Celebrating Our Freedom

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Service of Worship

Consolation No.4 in D-flat major
Franz Liszt
© Public Domain

Opening Prayer
If you are tired from carrying heavy burdens,
come to me and I will give you rest.
Take the yoke I give you.
Put it on your shoulders and learn from me.
I am gentle and humble, and you will find rest.
This yoke is easy to bear, and this burden is light.

Christ calls us to come to worship
To rest from the things that are troubling us
To learn what Christ can teach of life
To realize what we can offer to others
And so to return into the world to serve
Let us worship God

Opening Hymn — #384 Love Divine, All Loves Excelling

1. Love divine all loves excelling
Joy of heaven to earth come down
Fix in us Thy humble dwelling
All Thy faithful mercies crown
Jesus Thou art all compassion
Pure unbounded love Thou art
Visit us with Thy salvation
Enter every trembling heart

2. Breathe O breathe Thy loving Spirit
Into every troubled breast
Let us all in Thee inherit
Let us find Thy promised rest
Take away the love of sinning
Alpha and Omega be
End of faith as its beginning
Set our hearts at liberty

3. Come Almighty to deliver
Let us all Thy grace receive
Suddenly return and never
Never more Thy temples leave
Thee we would be always blessing
Serve Thee as Thy hosts above
Pray and praise Thee without ceasing
Glory in Thy perfect love

4. Finish then Thy new creation
Pure and spotless let us be
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee
Changed from glory into glory
Till in heaven we take our place
Till we cast our crowns before Thee
Lost in wonder love and praise

Love Divine (Beecher)
Charles Wesley | John Zundel
© Public Domain

Children’s Time with Ms Becky

Joys and Concerns — Pastoral Prayer

Pastoral Prayer

Credit: Rev. Ian McLean

Heavenly Father, when you answered suffering Job out of the whirlwind, you challenged him to see you as Creator God. When we suffer and complain, help us note your wondrous work throughout the universe, and give you thanks for caring about us in the middle of it all.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord of all nations, give us courage to trust you (like David before Goliath), to face danger unafraid, and to believe in your providence.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Holy Spirit, mighty God, you still the storm with a whisper, for you are good. Still the storms that rage within us.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord Jesus Christ, giver of God’s grace, open our hearts to receive you in faith, to do your work on earth, and to give thanks for every daily opportunity to be your person.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord Jesus Christ, as you calmed the sea, still the storms within us and around us, both in our personal lives and in our church lives, and when you say, “Peace! Be still!” may we obey.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

Lord Jesus Christ, all of us know the pains of illness, separation, loneliness and death. Hear us as we name those with difficulties who need your Holy Spirit’s presence, and your healing touch _____.
Loving God, you hear our prayers: You live among us.

The love of God has won. The new life has begun. Amen.

Offertory – Heidi

America The Beautiful (Materna)
Katharine Lee Bates | Samuel Augustus Ward
© Public Domain

Offering Our Gifts to the Lord
For those who are called and able, gifts and tithes can still be made through online giving, by mailing them in, and by dropping them off to the office through the secure mail slot to the left of the double door entry to the church hallway.

Doxology

Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
praise him, all creatures here below;
praise him above, ye heavenly host;
praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.

Praise God From Whom All Blessings Flow (Old 100th)
Louis Bourgeois | Thomas Ken
© Public Domain

Offertory Prayer

For the blessings of this and all our days, we thank you, gracious God. Accept, we pray, not just this money but also our lives freely offered in gratitude for all you have done for us. Use them both, in this place and wherever you might take us. Amen.

Scripture Reading – 2 Corinthians 3:12-18 (NRSV)

12 Since, then, we have such a hope, we act with great boldness, 13 not like Moses, who put a veil over his face to keep the people of Israel from gazing at the end of the glory that was being set aside. 14 But their minds were hardened. Indeed, to this very day, when they hear the reading of the old covenant, that same veil is still there, since only in Christ is it set aside. 15 Indeed, to this very day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their minds; 16 but when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed. 17 Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 And all of us, with unveiled faces, seeing the glory of the Lord as though reflected in a mirror, are being transformed into the same image from one degree of glory to another; for this comes from the Lord, the Spirit.

Sermon – Pastor Stacy Dickson
Celebrating Our Freedom

Special Music – Antone

Holy Communion

Confession
God of glory,
you sent Jesus among us as the light of the world,
to reveal your love for all people.

We confess that our sin and pride hide the brightness of your light.
We turn away from the poor;
we ignore cries for justice;
we do not strive for peace.

Forgive us, God. In your mercy, cleanse us of our sin,
and baptize us once again with your Spirit,
so that, as forgiven and renewed people,
we may reflect the love and life of Jesus Christ
into our world.

Words of Assurance
Our God is full of mercy and grace,
slow to anger, and rich in love.
When we fall, He is there to help us up again.
When we find ourselves burdened by past events and circumstances,
He comes alongside to support and encourage us.

God is always close at hand,
ready to listen when we call out to Him.
He hears our prayers, and answers them.

So be at peace.
God has heard your prayer.

Word and Table

Benediction

Once again, we’ve heard God’s story—
a story of love and faithfulness,
of mercy and compassion.
As God’s people, we are called to bring this story to the world,
to tell and re-tell it by our words and our actions,
so that others may hear and join the story, too.

So go from here with joy and courage,
strengthened and sustained in your storytelling
by the grace of God,
the love of Jesus Christ,
and the presence of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Postlude – Hani