Worship Service
Sunday, June 22, 2025
Welcome/Announcements
Prelude
*All standing in body or spirit
The Story of Music in Methodist Worship
Centering Words: When fear and despair try to run the show, hope and faith bring us back to God, whose love is stronger still.
*Call to Worship (congregation reads bold):
Come into the light of God’s love.
Fear cannot separate us from its blessing.
Come to the house of healing and hope.
God’s love makes us whole.
*Opening Prayer:
God of power and might, bring your awesome presence into our worship and our world. Open us to your wholeness and healing and embolden us to answer your call, that we might face unafraid the demons of this world. Amen
*Prayer of Confession (in unison):
Loving God, we yearn to be close to you and to dwell in your ever-present love. Be with us when our yearning seems unsatisfied. Great Healer, bring us the help we most need. Wipe away our fears. Comfort us in our regrets. Forgive our mistakes. Strengthen us with healing and hope. Draw us so close to you, that we may never question your presence or have reason to be afraid. Amen
*Words of Assurance:
Before faith, we were locked away in our fear. But faith is ours through the grace of Christ. In this grace, we are no longer chained; we are no longer bound by demons, regrets, or sin. We are freed with love, freed to love, and freed to be loved.
*Hymn: O For a Thousand Tongues to Sing #57
History of Gloria Patri
*Gloria Patri #70
Scripture: Ephesians 5:18b- 20, Colossians 3:16
Gospel Lesson: Luke 8: 26-39
Reading
Introduction to Hymn Sing
Hymn Sing
God Moments
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.
Reading: The History of the Doxology
Offertory: (The offering plate is in the back of the sanctuary)
*Doxology #95
*Offering Prayer
*Hymn: What a Friend We Have in Jesus #526
*Benediction
Postlude
Worship Service
Sunday, June 29, 2025
Welcome/Announcements
Prelude
*All standing in body or spirit
Centering Words: When Elijah was about to be taken from him, Elisha asked for a double portion of his spirit. May we too recognize our need and have the courage to ask for what we need to do our ministries.
*Call to Worship (congregation reads bold):
We will call to mind the works of the Lord,
and remember God’s wonders of old.
In times of trouble, we cry out to God,
longing for our souls to be comforted.
When our spirits are weary,
we reach for God’s arms.
Even when we don’t feel courageous,
we need to receive God’s peace.
Keeping God’s deeds in mind,
we carry them in our hearts.
For God’s ways are holy,
and God’s grace is great.
*Opening Prayer:
Holy One, the waters tremble and the skies open. Your voice rumbles with thunder, flashes with lightning, and crashes with waves as the earth shakes. And yet, there is peace in your voice. You trouble the waters of our spirits, even as you soothe the struggles of our souls. Your footprints guide our way—unseen by human eyes, but always visible to our hearts. Amen.
*Prayer of Confession (in unison):
God of our lives, we set our sights on you. For you know where you are going, and long for us to follow. It is not easy to keep our eyes upon you, God, and watch until the end. We often look away and maintain our denial, just a little longer. But denial never serves us. It is truth we need; courage and strength we desire. Enough to face this day and the next..…enough to stay with you as you stay with us.
*Words of Assurance:
Jesus says, “Follow me.” When we stay with him, he always stays with us. God places the Spirit upon us and within us, trusting us to watch and follow. The Holy One calls us to reach out our hands and receive God’s mantle of leadership. Believing that we can, we will.
*Hymn: O Jesus I Have Promised #396
*Gloria Patri #70
Scripture: Galatians 5: 1, 13-25
Children’s Sermon
Gospel Lesson: Luke 9: 51-62
Sermon
Hymn: Close to Thee #407
God Moments
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: (The offering plate is in the back of the sanctuary)
*Doxology #95
*Offering Prayer
*Hymn: Where He Leads Me #338
*Benediction
Postlude
