Country Roads, Take Me Home

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Service of Worship

Prelude FWV30 Opus18
Cesar Franck
Public Domain

We worship the God who inhabits our world
and indwells our lives.
We need not look up to find God,
we need only to look around:
   within ourselves,
   beyond ourselves,
   into the eyes of another.

We need not listen for a distant thunder to find God,
we need only listen to the music of life,
   the words of children,
   the questions of the curious,
   the rhythm of a heartbeat.

We worship the God who inhabits our world
and who indwells our lives. Amen.

Opening Hymn — #314 “In The Garden”

1. I come to the garden alone
while the dew is still on the roses,
and the voice I hear falling on my ear,
the Son of God discloses.

Refrain
And He walks with me,
and He talks with me,
and He tells me I am his own;
and the joy we share as we tarry there,
none other has ever known.

2. He speaks, and the sound of his voice
is so sweet the birds hush their singing,
and the melody that he gave to me
within my heart is ringing.

Refrain

3. I’d stay in the garden with him
though the night around me be falling,
but he bids me go; thru the voice of woe
his voice to me is calling.

Refrain

In The Garden
Charles Austin Miles
Public Domain

Joys and Concerns, Pastoral Prayer, Lord’s Prayer

Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread, and forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, the power, and glory forever. Amen.

Scripture Reading — Acts 9:1-6 (NRSV)

Acts 9:1 Meanwhile Saul, still breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, went to the high priest 2 and asked him for letters to the synagogues at Damascus, so that if he found any who belonged to the Way, men or women, he might bring them bound to Jerusalem. 3 Now as he was going along and approaching Damascus, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. 4 He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?” 5 He asked, “Who are you, Lord?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. 6 But get up and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.”

Response
The Word of the Lord:
Thanks be to God.

Sermon — Pastor Stacy Dickson
“Country Roads, Take Me Home”

Interlude Hymn — #328 “Surely the Presence of the Lord”

Surely the presence of the Lord is in this place;
I can feel his mighty power and his grace.
I can hear the brush of angel’s wings,
I see glory on each face;
surely the presence of the Lord is in this place.

Surely The Presence Of The Lord
Lanny Wolfe
© 1977 Lanny Wolfe Music
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

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.

Offertory – Marshall and Richard

Lamb of God
Twila Paris | arr. Lloyd Larson
© 1985 Hope Publishing
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

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

On my own
what I have to give
doesn’t amount to much
in the light of all you have given to me
and in the face of so much need.

Put together as a congregation,
what we offer you here in love
becomes more,
not simply added together,
but somehow multiplied in its usefulness.

We ask you to bless our gifts
and with the addition of your blessing,
just as it was with the loaves and fishes,
there is enough for all.

Amen

Holy Communion — p. 12 “A Service of Word and Table II”

Invitation
Christ our Lord invites to his table all who love him,
who earnestly repent of their sin
and seek to live in peace with one another.
Therefore, let us confess our sin before God and one another.

Confession and Pardon
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you with our whole heart.
We have failed to be an obedient church.
We have not done your will, we have broken your law,
we have rebelled against your love,
we have not loved our neighbors,
and we have not heard the cry of the needy.
Forgive us, we pray.
Free us for joyful obedience,
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Pastor:
Hear the good news:
Christ died for us while we were yet sinners;
that proves God’s love toward us.
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven!

Congregation:
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.

Pastor and congregation:
Glory to God. Amen.

Passing the Peace

The Great Thanksgiving

The Lord be with you
And also with you.

Lift up your hearts
We lift them up to the Lord.

Let us give thanks to the Lord our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.

…The pastor concludes:
And so,
with your people on earth
and all the company of heaven
we praise your name and join their unending hymn:

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.

…The pastor concludes:
And so,
in remembrance of these your mighty acts in Jesus Christ,
we offer ourselves in praise and thanksgiving
as a holy and living sacrifice,
in union with Christ’s offering for us,
as we proclaim the mystery of faith.

Christ has died;
Christ is risen;
Christ will come again.

…The pastor concludes:
All honor and glory is yours, almighty God,
now and for ever.

Amen.

Communion Hymn — #618 “Let Us Break Bread Together”

1. Let us break bread together on our knees,
let us break bread together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

2. Let us drink wine together on our knees,
let us drink wine together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

3. Let us praise God together on our knees,
let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy on me.

4. Let us praise God together on our knees,
let us praise God together on our knees.
When I fall on my knees
with my face to the rising sun,
O Lord, have mercy if you please.

Let Us Break Bread Together
William Farley Smith
© 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

Prayer After Receiving

Closing Hymn — #162 “Alleluia, Alleluia” (v. 1, 2)

Refrain
Alleluia alleluia
Give thanks to the Risen Lord
Alleluia alleluia
Give praise to His Name

1. Jesus is Lord of all the earth
He is the King of creation

Refrain

2. Spread the good news o’er all the earth
Jesus has died and has risen

Refrain

Alleluia No. 1 (Alleluia Alleluia Give Thanks)
Donald E. Fishel
© 1973 International Liturgy Publications
Used by Permission. CCLI License # 656051

Benediction

Postlude – Hani

Chaconne in g minor
Louis Couperin
Public Domain