Today is week 2 in 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 new life.
Welcome & Announcements
Prelude – “Whispering Hope” – Arr. by Robert J. Hughes
*Call to Worship (based on various Psalm verses)
- L: In whom do we hope?
- P: Our hope is firmly in the LORD our God.
- L: Why is our hope in the LORD our God?
- P: Because he leans down to us and listens to our cries for help.
- L: Why else do we hope in God alone?
- P: Because God is good and has taken action to make things right in this world, including our relationship with him and others.
- L: Let us put our hope in God, never forgetting his deeds and always waiting upon his promises.
*Hymn – “There’s a Wideness in God’s Mercy” – UMH #121
- There’s a wideness in God’s mercy
like the wideness of the sea;
there’s a kindness in God’s justice,
which is more than liberty. - There is welcome for the sinner,
and more graces for the good!
There is mercy with the Savior;
there is healing in his blood. - For the love of God is broader
than the measure of our mind;
and the heart of the Eternal
is most wonderfully kind. - If our love were but more simple,
we should rest upon God’s word;
and our lives would be illumined
by the presence of our Lord.
Time with the Children and Youth
Scripture Reading – Romans 14:1-12
1Welcome the person who is weak in faith—but not in order to argue about differences of opinion. 2One person believes in eating everything, while the weak person eats only vegetables. 3Those who eat must not look down on the ones who don’t, and the ones who don’t eat must not judge the ones who do, because God has accepted them. 4Who are you to judge someone else’s servants? They stand or fall before their own Lord (and they will stand, because the Lord has the power to make them stand). 5One person considers some days to be more sacred than others, while another person considers all days to be the same. Each person must have their own convictions. 6Someone who thinks that a day is sacred, thinks that way for the Lord. Those who eat, eat for the Lord, because they thank God. And those who don’t eat, don’t eat for the Lord, and they thank the Lord too. 7We don’t live for ourselves and we don’t die for ourselves. 8If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to God. 9This is why Christ died and lived: so that he might be Lord of both the dead and the living. 10But why do you judge your brother or sister? Or why do you look down on your brother or sister? We all will stand in front of the judgment seat of God. 11Because it is written,
As I live, says the Lord, every knee will bow to me,
and every tongue will give praise to God.
12So then, each of us will give an account of ourselves to God.
- L: The Word of God, the Word of Life.
- P: Thanks be to God!
Anthem – “Always By Our Side” – Arr. Mary McDonald
Sermon
Pastoral Prayer and Lord’s Prayer
Refrain:
It is well with my soul,
it is well, it is well with my soul.
- Though Satan should buffet, though trials should come,
let this blest assurance control,
that Christ has regarded my helpless estate,
and hath shed his own blood for my soul.
*Song – “Help Us Accept Each Other” – UMH #560
- Help us accept each other as Christ accepted us;
teach us as sister, brother, each person to embrace.
Be present, Lord, among us, and bring us to believe
we are ourselves accepted and meant to love and live. - Teach us, O Lord, your lessons, as in our daily life
we struggle to be human and search for hope and faith.
Teach us to care for people, for all, not just for some,
to love them as we find them, or as they may become. - Let your acceptance change us, so that we may be moved
in living situations to do the truth in love;
to practice your acceptance, until we know by heart
the table of forgiveness and laughter’s healing art. - Lord, for today’s encounters with all who are in need,
who hunger for acceptance, for righteousness and bread,
we need new eyes for seeing, new hands for holding on;
renew us with your Spirit; Lord, free us, make us one!
Invitation to Give
Offertory – “We Are Called” – Arr. by Mark Hayes
*Doxology
*Prayer of Dedication
*Closing Hymn – “Where Charity and Love Prevail” – UMH #549
- Where charity and love prevail,
there God is ever found;
Brought here together by Christ’s love,
by love are we thus bound. - With grateful joy and holy fear
true charity we learn;
Let us with heart and mind and strength
now love Christ in return. - Forgive we now each other’s faults
as we our faults confess;
And let us love each other well
in Christian holiness. - Let strife among us be unknown,
let all contention cease;
Be Christ the glory that we seek,
be ours his holy peace. - Let us recall that in our midst
dwells God’s begotten Son;
As members of his body joined,
we are in him made one. - Love can exclude no race or creed,
if honored be God’s name;
Our common life embraces all
whose Maker is the same.
*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 – “On Christ, the Solid Rock I Stand” – Arr. by Adam Mason
Lyrics to Special Music
Always By Our Side
Father, hear the prayer we offer: not for ease our prayer shall be, but for strength that we may ever live our lives courageously. Be our strength in times of weakness, in our wand’rings, be our guide; through each danger and endeavor, be always by our side. Not for ever in green pastures do we ask our way to be, but the steep and rugged pathway, may we walk rejoicingly. Be our strength in times of weakness, in our wand’rings, be our guide; through each danger and endeavor, be always by our side. Not forever by still waters would be idly rest and stay, but would draw the living fountains from the rocks along our way. Be our strength in times of weakness , in our wand’rings be our guide; through each danger and endeavor, be always by our side.
We Are Called
Come, live in the light! Shine with the joy and the love of the Lord! We are called to be light for the kingdom, to live in the freedom of the city of God. We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly. We are called to serve one another, and to walk humbly with God. Come! Open your heart! Show your mercy to all those in fear! We are called to be hope for the hopeless, so hatred and violence will be no more. We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly. We are called to serve one another, to walk humbly with God. Sing! Sing a new song! Sing of that great day when all will be one! God will reign, and we’ll walk with each other as sisters and brothers united in love. We are called to act with justice; we are called to love tenderly; we are called to serve one another, and to walk humbly with God. We’ll walk humbly with God. We’ll walk humbly with God. We’ll walk humbly with, humbly with God.
Helping Lead Today’s Worship
- Pastor: Rev. Drew Hart
- Liturgist: Ellen Hoover
- Choir Director: Steve Grattan
- Organist: Kathy Cay
- Sanctuary Choir
- Jackie Prause, flute
- Audio Tech: Jeannine Scheider
- Streaming Tech: Brian Miller
- Computer Tech: Joe Kaidan
Thanks for sponsoring the radio today:
In memory of Floyd and Lucile Ogden’s anniversary (Sept. 20)
By John and Dale Ann Ogden