Today we begin a 3-part sermon series entitled, “Hope!” The overarching theme for
this series is HOPE: hope for the future well-being of this congregation and our
purpose in this community. Today’s focus is hope grounded in a maturing faith.
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude – “Sing a New Song of Joy!” – By Hugh F. Livingston, Jr.
*Call to Worship – (based on various Psalm verses)
- L: Be strong and let your heart be courageous, all you who put your hope in the Lord.
- P: May God’s faithful love rest on us, for we put our hope in him.
- L: We rest in God alone,
- P: for our hope comes from him.
- L: God is our shelter and our shield;
- P: we put our hope in God’s Word.
*Hymn – “Christ is Made the Sure Foundation” – UMH #559
- Christ is made the sure foundation, Christ the head and cornerstone;
chosen of the Lord and precious, binding all the church in one;
holy Zion’s help forever, and her confidence alone. - To this temple, where we call thee, come, O Lord of Hosts, today!
With thy faithful loving kindness hear thy people as they pray,
and thy fullest benediction shed within its walls alway. - Here vouchsafe to all thy servants what they ask of thee to gain;
what they gain from thee forever with the blessed to retain,
and hereafter in thy glory evermore with thee to reign. - Laud and honor to the Father, laud and honor to the Son,
laud and honor to the Spirit, ever three and ever one;
one in might and one in glory, while unending ages run.
Time with the Children and Youth
Scripture Reading – Exodus 12:1-14
1The LORD said to Moses and Aaron in the land of Egypt, 2“This month will be the first month; it will be the first month of the year for you. 3Tell the whole Israelite community: On the tenth day of this month they must take a lamb for each household, a lamb per house. 4If a household is too small for a lamb, it should share one with a neighbor nearby. You should divide the lamb in proportion to the number of people who will be eating it. 5Your lamb should be a flawless year-old male. You may take it from the sheep or from the goats. 6You should keep close watch over it until the fourteenth day of this month. At twilight on that day, the whole assembled Israelite community should slaughter their lambs. 7They should take some of the blood and smear it on the two doorposts and on the beam over the door of the houses in which they are eating. 8That same night they should eat the meat roasted over the fire. They should eat it along with unleavened bread and bitter herbs. 9Don’t eat any of it raw or boiled in water, but roasted over fire with its head, legs, and internal organs. 10Don’t let any of it remain until morning, and burn any of it left over in the morning. 11This is how you should eat it. You should be dressed, with your sandals on your feet and your walking stick in your hand. You should eat the meal in a hurry. It is the Passover of the LORD. 12I’ll pass through the land of Egypt that night, and I’ll strike down every oldest child in the land of Egypt, both humans and animals. I’ll impose judgments on all the gods of Egypt. I am the LORD. 13The blood will be your sign on the houses where you live. Whenever I see the blood, I’ll pass over you. No plague will destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.
14“This day will be a day of remembering for you. You will observe it as a festival to
the LORD. You will observe it in every generation as a regulation for all time.
Anthem – “Break Into Song” – By Donna Butler
Scripture Reading – Romans 13:8-14
8Don’t be in debt to anyone, except for the obligation to love each other. Whoever loves another person has fulfilled the Law. 9The commandments, Don’t commit adultery, don’t murder, don’t steal, don’t desire what others have, and any other commandments, are all summed up in one word: You must love your neighbor as yourself. 10Love doesn’t do anything wrong to a neighbor; therefore, love is what fulfills the Law.
11As you do all this, you know what time it is. The hour has already come for you to wake up from your sleep. Now our salvation is nearer than when we first had faith. 12The night is almost over, and the day is near. So let’s get rid of the actions that belong to the darkness and put on the weapons of light. 13Let’s behave appropriately as people who live in the day, not in partying and getting drunk, not in sleeping around and obscene behavior, not in fighting and obsession. 14Instead, dress yourself with the Lord Jesus Christ, and don’t plan to indulge your selfish desires.
