Order of Worship

Opening Voluntary – “Prélude sur une Antienne” by Jean Langlais

Choral Introit

Welcome/Greetings

*Call to Worship

L:  Give thanks to God,

P:  for God’s steadfast love lasts forever.

L:  God accompanies us in our distress,

P:  as we cross the threshold to worship’s blessings.

L:  Give thanks to our God,

P:  for God’s steadfast love abides with us.

L:  Let us enter this space for worship,

P:  celebrating God’s works for humankind.

*Opening Hymn #89 – “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee”                

*Opening Prayer

Spirit of hope and renewal, as the dawn nudges us awake, summon us with your presence.  Wrap us with the cloak of your wisdom and grace.  As your light breaks the horizon this day, help us see the love revealed in your realm.  Nourish us with your wisdom and guide us with your hope, for we hunger to know you better.  Amen.

Scriptures

New Testament – Colossians 3:1-14                

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God.  ² Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.  ³ For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God.  ⁴ When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory.  ⁵ Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry.  ⁶ Because of these, the wrath of God is coming.  ⁷ You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived.  ⁸ But now you must also rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips.  ⁹ Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices ¹⁰ and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator.  ¹¹ Here there is no Gentile or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but Christ is all, and is in all.  ¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience.  ¹³ Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone.  Forgive as the Lord forgave you.  ¹⁴ And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

L:  The Word of God, For the People of God.  P:  Thanks be to God.

*Gospel – Luke 12:13-21                                  

¹³ Someone in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, tell my brother to divide the inheritance with me.”  ¹⁴ Jesus replied, “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”  ¹⁵ Then he said to them, “Watch out!  Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.”  ¹⁶ And he told them this parable:  “The ground of a certain rich man yielded an abundant harvest.  ¹⁷ He thought to himself, ‘What shall I do?  I have no place to store my crops.’  ¹⁸ “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do.  I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain.  ¹⁹ And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years.  Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”’  ²⁰ “But God said to him, ‘You fool!  This very night your life will be demanded from you.  Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’  ²¹ “This is how it will be with whoever stores up things for themselves but is not rich toward God.”

L:  The Word of God, For the People of God.  P:  Thanks be to God.

*Hymn before Sermon #601 – “Thy Word Is a Lamp”                      

Sermon – “Setting Your Mind on Things Above”         Rev. Eumin Kim

Pastoral Prayer

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.

Prayer of Confession

Loving God, Divine Guide, may we not turn away from you as our desires take hold.  When we are drawn to the sparkle around us, draw us back to the holy glow of your realm.  When we focus on the divisions that divide us, lead us to share your steadfast love with those we are separated from.  When we fixate on how to get ahead, move us to share your bounty with our neighbors.  Draw us back to you, Holy Beacon of Hope that we might all be made well.  Amen.

Words of Assurance

The steadfast love of God radiates within our spirits, encouraging us to abandon unhealthy paths.  God’s grace fills our hearts with hope, as we rejoice in God’s redeeming presence.

Passing of the Peace of Christ

Through bands of love, we are forever connected.  May we share the peace of Christ, the love of God, and the comfort of the Holy Spirit, knowing that the cords of human kindness bind us together throughout eternity.

Invitation to Tithes and Offering

The many gifts that we hold in our hands and souls have the power and potential to strengthen the lives of God’s children everywhere.  As we seek ways to celebrate our gifts, let us utilize our gifts, not only for ourselves, but to build the fullness of God’s realm here on earth.

Anthem – “Communion Hymn” by David M. Kellermeyer

*Hymn No. 95 – Presentation of the Offering

*Prayer of Dedication

God of Goodness, thank you for your steadfast love and your wonderful works.  Today we stand in front of you with our riches in hand:  our treasures, time, and talents.  May our giving reflect the faithfulness of our spirits.  And may our offering be clothed with your visions and dreams.  Amen.

Thanksgiving and Communion

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, Almighty God, 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, who looked for that day when justice shall roll down like waters and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream, when nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore. 

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 the one 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.  At his ascension you exalted him to sit and reign with you at your right hand. 

On the night in which he gave himself up for us, he took bread, gave thanks to you, broke the bread, gave it to the disciples, and said:  “Take, eat; this is 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.

THE LORD’S PRAYER

BREAKING THE BREAD

GIVING THE BREAD AND CUP

PRAYER AFTER RECEIVING COMMUNION

We give thanks, almighty God, that you have refreshed us at your table by granting us the presence of Jesus Christ.  Strengthen our faith, increase our love for one another, and send us forth into the world in courage and peace, rejoicing in the power of the Holy Spirit, through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Amen. 

*Closing Hymn #701 – ““When We All Get to Heaven”        

*Dismissal with Blessing

Closing Voluntary – “Chant de joie” by Jean Langlais