Order of Worship

Opening Voluntary                                                                      

Welcome/Greetings

*Opening Hymn #77 – How Great Thou Art                

*Call to Worship

L:  O give thanks to the Lord.

P:  We call on God’s name.

L:  Make known the deeds of our Creator,

P:  singing them into the world.

L:  Sing to God, O people.

P:  We will sing praise—

L:  to tell of God’s wondrous works,

P:  and give thanks for so many miracles.

L:  Come, and seek the presence of the Lord—

P:  and glory in God’s holy name.

L:  Let the hearts of all who seek the Holy rejoice,

P  for God brings strength to all the people.

*Opening Prayer

Creator God, who shall we say that you are?  By what name can we call you—that would be enough to speak of all that you are and all that you shall be?  We can only call you ‘I Am,’ for you Were—and Are—and always Will Be—the Holy One.  You call us by name and invite us to come to you.  We answer, “Here I am,” and come to stand on holy ground.  May we remember that all ground is holy ground, for you are in all times and places—calling us to our lives each moment.  Amen.

Prayer of Confession (Please be seated)

God of our ancestors, God of us, we long to live as you call us to do, letting love be true, hating what is evil, and holding fast to what is good.  But we do not always manage to tell what is evil and what is good.  We do not always manage to choose that which gives life rather than steals it.  And so we become a stumbling block, when we mean to be a stepping stone.  God of our hearts, we yearn for your strength to let go the evil and choose the good.  We seek your presence to stay with us in our own suffering and to keep us present to the suffering of others.  We long for you to take our struggles and turn them into strengths.  We ache to take our stumbling and turn it to steps on the journey, growing nearer to you.  Amen.

Words of Assurance

God of our lives, we have cried to you in our pain.  You have heard our suffering and stayed with us through our struggle.  You have never left us alone.  When we have been hungry, you have fed us.  When we have been thirsty, you have refreshed us.  When we have been angry, you have brought us to peace.  You give us patience, God, and help us to persevere until you and we can rejoice again in hope.

Passing of the Peace of Christ

Family in faith, rejoice with those who rejoice, weep with those who weep … and so far, as it depends on you, live peaceably with all.

Children’s Message      Rev. Eumin Kim

Scriptures

Old Testament – Exodus 3:1-5 (NIV)

Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the wilderness and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.  ² There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush.  Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.  ³ So Moses thought, “I will go over and see this strange sight—why the bush does not burn up.”  ⁴ When the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!”  And Moses said, “Here I am.”  ⁵ “Do not come any closer,” God said. “Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.”

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

*Gospel – Matthew 16:21-28 (NIV)

²¹ From that time on Jesus began to explain to his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things at the hands of the elders, the chief priests and the teachers of the law, and that he must be killed and on the third day be raised to life.  ²² Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him.  “Never, Lord!” he said.  “This shall never happen to you!”  ²³ Jesus turned and said to Peter, “Get behind me, Satan!  You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns.”  ²⁴ Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  ²⁵ For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it.  ²⁶ What good will it be for someone to gain the whole world, yet forfeit their soul?  Or what can anyone give in exchange for their soul?  ²⁷ For the Son of Man is going to come in his Father’s glory with his angels, and then he will reward each person according to what they have done.  ²⁸ “Truly I tell you, some who are standing here will not taste death before they see the Son of Man coming in his kingdom.”

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

*Hymn before Sermon #2153 – I’m Gonna Live So God Can Use Me”    (The Faith We Sing Hymnal)                                                   

Sermon – “Meeting God in Our Burning Bushes”        Rev. Eumin Kim

Pastoral Prayer

Lord’s Prayer

Invitation to Tithes and Offering

God has given us blessings, both good and broad.  Blessings overflowing like milk and honey. Let those blessings flow now—from our hearts and our lives—and into the world.

Offertory                                                                                      

*Hymn No. 95 – Presentation of the Offering

*Prayer of Dedication

Gracious God, you have done marvelous things, wonderous works for us and for all your people.  May we make your deeds known—your miracles told and your glory sung in our prayer and praise.  May your blessings flow through our lives and into the world. Amen.

*Closing Hymn #593 – “Here I Am, Lord”                           

*Dismissal with Blessing

Closing Voluntary