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Prelude “Sea Pieces Op. 55 (selected)” Edward MacDowell/
arr. F. Shackley and MEB
- To the Sea 3. A. D. MDCXX 5. Song 7. Nautilus
Greetings and Announcements Rev. Junha Kim
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 Rev. Eileen Parfrey
The news that the Lord brings is good.
The unfolding of God’s word gives light and understanding.
Turn to us O God, and be gracious to us.
Make your face shine upon your servants.
Let us worship the living Lord.
*Hymn #366 “Love Divine, All Loves Excelling” hyfrydol
Love divine, all loves excelling,
Joy of Heaven to Earth come down,
Fix in us thy humble dwelling,
All thy faithful mercies crown;
Jesus, thou art all compassion,
Pure, unbounded love thou art;
Visit us with thy salvation,
Enter every trembling heart.
Breathe, O breathe thy loving Spirit
Into ev’ry troubled breast;
Let us all in thee inherit,
Let us find thy promised rest;
Take away our love of sinning;
Alpha and Omega be;
End of faith as its beginning,
Set our hearts at liberty.
Come, Almighty to deliver;
Let us all thy grace receive;
Suddenly return, and never,
Never more thy temples leave.
Thee we would be always blessing,
Serve thee as thy host above,
Pray, and praise thee without ceasing,
Glory in thy perfect love.
Finish, then, thy new creation;
Pure and spotless let us be;
Let us see thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in thee;
Changed from glory into glory
Till in Heaven we take our place,
Till we cast our crowns before thee,
Lost in wonder, love, and praise!
*Invitation to Confession Rev. Junha Kim
While we try to follow God’s call, we often let our own voices drown His out. She does not leave us alone, but instead sends her Spirit to shepherd us. Let us open ourselves up to the Spirit in confession, first through silent prayer
*Silent Prayer
*Unison Prayer of Confession
God of grace, we seek to understand your will, but our minds are clouded by sin. We try to discern your Spirit within us, but fall short by mistaking our own desires for yours. We try to embody your boundless love in the world, but we create borders and divisions between us and our neighbors. Help us to remember, O God, that there are no borders in your Kin-dom, and guide us towards a love like yours that is unconditional.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
Friends, hear these words, and listen to the good news; the empires of this world will rise and fall, but God’s love and mercy are everlasting.
In Jesus Christ, we are forgiven. Alleluia! 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 Romans 8:26-39 (p. 158) Avery Clark
Likewise the Spirit helps us in our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but that very Spirit intercedes with sighs too deep for words. And God, who searches the heart, knows what is the mind of the Spirit, because the Spirit intercedes for the saints according to the will of God.
We know that all things work together for good for those who love God, who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn within a large family. And those whom he predestined he also called; and those whom he called he also justified; and those whom he justified he also glorified.
God’s Love in Christ Jesus
What then are we to say about these things? If God is for us, who is against us? He who did not withhold his own Son, but gave him up for all of us, will he not with him also give us everything else? Who will bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? It is Christ Jesus, who died, yes, who was raised, who is at the right hand of God, who indeed intercedes for us. Who will separate us from the love of Christ? Will hardship, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written,
‘For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are accounted as sheep to be slaughtered.’
No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor rulers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor powers, nor height, nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Moments with Children Rev. Eileen Parfrey
Anthem “Ave Maria” (Latin) Franz Schubert
Christina Mata
Sermon “Love Unconditional” Avery Clark
A Moment for Silent Reflection
An Act of Response
*Hymn #300 “We Are One in the Spirit” they’ll know we are christians
We are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord; we are one in the Spirit; we are one in the Lord, and we pray that all unity may one day be restored:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand; we will walk with each other; we will walk hand in hand, and together we’ll spread the news that God is in our land:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
We will work with each other; we will work side by side; we will work with each other; we will work side by side, and we’ll guard human dignity and save human pride:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
All praise to the Father, from whom all things come, and all praise to Christ Jesus, God’s only Son, and all praise to the Spirit, who makes us one:
And they’ll know we are Christians by our love, by our love; yes, they’ll know we are Christians by our love.
Sharing Joys & Concerns Rev. Junha Kim
(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.
Community Moment Covenant Conversations at Westminster Beth Outterson
Offering Ourselves and Our Gifts
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Offertory Anthem “I’ll Walk With God Nicholas Brodsky
Ethan Reviere
*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 #767 “Together We Serve” san anselmo
Together we serve,
united by love,
inviting God’s world to the glorious feast.
We work and we pray
through sorrow and joy,
extending God’s love to the last and the least.
We seek to become
a beacon of hope,
a lamp for the heart and a light for the feet.
We learn, year by year,
to let love shine through
until we see Christ in each person we meet.
We welcome the scarred,
the wealthy, the poor,
the busy, the lonely, and all who need care.
We offer a home
to those who will come,
our hands quick to help, our hearts ready to dare.
Together, by grace,
we witness and work,
remembering Jesus, in whom we grow strong.
Together we serve
in Spirit and truth,
remembering love is the strength of our song.
*Benediction
*Postlude “At Sea (from Poems of the Sea for piano)” Ernest Bloch/arr. MEB
” . . . with whistling winds and music of the waves, the large imperious waves,
Or some lone bark buoy’d on the dense marine.” —Walt Whitman
(You may be seated for the postlude or you may depart.)