People: God has called each of us
before we were even born.
Leader:
It was God who named us.
People: It is God who claims us.
Leader:
The light of God's love shines in us.
People: Let's shine God's love into all the world!
HYMN: "
Will You Come and See the Light" V.U. 96
A PRAYER OF APPROACH:
SUNG RESPONSE:
Search me, O God, and know my heart today,
Try me, O Saviour, know my thoughts, I pray;
See if there be some brokenness in me;
Cleanse me from every wrong, and set me free.
SERVICE OF LIGHTING THE CANDLE
We light the Christ Candle today to remind us that when we let the light of
Christ burn strongly in our hearts, nothing is impossible.
As Jesus said, "No chance at all if you think you can pull it off
yourself. Every chance in the world if you trust God to do it."
(Matthew 19:26, The Message)
WE LISTEN TO GOD'S WORD - READ AND PROCLAIMED
SUNG PSALM
: PSALM 5:1-8
(Tune: Come, We That Love the Lord (second tune) V.U.715
1. Lord, list-en to my words
And hear me as I sigh;
You are my God and King, O Lord;
Please list-en to my cry.
2. I pray to you, O Lord;
Each morn you hear my voice,
I pray to you at rise of sun,
And wait for your re-ply
3. You are not pleased, O God,
When wick-ed-ness is done.
No e-vil in your pres-ence is
Al-lowed to come and dwell.
4. You can-not stand the proud,
You hate all wick-ed ones,
You crush the li-ar, and ab-hor
The vio-lent and the false.
5. Through your a-bun-dant love
I can be-fore you come
And wor-ship in your ho-ly house
In rev-er-ence and awe.
6. Lord, I have man-y foes;
Lead me to do your will,
Be-fore me make my path-way straight
That I may fol-low you.
Reprinted by permission of the publisher from Sing the Psalms! by
Dale A. Schoening. Copyright 1988 Dale A. Schoening.
ANTHEM
MESSAGE: "Make a Friend. Be a Friend. Then …"
HYMN:
"Ask Me What Great Thing I Know" V.U. 338
RESPONSE
: Lord, Listen to Your Children Praying V.U. 400
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Lord, send your Spirit in this place,
Lord, listen to your children praying,
Send us love, send us power, send us grace
PRAYERS OF COMMITMENT
Leader:
God of revelation and inspiration -
People:
Through the words of the prophets
You have shown us the world
strong>
of your dreaming and longing:
A world built on justice, overflowing with plenty,
and crowned with joy.
Leader:
And through your coming in Jesus -
his living and loving,
his words and actions-
you have shown us
how such a world might be fashioned.
People:
Help us to grow into these understandings;
and, like Jesus,
may we always be ready
to obey your Word
by living generously,
loving expansively,
speaking boldly
and acting courageously,
that the Kingdom of your dreaming,
with its divine justice, abundance and joy,
may become the present reality
of all the people of this world.
All: Amen
WE RESPOND TO GOD'S WORD IN FAITH AND ACTION
OFFERING INVITATION
OFFERTORY RESPONSE
: V.U. 552
For food in a world where many walk in hunger,
for friends in a world where many walk alone,
for faith in a world where many walk in fear,
we give you thanks, O God.
OFFERTORY PRAYER
HYMN:
"Filled With the Spirit's Power" V.U. 194
COMMISSIONING AND BLESSING
POSTLUDE
(A time to quietly reflect on all that you have experienced this
morning and to ask God to help you grow in faith in the coming
week)
