Worship Service

 

Sunday, August 10, 2025

​

Welcome/Announcements/Prelude

*All standing in body or spirit

*Call to Worship (congregation reading bold)
Beloved, we gather today as inheritors of faith in God’s salvific work, a faith handed down to us over generations that we claim and proclaim today in this community.
By faith, we follow God’s call as we journey toward a better country.
By faith, our grandparents, parents, aunts, uncles, neighbors, and friends shared God’s love with us, a love that longs to draw us all as members of the Body of Christ.
By faith, we follow God’s call as we journey toward a better country.
By faith, we remember the story today, the story of God’s desire for all creation to be reconciled to God and one another.
By faith, we follow God’s call as we journey toward a better country.
By faith, we carry the faith forward, building a community of belonging, provision, and care as we journey with God toward a better country.
By faith, we gather to nourish and encourage one another on the journey toward a better country as we build God’s already-but-not-yet kingdom here and now. Amen.

​

Opening Prayer
Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen.  We come convinced of many things but trusting very few. Holy God of limitless surprises, meet us herein this place as we touch that which we cannot see, that which we have not dared to hope.

​

*Prayer of Confession (in unison)
God of Abraham and Sarah, God of Jesus Christ, God of our mothers and fathers, you are a God who acts in history. Yet we confess that we are too busy with our own lives to perceive you at work in our time. We fall into fear and despair about our troubled world, as if you had no care for us. Forgive our lack of faith and help us to join you as you labor to bring new life on earth; in the name of Jesus Christ, we pray. Amen.

*Hymn: Holy, Holy, Holy!  Lord God Almighty #64

*Gloria Patri #70

Children’s Message and Blessing of the Backpacks
Hebrews 11: 1-3:  Faith is belief and trust in God without seeing God. Sometimes you can’t see things you know are there. Have you ever seen the wind? (Allow children to answer.) No, but we know the wind is there when we see the leaves on the tree blowing. Can you see the air you breathe? (Allow children to answer.) Can you see heat or cold? (Allow children to respond.) Can you see God? (Allow children to answer.) To have faith, we must trust that God is there, even though we can't see God with our eyes. Our Bible passage today says, “Faith is being sure of what we hope for. It is being sure of what we do not see. That is what the people of long ago were praised for.” This passage from Hebrews tells us about people who might be included in a “faith hall of fame.” These are people from the Bible who had strong faith.

Prayer: Dear God, please give me hall-of-fame faith. Help me to learn what it means to trust in you with my life. Help me come to you with all my needs. Help me to focus on you rather than myself. With your help, give me faith strong enough to do amazing things. Amen.

Old Testament lesson: Jeremiah 29: 11

New Testament lesson: Hebrews 11: 1-6

Hymn:  Sweet Hour of Prayer #496

Sermon: Our Faith in Action

Prayer Concerns
Pastoral Prayer
Silent Prayer

 

The Lord’s Prayer (in unison)  Our Father, who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, forever. Amen.

Offertory
*Doxology
*Offertory Prayer: Faithful and Gracious God, you have called us to be a people of hope, to trust in what we cannot see. As we bring these gifts before you, we offer not only our resources but also our faith – faith that you are at work in our giving, building a future of justice, mercy, and love. Bless these offerings, that they may be signs of our longing for your kingdom and our trust in your promises. May our generosity inspire others to live with courage and conviction, seeking that better country you have prepared for us. In Christ’s name, we pray. Amen.

*Closing Hymn: My Faith Looks Up to Thee #452

Benediction: Children of God, by faith, God has brought us this far. Go now in the blessing of the God who goes before you and behind you, surrounding you on all sides with grace as we journey toward a better country in our neighborhood, our community, and beyond. Amen.

Postlude