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Prelude “Adoration,” “In a Quiet Mood,” “The Hour Glass,”
“Little Melody,” and “A Pleasant Thought” (5 pieces)
Florence Price (1887-1953)
Greetings and Announcements Rev. Gregg Neel
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
An Act of Praise
Introit “Cast Thy Burden” Mendelssohn
*Westminster Chimes
*Invitation to Worship Ada Roser
We gather together in the community of faith for all God’s children.
Wherever we are gathered, in whatever numbers,
small or great, we show the kindom of God at work.
As the redeemed of God, let us enter into the communion of saints.
We offer our lives to God,
being part of the great company of those who trust in God.
Let us worship this God of love.
*Hymn #450 “Be Thou My Vision” SLANE
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me save that thou art.
Thou my best thought by day and by night;
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord.
Thou my great Father, I thy dear child;
Thou in me dwelling, with thee reconciled.
Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
Be thou my dignity, thou my delight.
Thou my soul’s shelter, thou my high tow’r;
Raise thou me Heav’nward, O Pow’r of my pow’r.
Riches I heed not, nor vain, empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always.
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, my victory won,
May I reach Heaven’s joys, O bright Heav’ns Sun!
Heart of my heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O Ruler of all.
*Invitation to Confession Ada Roser
When we least expect it, even when we are not ready, God comes to us, calling us to trust, calling us to follow, calling us to set aside our foolish lives for the grace-full ones which are offered to us. Let us confess, first in silence.
*Silent Prayer
*Unison Prayer of Confession Rev. Gregg Neel
We are all too human, faithful God, and so think we have nothing to learn from others, and thus discount ancestors in the faith like Sarah & Abraham, Martin Luther King, and Harriet Tubman. We close tight the shutters of our souls, so the Spirit can only rattle us, but not get in to transform our lives. Yet, you will always be our help, whether we recognize it or accept it, and for this we are grateful.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
Keeper of our souls, be with us;
Watcher of our days, lead us;
Salvation of our lives, have mercy on us.
Amen.
*The Passing of the Peace
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
An Act of Proclamation
The Scripture Reading Psalm 121 (p.571) Rev. Gregg Neel
Assurance of God’s Protection
A Song of Ascents.
I lift up my eyes to the hills—
from where will my help come?
My help comes from the Lord,
who made heaven and earth.
He will not let your foot be moved;
he who keeps you will not slumber.
He who keeps Israel
will neither slumber nor sleep.
The Lord is your keeper;
the Lord is your shade at your right hand.
The sun shall not strike you by day,
nor the moon by night.
The Lord will keep you from all evil;
he will keep your life.
The Lord will keep
your going out and your coming in
from this time on and forevermore.
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Moments with Children Rev. Junha Kim
Sermon “Call and the Response” Rev. Gregg Neel
A Moment for Silent Reflection
An Act of Response
Sharing Joys & Concerns 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.”
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, found in the pew rack, and place it in the offering plate. Thank you.)
Offertory Anthem “I Will Be a Child of Peace” Elaine Hagenberg trad. Shaker hymn
O Holy Father, I will be a child of peace and purity
for well I know Thy hand will bless the seeker after righteousness.
*Doxology – Hymn #606
Praise God, from whom all blessings flow;
Praise God, 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.
The Sacrament of the Lord’s Supper
The Invitation to the Table Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
Great Prayer of Thanksgiving Rev. Junha Kim
The Lord be with you.
And also with you.
Lift up your hearts.
We lift them up unto the Lord.
Let us give thanks to our God.
It is right to give our thanks and praise.
It is truly right and a joy to give you thanks and praise, O God, for at creation you filled the Void with light and life, with planets and stars, with seas and mountains, with beasts of field and air and water, with women and men. You called those women and men to heed your voice, and at times they did and at times they did not. So in the fullness of time you came to us in the man Jesus, who called women and men to follow him.
We follow him this day and lift our voices in praise for all your generous and magnificent deeds. We sing a song of praise, joining our voices with Karen Ditmar-Bogucki, Mike Moeller, and all the saints, singing:
Blessed are you, O Creator, and blessed is our Redeemer Jesus Christ, who led us on paths of truth and grace, compassion and justice, hope and peace. Blessed is your Holy Spirit, who hovers among us now, and who comes into this bread and this cup, changing these ordinary things into sacred and holy things, the bread of life and cup of salvation. For all these things, we give you thanks. And now hear us as we are bold to say together the prayer that Jesus taught…
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.
Words of Institution
On the night before the Lord Jesus died, he took bread, and after giving thanks, he broke it, and gave it to his disciples, saying: Take, eat. This is my body, given for you. Do this in remembrance of me.
In the same way he took the cup, saying: This cup is the new covenant sealed with my life, shed for you for the forgiveness of sins. Whenever you drink it, do this in remembrance of me.
Receiving the Bread and the Cup
(Today, the congregation is invited to come forward to receive communion. Someone will hand you a piece of bread, which you will eat. You may then move to the next person, who will hand you a cup of juice, which you will drink. As you return to your pew, you may put your cup in the basket.. For those unable to come forward, a pastor will bring you the elements.)
Communion Anthem “Bogorodirse Devo.” Sergei Rachmaninoff
from the Vespers
Rejoice, O virgin mother of God, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women, and
blessed is the fruit of thy womb, for thou has borne the
saviour of our souls.
Prayer After Communion Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
Gracious God, we have been nourished at your table by your grace and hope, and so we will go to those who hunger for justice, bring healing to the broken among us, and do not do what is easy, but what is difficult, through the power of Jesus Christ. Amen.
*Hymn #436 “God of Compassion, In Mercy Befriend Us” O QUANTA QUALIA
God of compassion, in mercy befriend us,
giver of grace for our needs all-availing.
Wisdom and strength for each day ever send us,
patience untiring and courage unfailing.
Though we are lost, you have sought us and found us,
stilled our rude hearts with your word of consoling.
Wrap now your peace, like a mantle, around us,
guarding our thoughts and our passions controlling.
How shall we stray, with your hand to direct us,
you who the stars in their courses are guiding?
What shall we fear, with your power to protect us,
we who walk forth in your greatness confiding?
*Benediction Rev. Gregg Neel
*Postlude “Toccata on Aberystwyth” Joseph Parry/Brenda Portman
You may be seated for the postlude or you may depart quietly.