Order of Worship

Opening Voluntary – “Voluntary VIII, Introit, Op. 26, No. 8” by Drew Banzhoff

Welcome/Greetings

Choral Introit

*Opening Hymn #158 – “Come, Christians, Join to Sing”                      

*Call to Worship

L:  The Holy Spirit rekindles God’s purpose and grace for our lives.

P:  Grace was given to us in Christ Jesus before the ages began.

L:  Christ Jesus, our savior, abolished death and brought life and immortality to light.

P:  This is good news, not just for ourselves, but for the world.

L:  Let us worship in thanksgiving and praise.

*Opening Prayer

Holy and Triune God.  As your disciples on World Communion Sunday, we join our voices to the songs and prayers offered to your name throughout the world.  Increase our faith and give us grace to love and forgive one another, as you have loved and forgiven us.  We remember all your beloved children who suffer this day – especially the victims and refugees of war.  Help us bear witness to their suffering without fear and give us courage to extend your love no matter the cost.  For its in Christ’s name we pray, Amen.

Scriptures

Old Testament – Isaiah 56:1-8

This is what the Lord says:  “Maintain justice and do what is right, for my salvation is close at hand and my righteousness will soon be revealed.  ² Blessed is the one who does this—the person who holds it fast, who keeps the Sabbath without desecrating it, and keeps their hands from doing any evil.”  ³ Let no foreigner who is bound to the Lord say, The Lord will surely exclude me from his people.”  And let no eunuch complain, I am only a dry tree.”  ⁴ For this is what the Lord says:  “To the eunuchs who keep my Sabbaths, who choose what pleases me and hold fast to my covenant—⁵ to them I will give within my temple and its walls a memorial and a name better than sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that will endure forever.  ⁶ And foreigners who bind themselves to the Lord to minister to him, to love the name of the Lord, and to be his servants, all who keep the Sabbath without desecrating it and who hold fast to my covenant—⁷ these I will bring to my holy mountain and give them joy in my house of prayer.  Their burnt offerings and sacrifices will be accepted on my altar; for my house will be called a house of prayer for all nations.”  ⁸ The Sovereign Lord declares—he who gathers the exiles of Israel:  I will gather still others to them besides those already gathered.”

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

New Testament – 1 Corinthians 12:12-27

¹² Just as a body, though one, has many parts, but all its many parts form one body, so it is with Christ.  ¹³ For we were all baptized by one Spirit so as to form one body—whether Jews or Gentiles, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.  ¹⁴ Even so the body is not made up of one part but of many.  ¹⁵ Now if the foot should say, “Because I am not a hand, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  ¹⁶ And if the ear should say, “Because I am not an eye, I do not belong to the body,” it would not for that reason stop being part of the body.  ¹⁷ If the whole body were an eye, where would the sense of hearing be?  If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be?  ¹⁸ But in fact God has placed the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be.  ¹⁹ If they were all one part, where would the body be?  ²⁰ As it is, there are many parts, but one body.  ²¹ The eye cannot say to the hand, “I don’t need you!”  And the head cannot say to the feet, “I don’t need you!”  ²² On the contrary, those parts of the body that seem to be weaker are indispensable, ²³ and the parts that we think are less honorable we treat with special honor.  And the parts that are unpresentable are treated with special modesty, ²⁴ while our presentable parts need no special treatment.  But God has put the body together, giving greater honor to the parts that lacked it, ²⁵ so that there should be no division in the body, but that its parts should have equal concern for each other.  ²⁶ If one part suffers, every part suffers with it; if one part is honored, every part rejoices with it.  ²⁷ Now you are the body of Christ, and each one of you is a part of it.

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

*Hymn before Sermon #2223 – “They’ll Know We Are Christians by Our Love”                                                                                                          

(The Faith We Sing Hymnal)                                                                               

Sermon – “Unity in the Body of Christ”                                                  Rev. Eumin Kim

Pastoral Prayer

Invitation

Scripture reminds us that Jesus, whom we remember in this meal, was and is the eternal Word, through whom God created the worlds. On this World Communion Sunday, Christians around the globe join us as we break the bread—at this same moment, and in time zones before and after us. Indeed, God’s love stretches across time, space, and eternity. Let us gather at Christ’s table.

Prayer of Confession

Gracious God, our sins are too heavy to carry, too real to hide, and too deep to undo.  We look at a world undone by strife, torn by violence, and separated by hatred.  Yet you call us to walk the way of peace.  Forgive us, O Lord, for refusing to follow you on this path because the cost is too high, the direction too confusing, and the conditions too harsh.  Grant us clarity of vision to see the light, and the strength to walk behind you.  In the power of your Spirit we pray, Amen.

Words of Assurance

By the tender mercy of our God, the dawn from on high will break upon us, to give light to those who sit in darkness and to guide our feet into the way of peace.  In the name of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven.  Thanks be to God.

Passing of the Peace of Christ

L: On this World Communion Sunday, we honor the One who created worlds and sustains all things through the divine Word.  As we share signs of peace with one another, imagine the deep, creative love that extends—through us, and by the power of the Holy Spirit—to siblings in every time and place.  The peace of Christ be with you.

P:  And also with you.

Invitation to Tithes and Offering

The psalmist invites us to walk in faithfulness before God.  As part of this journey of faithfulness, with thanks for God’s wondrous deeds, and in support of the church’s ministry in this neighborhood and around the world, let us share our tithes and offerings.

Music Selection – “Thou Art Holy” by Craig Courtney

*Hymn No. 95 – Presentation of the Offering

*Prayer of Dedication

Divine Master, purify the motivations of our hearts, as we offer you the works of our hands.  May we work tirelessly, until your servants can confidently say, “We have done only what was ours to do.”  May these gifts inspire us to be as generous in our giving and with our forgiveness, as you have been with us.  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.  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. 

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

Lord, this special communion reminds us of being members of a global community.  We have feasted at your table.  As you have nourished us, may we go into your world to bring a feast of peace and hope to others, listening with loving ears and acting with loving hearts, in the name of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  Amen.

*Closing Hymn #558 – “We Are the Church”                                                 

*Dismissal with Blessing

Closing Voluntary – “Toccata in F Major” by Dieterich Buxtehude