Worship Guide
November 17, 2024
Twenty-Sixth 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: “Tin Roof” Megan
Centering Words:
How great is our God? Great enough to hold us when we fall down. Great enough to love us when we feel unlovable. Great enough to sustain and strengthen us all the days of our lives.
*Call to Worship:
Leader: We approach the God of grace and glory,
People: who has called us to worship this day.
Leader: We arrive from the chaos of our world
People: into the clarity of God’s presence.
Leader: We leave the struggles of our lives
People: to embrace the power of God’s love.
Leader: May this hour bring us courage
People: and a time to strengthen our faith.
Leader: Let us pray.
ALL: Great and mighty God, open our hearts to the power of your Holy Spirit. Open our minds to the wisdom of your Word. Help us run the race of life with faithful perseverance and with steadfast love. Amen.
Hymn: “Leave It There”
If the world from you withhold of its silver and its gold,
and you have to get along with meager fare,
just remember in his Word how he feeds the little bird,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
Leave it there, leave it there,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, he will surely bring you out;
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If your body suffers pain, and your health you cant regain,
and your soul is almost sinking in despair,
Jesus knows the pain you feel, he can save and he can heal,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
Leave it there, leave it there,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, he will surely bring you out;
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
When your enemies assail, and your heart begins to fail,
don't forget that God in heaven answers prayers;
he will make a way for you, and will lead you safely through,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
Leave it there, leave it there,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, he will surely bring you out;
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
When your youthful days are done, and old age is stealing on,
and your body bends beneath the weight of care,
he will never leave you then, he'll go with you to the end,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
Leave it there, leave it there,
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
If you trust and never doubt, he will surely bring you out;
take your burden to the Lord and leave it there.
PROCLAMATION OF THE WORD
Words of Assurance
Hold onto hope, for God is faithful and true.
The promise of love is ours, through the grace of Christ Jesus and the power of the Holy Spirit.
Thanks be to God.
*New Testament Reading: Hebrews 10:11-25
11 And every priest stands day after day at his service, offering again and again the same sacrifices that can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, “he sat down at the right hand of God,” 13 and since then has been waiting “until his enemies would be made a footstool for his feet.” 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us, for after saying,
16 “This is the covenant that I will make with them
after those days, says the Lord:
I will put my laws in their hearts,
and I will write them on their minds,”
17 he also adds,
“I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more.”
18 Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.
19 Therefore, my friends, since we have confidence to enter the sanctuary by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain (that is, through his flesh), 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us approach with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. 23 Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who has promised is faithful. 24 And let us consider how to provoke one another to love and good deeds, 25 not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day approaching.
WORD AND RESPONSE
Time with Young Friends: “Jesus Loves Me”
Children’s Message: “Simon Says”
Hymn: “My Life Flows On”
My life flows on in endless song; above earth’s lamentation
I hear the clear though far off hymn that hails a new creation.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I'm clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
Through all the tumult and the strife,
I hear that music ringing.
It finds an echo in my soul.
How can I keep from singing?
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I'm clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
What though my joys and comforts die?
I know my Savior liveth.
What though the darkness gather round?
Songs in the night He giveth.
No storm can shake my inmost calm
while to that Rock I'm clinging.
Since love is Lord of heaven and earth,
how can I keep from singing?
The peace of Christ makes fresh my heart,
a fountain ever springing!
All things are mine since I am his!
How can I keep from singing?
Sermon: “Not to Be Served” Mark 13:1-8
1 As he came out of the temple, one of his disciples said to him, “Look, Teacher, what large stones and what large buildings!” 2 Then Jesus asked him, “Do you see these great buildings? Not one stone will be left here upon another; all will be thrown down.”
