Welcome!
What a blessing to be in worship! Let us greet one another by spotlighting and naming each of us worshiping God…
Any announcements before we prepare for worship?
MUSIC TO PREPARE FOR WORSHIP…
MARILYN reads Psalm 146
146:1 Praise the LORD! Praise the LORD, O my soul!
146:2 I will praise the LORD as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God all my life long.
146:3 Do not put your trust in princes, in mortals, in whom there is no help.
146:4 When their breath departs, they return to the earth; on that very day their plans perish.
146:5 Happy are those whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is in the LORD their God,
146:6 who made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that is in them; who keeps faith forever;
146:7 who executes justice for the oppressed; who gives food to the hungry. The LORD sets the prisoners free;
146:8 the LORD opens the eyes of the blind. The LORD lifts up those who are bowed down; the LORD loves the righteous.
146:9 The LORD watches over the strangers; he upholds the orphan and the widow, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.
146:10 The LORD will reign forever, your God, O Zion, for all generations. Praise the LORD!
SHERI leads us in a Prayer of Adoration
O Lord my God, when I in awesome wonder
Consider all the worlds thy hands have made.
I see the stars, I hear the rolling thunder
Thy power throughout the universe displayed
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
When through the woods and forest glades I wander
And hear the birds sing sweetly in the trees.
When I look down, from lofty mountain grandeur
And hear the brook and feel the gentle breeze.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
And when I think that God His Son not sparing
Sent Him to die, I scarce can take it in.
That on the cross, my burden gladly bearing,
He bled and died to take away my sin.
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
When Christ shall come with shout of acclamation
And take me home, what joy shall fill my heart!
Then I shall bow in humble adoration
And there proclaim, my God, how great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
Then sings my soul, my Savior God to thee
How great Thou art! How great Thou art!
LAURA reads James 2:1-10, 14-17
2:1 My brothers and sisters, do you with your acts of favoritism really believe in our glorious Lord Jesus Christ?
2:2 For if a person with gold rings and in fine clothes comes into your assembly, and if a poor person in dirty clothes also comes in,
2:3 and if you take notice of the one wearing the fine clothes and say, “Have a seat here, please,” while to the one who is poor you say, “Stand there,” or, “Sit at my feet,”
2:4 have you not made distinctions among yourselves, and become judges with evil thoughts?
2:5 Listen, my beloved brothers and sisters. Has not God chosen the poor in the world to be rich in faith and to be heirs of the kingdom that he has promised to those who love him?
2:6 But you have dishonored the poor. Is it not the rich who oppress you? Is it not they who drag you into court?
2:7 Is it not they who blaspheme the excellent name that was invoked over you?
2:8 You do well if you really fulfill the royal law according to the scripture, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”
2:9 But if you show partiality, you commit sin and are convicted by the law as transgressors.
2:10 For whoever keeps the whole law but fails in one point has become accountable for all of it.
2:14 What good is it, my brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but do not have works? Can faith save you?
2:15 If a brother or sister is naked and lacks daily food,
2:16 and one of you says to them, “Go in peace; keep warm and eat your fill,” and yet you do not supply their bodily needs, what is the good of that?
2:17 So faith by itself, if it has no works, is dead.
LAURA – shares a Prayer of Confession
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see
Twas grace that taught my heart to fear, and grace my fears relieved
How precious did that grace appear, the hour I first believed
Through many dangers toils and snares, I have already come
Tis grace that brought us safe thus far, and grace will lead us home
The Lord has promised good to me, His word my hope secures
He will my shield and portion be, as long as life en – dures
When we’ve been there ten thousand years, bright shining as the sun
We’ve no less days to sing God’s praise, than when we first be – gun
Amazing grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me
I once was lost, but now I’m found, was blind, but now I see
SHERI reads: Mark 7:24-37
7:24 From there he set out and went away to the region of Tyre. He entered a house and did not want anyone to know he was there. Yet he could not escape notice,
7:25 but a woman whose little daughter had an unclean spirit immediately heard about him, and she came and bowed down at his feet.
7:26 Now the woman was a Gentile, of Syrophoenician origin. She begged him to cast the demon out of her daughter.
7:27 He said to her, “Let the children be fed first, for it is not fair to take the children’s food and throw it to the dogs.”
7:28 But she answered him, “Sir, even the dogs under the table eat the children’s crumbs.”
7:29 Then he said to her, “For saying that, you may go–the demon has left your daughter.”
7:30 So she went home, found the child lying on the bed, and the demon gone.
7:31 Then he returned from the region of Tyre, and went by way of Sidon towards the Sea of Galilee, in the region of the Decapolis.
7:32 They brought to him a deaf man who had an impediment in his speech; and they begged him to lay his hand on him.
7:33 He took him aside in private, away from the crowd, and put his fingers into his ears, and he spat and touched his tongue.
7:34 Then looking up to heaven, he sighed and said to him, “Ephphatha,” that is, “Be opened.”
7:35 And immediately his ears were opened, his tongue was released, and he spoke plainly.
7:36 Then Jesus ordered them to tell no one; but the more he ordered them, the more zealously they proclaimed it.
7:37 They were astounded beyond measure, saying, “He has done everything well; he even makes the deaf to hear and the mute to speak.”
Spir – it, spir – it of gentleness, blow thru the wilderness, calling and free
Spir – it, spir – It of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea
You moved on the wa – ters, you called from the deep
Then you coaxed up the mountains, from the valley of sleep
And over the ee – ons, you called to each thing
Awake from your slumbers, and rise on your wings
Spir – it, spir – it of gentleness, blow thru the wilderness, calling and free
Spir – it, spir – It of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea
You swept thru the des – ert. You stung with the sand,
And you gifted your people, with a law and a land
And when they were blind – ded with their idols and lies
Then you spoke thru your prophets to open their eyes
Spir – it, spir – it of gentleness, blow thru the wilderness, calling and free
Spir – it, spir – It of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea
You sang in a sta – ble, you cried from a hill
Then you whispered in silence, when the whole world was still
And down in the ci — ty, you called once again
When you blew thru your people on the rush of the wind
Spir – it, spir – it of gentleness, blow thru the wilderness, calling and free
Spir – it, spir – It of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea
You call from tomor — row, You break ancient schemes,
From the bondage of sorrow, the captives dream dreams,
Our women see vi — sions, our men clear their eyes,
With bold new decisions, Your people arise
Spir – it, spir – it of gentleness, blow thru the wilderness, calling and free
Spir – it, spir – It of restlessness, stir me from placidness, wind, wind on the sea
SHERI shares reflection and/or leads conversion: Are there reflections anyone wants to share based on scripture, song and prayer?
STEVE LEADS: Sharing of Joys & Concerns
- Confluence of pandemics (COVID-19, racial injustice, income inequality, climate);
- HEALTH – CONCERNS/JOYS:
- Sheri – headache
- OTHER – CONCERNS/JOYS
Prayer – concluding with The Lord’s Prayer
I am weak, but Thou art strong, Jesus, keep me from all wrong
I’ll be satisfied as long….. as I walk, let me walk close to Thee
Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee, let it be, dear Lord, let it be
Through this world of toils and snares, If I falter, Lord, who cares
Who with me my burden shares? None but Thee, dear Lord, none but Thee
Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee, let it be, dear Lord, let it be
When my feeble life is o’er, time for me will be no more
then guide me gently, safely o’er, to Thy shore, dear Lord, to Thy shore
Just a closer walk with Thee, Grant it, Jesus, is my plea
Daily walking close to Thee, let it be, dear Lord, let it be