Sunday September 1, 2024 - Bulletin
September 1, 2024
Fifteenth Sunday after Pentecost
CHIMING THE HOUR
WELCOME AND ANNOUNCEMENTS
PRAYER OF APPROACH
PRELUDE
CALL TO WORSHIP (Psalm 15)
One: Lord, who may dwell in your sacred tent? Who may live on your holy mountain?
All: The one whose walk is blameless, who does what is righteous, who speaks the truth from their heart;
One: whose tongue utters no slander, who does no wrong to a neighbor, and casts no slur on others;
All: who despises a vile person but honors those who fear the Lord; who keeps an oath even when it hurts, and does not change their mind;
One: who lends money to the poor without interest; who does not accept a bribe against the innocent.
All: Whoever does these things will never be shaken.
*HYMN # 473 “For the Beauty of the Earth”
CALL TO CONFESSION
PRAYER OF CONFESSION (UNISON)
Loving Father, you have instructed us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Forgive us when do the opposite. We know that you have instructed us to be slow to anger because our anger does not produce your righteousness. Teach us to take that to heart. Forgive us, LORD, when we are merely hearers of the Word, and not doers. Teach us to not be hearers who forget but rather doers who act in your name. Help us to understand that religion that is pure and undefiled before you requires us to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. Amen.
One: Now that we have confessed as a body, let us take the truths that have troubled our hearts to God silently. Let us not be worried about the awkwardness of silence, as we take some time to focus on speaking with our God.
SILENT REFLECTION
WORDS OF ASSURANCE
GLORIA PATRI # 579
PASSING OF THE PEACE
One: Since God has forgiven us in Christ,
let us forgive one another.
The peace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all.
All: And also with you.
One: Let us share signs of peace with one another.
OLD TESTAMENT LESSON Song of Solomon 2:8-13
EPISTLE LESSON James 1:17-27 Rev Kirsty H. Dickson-Maret
MUSICAL OFFERING
GOSPEL LESSON Mark 7:1-8, 14-15, 21-23 Rev Kirsty H. Dickson-Maret
SERMON “Hearts Far from God” Rev Kirsty H. Dickson-Maret
AFFIRMATION OF FAITH
*HYMN # 513 “Let Us Break Bread Together”
CELEBRATION OF EUCHARIST
INVITATION TO THE LORD’S TABLE
This is the joyful feast of the people of God! People will come from north and south and from east and west to sit at table in the kingdom of God.
According to Luke, when our risen Lord was at table with his disciples, he took the bread, blessed and broke it, and gave it to them. Then their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. This is the Lord’s Table. Our Savior invites those who trust him to share the feast that he has prepared.
PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING
L: The Lord be with you.
A: And also with you.
L: Lift up your hearts.
A: We lift them to the Lord.
L: Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
A: It is right to give our thanks and praise.
L: We glorify your name and lift our voices in joyful praise.
Praise to you, O God, for all your works. You created the world and called it good
and made us in your image to live together in love. You made a covenant with us,
and even when we turned from you, you remained ever faithful. Therefore with all creation we sing your praise:
A: Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of your glory.
Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
L: Thank you, O God, for sending us your Son. He lived among us and told your story. He healed the sick and welcomed sinners.
He shared our pain and died our death, then rose to new life that we might live, and all creation be restored.
Gracious God, pour out your Holy Spirit upon us and upon these your gifts of bread and wine that they may be for us the body
and blood of Christ and that we may be his body for the world. By your Spirit unite us with Christ and one another until we feast with him
and with all your saints in your eternal realm of justice and peace. Through Christ, with Christ, in Christ, in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
all glory and honor are yours, almighty God, now and forever. Amen.
THE WORDS OF INSTITUTION
COMMUNION OF THE PEOPLE
PRAYER AFTER COMMUNION
L: Loving God, we thank you that you have fed us in this sacrament,
A: united us with Christ, and given us a foretaste of the heavenly banquet in your eternal realm.
L: Send us out in the power of your Spirit
A: to live and work to your praise and glory, For the sake of Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
JOYS AND CONCERNS
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE and THE LORD’S PRAYER
CALL FOR THE OFFERING
DOXOLOGY
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (UNISON)
Loving Father, you have instructed us to be quick to listen and slow to speak. Forgive us when do the opposite. We know that you have instructed us to be slow to anger because our anger does not produce your righteousness. Teach us to take that to heart. Forgive us, LORD, when we are merely hearers of the Word, and not doers. Teach us to not be forgetful hearers who forget but rather mindful doers who act in your name. Remind us that you require us to care for orphans and widows in their distress and to keep ourselves unstained by the world. Amen.
*HYMN # 391 “Take My Life”
CHARGE
BENEDICTION
OSTLUDE