Tenth Sunday after Pentecost

11:15 AM August 9, 2020

 

WELCOME AND CHURCH NEWS

 

*CALL TO WORSHIP:

L: The Spirit of God gave the universe birth.

P: The Spirit of God delivered the world.

L: Our God is the first; our God is the last.

P: No other god declares the word of creation.

L: Yet this same God invites us, saying, “Do not be afraid!”

P: Worship the One who banishes fear, who comforts the trembling

and quickens the faint! Worship the One whose creation is renewed

and whose creatures are never forsaken!

 

HYMN “My Hope is Built” UMH 368

 

OPENING PRAYER (in unison)

O God of the still, small voice, quiet our inner spirit.

Help us to focus upon You, and You alone, to hear Your voice within.

 

There are so many other voices demanding our attention. But we cannot

attend to them without You....Be still and know that I am God,

You say to us as You said to Elijah.... May Your voice speak through us.

 

In weakness, be our strength. In poverty, be our wealth. In sorrow, be our

joy. In apathy, be our love.

 

We cannot sing Love's song, O Lord, unless it be Your voice singing in

us. Take this heart, and with this mouth make Your praise and

thanksgiving a reality here and now. Because of, and in the name of our

Messiah, Jesus. Amen.

 

Confession & Commitment- Lay Leader

(based on Gen. 37:1-28; Matt. 14:22-33; I Kings 19:9-18)

 

God, we confess that we do not always understand Your ways.

We are easily discouraged when life takes unexpected turns

and our carefully laid plans and dreams come to nothing.

We confess that we are quick to give up when things get difficult,

and quick to question Your presence and Your power.

 

Forgive us.

Grant us patience to wait for Your good timing.

Open our eyes to recognize Your leading in our lives—

to listen for Your gentle whisper when we least expect it.

And then give us courage to step out in faith and obedience,

trusting in Your leading even when we cannot yet see the outcome.

 

We praise You for Your faithful love,

and pray that You would make us worthy to bear Your name.

Amen.

 

FIRST READING: Romans 10:5-15

 

*GOSPEL READING: Matthew 14:22-33

 

SERMON Pastor Jeremiah Paul

 

PRAYER HYMN “Love Lifted Me” W&S 3101

 

PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE

 

PASTORAL PRAYER

Jesus Christ has called us to lay aside the works of darkness

and to confess our sins and be reconciled to God.

You have confessed your sin in the company of God’s people.

Your forgiveness, declared on earth, is sealed in heaven.

Sisters and Brothers,

........your sins are forgiven;

................be at peace.

 

OFFERTORY (meditative music as re reflect on the gifts we have offered, our gratitude, and our commitment for the week ahead) Offerings should be left in the offering box.

 

*OFFERTORY PRAYER: Forgiving God, the first offering you ask for is the giving of ourselves, loving you and others boldly, refusing to let our fear of the storms around us keep us from taking risks. Forgive us for times when you have called us to leave our places of comfort, and we’ve ignored the call. Forgive us when our giving has not grown beyond our safety zone, but your blessed our gifts and us anyway. For those times when we dared to put our foot outside the boat and then sank up to our knees, thank you for not taking your hand away. For all this, we give thanks in the holy name of Jesus, our Savior. Amen. (Matthew 14:22-33)

 

SENDING FORTH

 

*HYMN “We’ve a Story to Tell” UMH 569

 

*Benediction

 

Friends, Jesus call us to step out on the water with him, to leave the safety of our boats, and to walk toward Him in faith, joining Him in the work He is already doing in our world. And when the wind and waves get high and threaten to overwhelm us, we remember His words: “Don’t be afraid. Take courage. I am here.”

 

So let’s go with faith, to follow where Jesus leads, confident that His love and presence go with us.

 

*POSTLUDE

 

*Please stand in body if able, or in spirit