- L: The Word of God, the Word of Life.
- P: Thanks be to God!
Sermon
Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
*Song – “We All Are One in Mission” – FWS #2243
- We all are one in mission; We all are one in call,
our varied gifts united by Christ, the Lord of all.
A single, great commission compels us from above
to plan and work together that all may know Christ’s love. - We all are called for service, to witness in God’s name.
Our ministries are different; our purpose is the same:
To touch the lives of others by God’s surprising grace,
so every folk and nation may feel God’s warm embrace. - Now let us be united, and let our song be heard.
Now let us be a vessel for God’s redeeming Word.
We all are one in mission; we all are one in call,
our varied gifts united by Christ, the Lord of all.
Invitation to Give
Offertory – “In Every Song” – By Pepper Choplin
*Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
*Closing Hymn – “Lead On, O Cloud of Presence” – FWS #2234
- Lead on, O cloud of Presence, the exodus is come,
in wilderness and desert our tribe shall make its home.
Our slavery left behind us, new hopes within us grow.
We seek the land of promise where milk and honey flow. - Lead on, O fiery Pillar, we follow yet with fears,
But we shall come rejoicing though joy be born of tears.
We are not lost, though wandering, for by your light we come,
And we are still God’s people. The journey is our home. - Lead on, O God of freedom, and guide us on our way,
And help us trust the promise through struggle and delay.
We pray our sons and daughters may journey to that land
Where justice dwells with mercy, and love is law’s demand.
*Benediction
*Musical Benediction – “My Hope Is Built” – UMH #368 (v. 1)
My hope is built on nothing less than Jesus’ blood and righteousness.
I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus’ name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand;
all other ground is sinking sand.
*Postlude “Sing a New Song of Joy!” By Hugh F. Livingston, Jr.
Lyrics to Special Music
Break Into Song
Open your heart. Feel the harmonies ringing, lift up your voice, set your spirit free, dance in the joy as we celebrate this day. Open your heart. Feel the harmonies ringing, lift up your voice, set your spirit free, capture the hope of our Savior’s boundless love. So, break, break into song. Sing praise to the Lord. Let music resound in ev’ry heart. Reach out to the world. Join hearts in the song. Give voice to the music of God’s grace. So, let us sing! Open your arms, to a friend or neighbor reach out in faith, to a world in need. Listen to God, let His rhythm guide your way. Open your arms to a friend or neighbor, reach out in faith to a world in need. Gather in joy, share your music, join the song! So, break, break into song. Sing praise to the Lord. Let music resound in ev’ry heart. Reach out to the world. Join hearts in the song. Give voice to the music of God’s grace. So, let us sing! Alleluia, alleluia, alleluia. Sing alleluia. Sing praise! Sing praise and raise your voices! Break, break into song. Sing praise to the Lord. Let music resound in ev’ry heart. Reach out to the world. Join hearts in the song. Give voice to the music of God’s grace. So, let us sing! So, let us sing! So, let us sing!
In Every Song
In ev’ry song and hymn of praise, in ev’ry verse of adoration that we raise, Lord receive the music that we bring. Accept our praise, our offering. Ev’ry prayer we lift to you, come and cleanse our minds that we may know your truth. Let us bring our prayers to you today. Teach us to listen as we pray. In ev’ry word that is proclaimed, O Spirit, breathe Your message plain. Come, show the way and make it clear. As You speak, may Your people hear. In ev’ry time, in ev’ry part, Lord, come and bring a fresh renewal to each heart. We may go with faith anew if we will come to worship You in ev’ry word, in ev’ry prayer, in ev’ry song.
Helping Lead Today’s Worship
- Pastor: Rev. Drew Hart
- Liturgist: Lee Vander Esch
- Choir Director: Steve Grattan
- Organist: Kathy Cay
- Sanctuary Choir
- Audio Tech: Bruce Hurd
- Streaming Tech: Brian Miller
- Computer Tech: Ellen Hoover