Lamenting to the Lord

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Service of Worship

Canto
Gary Davidson

Opening Prayer
God of wonder and glory, this world around us is awesome.
You created it!
You continue to hold it together,
even as we threaten to tear it apart.

God of justice and righteousness,
to you we look for the truth.
You are the ultimate judge.
Your wisdom cuts through the lies.

God of grace and mercy,
the love you have shown us in Jesus is more than we deserve.
Your arms are open wide,
like a waiting father for his prodigal children,
ready to welcome and restore.

We come to you just now thirsting for your living water.
Guide us to the streams of your wonder and glory,
your justice and righteousness, your grace and mercy,
that we may drink and be satisfied,
renewed for our continuing journey with Jesus.

This we pray in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Opening Hymn — #377 It is Well With My Soul

1. When peace like a river
Attendeth my way
When sorrows like sea billows roll
Whatever my lot
Thou hast taught me to say
It is well
It is well with my soul

Refrain
It is well with my soul
It is well
It is well with my soul

2. Tho’ Satan should buffet
Tho’ trials should come
Let this blest assurance control
That Christ hath regarded
My helpless estate
And hath shed His own blood
For my soul

Refrain

3. My sin O the bliss
Of this glorious tho’t
My sin not in part but the whole
Is nailed to the cross
And I bear it no more
Praise the Lord
Praise the Lord O my soul

Refrain

4. And Lord haste the day
When the faith shall be sight
The clouds be rolled back as a scroll
The trump shall resound
And the Lord shall descend
Even so it is well
With my soul

Refrain

It Is Well With My Soul
Horatio Gates Spafford | Philip Paul Bliss
Public Domain

Scripture Reading — Psalm 42 (NRSV)

1 As a deer longs for flowing streams,
so my soul longs for you, O God.
2 My soul thirsts for God,
for the living God.
When shall I come and behold
the face of God?
3 My tears have been my food
day and night,
while people say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”

4 These things I remember,
as I pour out my soul:
how I went with the throng,a
and led them in procession to the house of God,
with glad shouts and songs of thanksgiving,
a multitude keeping festival.
5 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help 6 and my God.

My soul is cast down within me;
therefore I remember you
from the land of Jordan and of Hermon,
from Mount Mizar.
7 Deep calls to deep
at the thunder of your cataracts;
all your waves and your billows
have gone over me.
8 By day the LORD commands his steadfast love,
and at night his song is with me,
a prayer to the God of my life.

9 I say to God, my rock,
“Why have you forgotten me?
Why must I walk about mournfully
because the enemy oppresses me?”
10 As with a deadly wound in my body,
my adversaries taunt me,
while they say to me continually,
“Where is your God?”

11 Why are you cast down, O my soul,
and why are you disquieted within me?
Hope in God; for I shall again praise him,
my help and my God.

Children’s Time with Ms Becky

Joys and Concerns, and Pastoral Prayer

Pastoral Prayer
Eternal defender of the poor and sad,
hear our prayers for all who suffer.

For those who are refugees, exiles from home,
because of the cruelty of enemies or the vagaries of nature.

For those who are starving
and whose tears are their only food.

For those who are desperate for a drink,
and who thirst for life-giving water.

For those who are sad and troubled,
whose hearts break for want of hope.

For those whose faith is weak,
who feel that God has abandoned them.

Protector of the weak, be with all who need you today.
May they know that they are not forgotten. Amen.

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.

Offertory — Barry and Leah

Hymn Of Promise
Natalie Sleeth
© 1986 Hope Publishing Company
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

Lord of all bounty and blessing, the gifts we offer to you are like seeds. Some will take root nearby, and we will see them grow and bear fruit. Some will be carried far beyond where we can see, and we have faith that they will find good soil and thrive. We thank you for the privilege of being called to sow. Bless with the joy of good fruit the seed we will see and the seed we will never see. We pray this in the loving name of Jesus, gardener and savior. Amen.

Sermon – Pastor Stacy
Lamenting to the Lord

Closing Hymn — #451 Be Thou My Vision

1. Be Thou my vision O Lord of my heart
Naught be all else to me save that Thou art
Thou my best thought by day or by night
Waking or sleeping Thy presence my light

2. Be Thou my wisdom and Thou my true word
I ever with Thee and Thou with me Lord
Thou and Thou only first in my heart
Great God of heaven my treasure Thou art

3. Great God of heaven my victory won
May I reach heaven’s joys
O bright heaven’s Sun
Heart of my own heart whatever befall
Still be vision O Ruler of all

Be Thou My Vision (Slane)
Carlton Raymond Young | Eleanor Henrietta Hull | Mary Elizabeth Byrne
© Words: 1964, 1989 The United Methodist Publishing House
© Music: 1964 Abingdon Press
Used by permission. CCLI License # 656051

Benediction

Trust in God, and do what is good;
live with quiet confidence where God has placed you.
Delight in God’s presence,
and you will have all that your heart desires.
Commit everything you do to God—trust Him completely—
and He will never let you down.
Be patient.
Don’t worry or get upset when things don’t go well.
Instead, learn to rest in God’s presence.
For those who trust in God will have everything they need. Amen.

Postlude – Hani

Christ, Our Strength and Congratulation
Edward Broughton