3 When he was sitting on the Mount of Olives opposite the temple, Peter, James, John, and Andrew asked him privately, 4 “Tell us, when will this be, and what will be the sign that all these things are about to be accomplished?” 5 Then Jesus began to say to them, “Beware that no one leads you astray. 6 Many will come in my name and say, ‘I am he!’ and they will lead many astray. 7 When you hear of wars and rumors of wars, do not be alarmed; this must take place, but the end is still to come. 8 For nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom; there will be earthquakes in various places; there will be famines. This is but the beginning of the birth pangs.
RESPONSE TO THE WORD
Prayers of the People: Joys and concerns
Silent Prayer, Pastoral Prayer
THE SACRAMENTS OF HOLY COMMUNION
Invitation, Prayer of Confession and Pardon:
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.
Merciful God,
we confess that we have not loved you
with our whole hearts.
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
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!
In the name of Jesus Christ, you are forgiven.
Glory to God. Amen
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.
It is right, and a good and joyful thing, always and everywhere to give thanks to you, Father Almighty, creator of heaven and earth.
You formed us in your image and breathed into us the breath of life.
When we turned away, and our love failed, your love remained steadfast. You delivered us from captivity, made covenant to be our sovereign God, and spoke to us through your prophets.
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.
Holy are you, and blessed is your Son Jesus Christ.
Your Spirit anointed him to preach good news to the poor, to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, and to announce that the time had come when you would save your people.
He healed the sick, fed the hungry, and ate with sinners.
By the baptism of his suffering, death, and resurrection, you gave birth to your church, delivered us from slavery to sin and death, and made with us a new covenant by water and the Spirit.
When the Lord Jesus ascended, he promised to be with us always, in the power of your Word and Holy Spirit.
On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Take, eat; this my body which is given for you.
Do this in remembrance of me."
When the supper was over, he took the cup,
gave thanks to you, gave it to his disciples, and said:
"Drink from this all of you;
this is my blood of the new covenant,
poured out for you and for many
for the forgiveness of sins.
Do this, as often as you drink it
in remembrance of me."
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.
Pour out your Holy Spirit on us gathered here, and on these gifts of bread and wine. Make them be for us the body and blood of Christ, that we may be for the world the body of Christ, redeemed by his blood.
By your Spirit make us one with Christ, one with each other, and one in ministry to all the world, until Christ comes in final victory, and we feast at his heavenly banquet.
Through your Son Jesus Christ, with the Holy Spirit in your holy Church, all honor and glory is yours, almighty Father, now and forever. Amen
And now with the confidence of children of God, let us pray:
Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed by thy name.
Thy kingdom come, thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
Forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom, and the power and the glory forever. Amen
Sharing of the Cup and Loaf
Moment of Prayer and Meditation
Prayer of Thanks
Eternal God, we give you thanks for this holy mystery in which you have given yourself to us.
Grant that we may go into the world in the strength of your Spirit, to give ourselves to others, in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord.
Amen
SENDING FORTH
Hymn: “Days of Elijah”
These are the days of Elijah, declaring the Word of the Lord.
And these are the days of your servant, Moses;
righteousness being restored.
And though these are days of great trials,
of famine and darkness and sword,
still we are the voice in the desert crying
"Prepare ye the way of the Lord."
Behold he comes riding on the clouds,
shining like the sun at the trumpet call.
So lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee.
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
These are the days of Ezekiel,
the dry bones becoming as flesh.
And these are the days of your servant, David,
rebuilding the temple of praise.
And these are the days of the harvest;
the fields are as white in the world.
And we are the laborers in your vineyard
declaring the Word of the Lord.
Behold he comes riding on the clouds,
shining like the sun at the trumpet call.
So lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee.
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
Behold he comes riding on the clouds,
shining like the sun at the trumpet call.
So lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee.
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
Behold he comes riding on the clouds,
shining like the sun at the trumpet call.
So lift your voice, it's the year of Jubilee.
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
So lift your voice,
it's the year of Jubilee.
And out of Zion's hill salvation comes.
Benediction
Hymn: “I Have Decided to Follow Jesus”
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
I have decided to follow Jesus,
no turning back, no turning back.
