PRELUDE
“Adagio from Oxford Symphony No. 16” Franz Joseph Haydn
“Voluntary on the Doxology” Henry Purcell
GREETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS The Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
AN ACT OF PRAISE
*WESTMINSTER CHIMES
*INVITATION TO WORSHIP The Rev. Eileen Parfrey
In love and joy God calls us together.
And so we meet this day, as friends, as neighbors, as disciples of Jesus.
Called together by God, we bring our offerings to God:
Our songs, our hearts, our prayers, our lives.
Grateful for this opportunity to give and receive, let us worship God.
*HYMN #410
“God Is Calling through the Whisper” W ŻŁOBIE LEŻY
God is calling through the whisper of the Spirit’s deepest sighs,
Through the thrill of sudden beauties that can catch us by surprise.
Flash of lightning, crash of thunder; hush of stillness, rush of wonder:
God is callingꟷcan you hear? God is callingꟷcan you hear?
God is calling through the voices of our neighbors’ urgent prayers,
Through their longing for redemption and for rescue from despair.
Place of hurt or face of needing; strident cry or silent pleading:
God is callingꟷcan you hear? God is callingꟷcan you hear?
God is calling through the music of sublime and human arts,
Through the hymns of earth and angels, and the carols of our hearts.
Lift of joy and gift of singing; days and nights our praises bringing:
God is callingꟷand we hear! God is callingꟷand we hear!
*INVITATION TO CONFESSION The Rev. Eileen Parfrey
Sometimes we fear that when we confess all that is wrong, we will be exposed and condemned. Our hope in Christ tells us a different thing, that when we confess we open up the way to mercy and forgiveness. Trusting in that hope, let us make our confession, first in silent prayer.
*SILENT PRAYER
*UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
There are times, O God, when our greatest sin is not what we do but what we fail to do.
For those times when we have not spoken up;
for those times when we have not acted;
for those times when we have not responded: forgive us.
Give us courage to name what is wrong when we see it.
Give us confidence to do what is hard.
Give us grace to reach out when that is frightening or uncomfortable.
This we pray in Jesus’ name. Amen.
*ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Friends in Christ, the mercies of God are from everlasting to everlasting. Let us proclaim the Good News:
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Thanks be to God!
*THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
AN ACT OF PROCLAMATION
THE SCRIPTURE READING The Rev. Gregg Neel
Luke 4:14-21
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MOMENTS WITH CHILDREN Junha Kim
ANTHEM Westminster Concert Bells
“Walking Home” Larry Sue
© 2024 Larry Sue
“There is a special feeling of knowing that you’re headed back to your safest place.” Larry Sue
SERMON The Rev. Gregg Neel
“The State of Hope”
A MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION
AN ACT OF RESPONSE
ORDINATION AND INSTALLATION OF OFFICERS
Deacons to be ordained* and/or installed:
Betsy Byrum, Christina Cole, Melissa Fisher, Martha Galloway, Judy Head*, Kris Hoeveler, Linda Larkin*, Lori Martin*, Graham Ross*, Melissa Shuping
Elders to be ordained* and/or installed:
Jason Houser*, Karen Karn*, Mike Marsh, Sue Miller*, Lou Ann Tiedemann
INTRODUCTION The Rev. Gregg Neel
PRESENTATION OF THE PERSONS TO BE ORDAINED AND INSTALLED Jan Poujade, Clerk of Session
On behalf of the Session of Westminster Presbyterian Church, I now present those to be ordained and/or installed to the officer of elder and deacon, and invite these people to come forward at this time.
CONSTITUTIONAL QUESTIONS The Rev. Gregg Neel
Do you trust in the Lord Jesus Christ your Savior, acknowledge him Lord of all and Head of the Church, and through him believe in one God, Father, Son, and Holy Spirit?
Do you accept the Scriptures of the Old and New Testament to be, by the Holy Spirit, the unique and authoritative witness to Jesus Christ in the Church universal, and God’s Word to you?
Do you sincerely receive and adopt the essential tenets of the Reformed faith as expressed in the confessions of our church as authentic and reliable expositions of what Scripture leads us to believe and do, and will you be instructed and led by those confessions as you lead the people of God?
Will you fulfill your ministry in obedience to Jesus Christ, under the authority of Scripture and continually guided by the confessions?
Will you be governed by our church’s polity, and will you abide by its discipline? Will you be a friend among your colleagues in ministry, working with them, subject to the ordering of God’s Word and Spirit?
Will you in your own life seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ, love your neighbors, and work for the reconciliation of the world?
Do you promise to further the peace, unity, and purity of the church?
Will you pray for and seek to serve the people with energy, intelligence, imagination, and love?
(for elders)
Will you be a faithful elder, watching over the people, providing for their worship, nurture, and service? Will you share in government and discipline, serving in councils of the church, and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?
(for deacons) The Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
Will you be a faithful deacon, teaching charity, urging concern, and directing the people’s help to the friendless and those in need, and in your ministry will you try to show the love and justice of Jesus Christ?
QUESTIONS TO THE CONGREGATION Jan Poujade
Do we, the members of the church, accept these people as elders and deacons,
chosen by God through the voice of this congregation to guide us in the way of Jesus
Christ?
We do.
Do we agree to pray for them, to encourage them, to respect their decisions, and to
follow as they guide us, serving Jesus Christ, who alone is Head of the Church?
We do.
PRAYER OF ORDINATION AND LAYING ON OF HANDS The Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS The Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
(At the conclusion of spoken joys, let us pray together, “Thanks be to you, O God.”
For concerns, let us make them our own by praying, “Lord, hear our prayer.”)
PASTORAL PRAYER AND THE LORD’S PRAYER
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 debts, as we forgive our debtors;
and lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.
For thine is the kingdom and the power and the glory, forever. Amen.
MINUTE FOR MISSION
All-Church Retreat and Summer Youth Trips
OFFERING OURSELVES AND OUR GIFTS
(Text 73256 the word WESTPRESPDX to give using your mobile device. This number will never send unsolicited texts to you. To cancel further messages, text STOP. If you need assistance with text giving, text HELP. Standard text message and data rates may apply. If you’re new to Westminster, please let us know by filling out a pink visitor card and dropping it in the offering plate. Thank you.)
OFFERTORY ANTHEM
“Prayer for Humanity” Linda Lamb
© 2004 Agape/Hope Publishing
“For there is always light, If only we’re brave enough to see it, If only we’re brave enough to be it.” from The Hill We Climb by Amanda Gorman, American poet and activist
*DOXOLOGY – Hymn #606
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
-OR-
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, all creatures here below;
Praise God above, ye heavenly host;
Creator, Christ, and Holy Ghost. Amen.
*HYMN #765
“May the God of Hope Go with Us” ARGENTINA
May the God of hope go with us every day,
Filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
Bringing light and hope to every land and race.
Praying, let us work for peace;
Singing, share our joy with all;
Working for a world that’s new,
Faithful when we hear Christ’s call.
¡Dios de la Esperanza, danos gozo y paz!
Al mundo en crisis, habla tu verdad.
Dios de la justicia, mándanos tu luz,
Luz y e speranza en la oscuridad.
Oremos por la paz,
Cantemos de tu amor.
Luchemos por la paz,
Fieles a ti, Señor.
*BENEDICTION The Rev. Gregg Neel
*POSTLUDE
“Festal Fanfare” J.S. Bach