Worship Guide
June 9, 2024
Third Sunday after Pentecost
Creating Disciples of Jesus who Transform the World
ENTRANCE WITH PRAISE
Greetings:
Minister: The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you!
People: And also with you!
Special Music: “Heart of the Father” Stefanie
Centering Words:
Should everything we cling to be destroyed, we have an imperishable house, not made with hands, but eternal in the heavens.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: In this family of faith, we have a place where we will always belong.
People: Here we find friends who will love us as children of the Most High.
Leader: In this house of God, we worship a King who rules with equity.
People: Here we follow One whose steadfast love endures forever.
Leader: Whoever you are and where you are on life’s journey, you are welcome here.
People: Thanks be to God.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Sovereign God, come to us when we lose our way. For we need you to be our King– to lead us on right paths, teach us the ways of life and death, and shelter us from our foes. We need you to be our comforter– to love us as a father, nurture us as a mother, shelter us as a brother, and assure us as a sister. Welcome us into the arms of your mercy, O God, and we will be your people, even as you are our God and King. Amen
Hymn: “Open My Eyes, That I May See”
Open my eyes, that I may see
glimpses of truth thou hast for me;
place in my hands the wonderful key
that shall unclasp and set me free.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready my God, thy will to see.
Open my eyes, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my ears, that I may hear
voices of truth thou sendest clear;
and while the wave notes fall on my ear,
everything false will disappear.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready my God, thy will to see.
Open my ears, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
Open my mouth, and let me bear,
gladly the warm truth everywhere;
open my heart and let me prepare
love with thy children thus to share.
Silently now I wait for thee,
ready my God, thy will to see.
Open my heart, illumine me,
Spirit divine!
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Christ says to us: “Here are my mother and my brothers. Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
As the family of God, we are loved and cherished by our gracious God.
Amen
*Gospel Reading: Mark 3:20-35
Then he went home; 20 and the crowd came together again, so that they could not even eat. 21 When his family heard it, they went out to restrain him, for people were saying, “He has gone out of his mind.” 22 And the scribes who came down from Jerusalem said, “He has Beelzebul, and by the ruler of the demons he casts out demons.” 23 And he called them to him, and spoke to them in parables, “How can Satan cast out Satan? 24 If a kingdom is divided against itself, that kingdom cannot stand. 25 And if a house is divided against itself, that house will not be able to stand. 26 And if Satan has risen up against himself and is divided, he cannot stand, but his end has come. 27 But no one can enter a strong man’s house and plunder his property without first tying up the strong man; then indeed the house can be plundered.
28 “Truly I tell you, people will be forgiven for their sins and whatever blasphemies they utter; 29 but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit can never have forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”— 30 for they had said, “He has an unclean spirit.”
31 Then his mother and his brothers came; and standing outside, they sent to him and called him. 32 A crowd was sitting around him; and they said to him, “Your mother and your brothers and sisters are outside, asking for you.” 33 And he replied, “Who are my mother and my brothers?” 34 And looking at those who sat around him, he said, “Here are my mother and my brothers! 35 Whoever does the will of God is my brother and sister and mother.”
Leader: This is the Word of God for the people of God
People: Thanks be to God.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Sing a Song of Thanksgiving”
Hymn: “Give Thanks”
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks because he's given
Jesus Christ his Son.
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks because he's given
Jesus Christ his Son.
And now let the weak say "I am strong";
let the poor same, "I am rich
because of what
the Lord has done for us
And now let the weak say "I am strong";
let the poor same, "I am rich
because of what
the Lord has done for us
Give thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks because he's given
Jesus Christ his Son.
Give Thanks with a grateful heart,
give thanks to the Holy One,
give thanks because he's given
Jesus Christ his Son.
And now let the weak say "I am strong";
let the poor same, "I am rich
because of what
the Lord has done for us
And now let the weak say "I am strong";
let the poor same, "I am rich
because of what
the Lord has done for us
Give thanks!
Sermon: “Immutable in Love” Psalm 138
1 I give you thanks, O Lord, with my whole heart; before the gods I sing your praise;
2 I bow down toward your holy temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your faithfulness; for you have exalted your name and your word above everything.
3 On the day I called, you answered me, you increased my strength of soul.
4 All the kings of the earth shall praise you, O Lord, for they have heard the words of your mouth.
5 They shall sing of the ways of the Lord, for great is the glory of the Lord.
6 For though the Lord is high, he regards the lowly; but the haughty he perceives from far away.
7 Though I walk in the midst of trouble, you preserve me against the wrath of my enemies; you stretch out your hand, and your right hand delivers me.
8 The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Hymn: “Servant Song”
Brother, sister, let me serve you,
let me be as Christ to you;
pray that I may have the grace to
let you be my servant, too.
We are pilgrims on a journey;
we're together on this road.
We are here to help each other
walk the mile and bear the load.
I will hold the Christ-light for you
in the nigh time of your fear;
I will hold my hand out to you,
speak the peace you long to hear.
I will weep when you are weeping;
when you laugh, I'll laugh with you.
I will share your joy and sorrow
till we've seen this journey through.
When we sing to God in heaven,
we shall find such harmony,
born of all we've known together
of Christ's love and agony.
Psalter: Affirmation From 1 Corinthians and Colossians
This is the good news
which we have received,
in which we stand,
and by which we are saved:
Christ died for our sins,
was buried,
was raised on the third day,
and appeared first to the women,
then to Peter and the Twelve,
and then to many faithful witnesses.
We believe Jesus is the Christ,
the Anointed One of God,
the firstborn of all creation,
the firstborn from the dead,
in whom all things hold together,
in whom the fullness of God
was pleased to dwell
by the power of the Spirit.
Christ is the head of the body, the church,
and by the blood of the cross
reconciles all things to God. Amen
Gloria Patri
Glory be to the Father and to the Son
and to the Holy Ghost;
as it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
Amen. Amen.
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Victory in Jesus”
I heard an old, old story,
how a Savior came from glory,
how he gave his life on Calvary
to save a wretch like me;
I heard about his groaning,
of his precious blood's atoning,
then I repented of my sins
and won the victory.
O victory in Jesus,
my Savior for ever!
He sought me and bought me
with his redeeming blood;
he loved me ere I knew him,
and all my love is due him;
he plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood.
I heard about his healing,
of his cleansing power revealing,
how he made the lame to walk again
and caused the blind to see;
and then I cried, "Dear Jesus,
came and heal my broken spirit,"
and some how Jesus came and
brought to me the victory.
O victory in Jesus,
my Savior for ever!
He sought me and bought me
with his redeeming blood;
he loved me ere I knew him,
and all my love is due him;
he plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood.
I heard about a mansion
he has built for me in glory,
and I heard about the streets of gold
beyond the crystal sea;
about the angels singing
and the old redemption story,
and some sweet day
I'll sing up there
the song of victory.
O victory in Jesus,
my Savior for ever!
He sought me and bought me
with his redeeming blood;
he loved me ere I knew him,
and all my love is due him;
he plunged me to victory
beneath the cleansing flood.
Benediction
