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Prelude “Body and Soul”
Music by Johnny Green and lyrics by Edward Heyman
Trombone, Randy Nims; saxophone, David Hutchinson; guitar, Tyler Higley;
bass, Mark Niemann-Ross
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
*Westminster Chimes
*Invitation to Worship Rev. Gregg Neel
Psalm 99, adapted from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill
Awaken, all you people! Give your hearts to Love.
For the Beloved reigns supreme; let all the earth give thanks.
God’s unseen Presence sits with the leaders of nations.
Let them be silent and be guided by God’s voice.
Out of the Silence, God’s Word can be heard in the land
inviting the nations to live in peace.
Let us worship God.
*Hymn #81 “Glorious Things of Thee Are Spoken” austrian hymn
Piano, Teresa Wilhelmi
Glorious things of thee are spoken,
Zion, city of our God.
God, whose Word cannot be broken
formed thee for a blest abode.
On the Rock of Ages founded,
what can shake thy sure repose?
With salvation’s walls surrounded,
thou may’st smile at all thy foes.
Round each habitation hovering,
see the cloud and fire appear
for a glory and a covering,
showing that the Lord is near.
Thus deriving from their banner
light by night and shade by day,
safe they feed upon the manna
which God gives them when they pray.
See, the streams of living waters,
springing from eternal love,
well supply thy sons and daughters
and all fear of want remove.
Who can faint while such a river
ever flows, their thirst to assuage?
Grace, which like the Lord, the Giver,
never fails from age to age.
*Invitation to Confession Rev. Gregg Neel
Psalm 99, adapted from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill
When we open our hearts to the Beloved, Truth is born anew, and we are guided through difficult times. Let us trust the promises of forgiveness offered by that Love and admit the truth of our need, first in silence.
*Silent Prayer
*Unison Prayer of Confession
Adapted from Playing Hopscotch in Heaven by Thom M. Shuman
Great Lover of Justice, hear our prayers:
called to treat all people equally, we take sides and pick favorites;
chosen to be your children, we arrogantly assume others are not so honored;
challenged to be examples of faith, we reveal our worst natures to our families and friends.
Forgive us, Giver of Rest. Enable us to open our hypocritical hearts to your healing touch of compassion and hope. May we give ourselves to you—confidently, completely, faithfully.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
Psalm 99, adapted from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill
The Heart of all hearts has answered our prayers. With mercy, we have been forgiven our wrongs. We are invited to new life.
Sing praises to the Giver of Life! In Jesus Christ we are forgiven!
*The Passing of the Peace
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
An Act of Proclamation
The Scripture Reading Exodus 33:12-23 Rev. Eileen Parfrey
Moses said to the Lord, “See, you have said to me, ‘Bring up this people’; but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now if I have found favor in your sight, show me your ways, so that I may know you and find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” He said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go, do not carry us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people, unless you go with us? In this way, we shall be distinct, I and your people, from every people on the face of the earth.”
The Lord said to Moses, “I will do the very thing that you have asked; for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Show me your glory, I pray.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you, and will proclaim before you the name, ‘The Lord’; and I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But”, he said, “you cannot see my face; for no one shall see me and live.” And the Lord continued, “See, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock; and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by; then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back; but my face shall not be seen.”
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Moments with Children
Anthem “Shadrach, Meshack, and Abednego” Robert MacGimsey
Vocals: Christina Mata, Ethan Reviere
Trombone, Randy Nims; saxophone, David Hutchinson; guitar, Tyler Higley;
bass, Mark Niemann-Ross
Sermon “Do It Scared” Rev. Eileen Parfrey
A Moment for Silent Reflection
An Act of Response
*Hymn #74 “When God Restored Our Common Life” resignation
Piano, Teresa Wilhelmi
When God restored our common life, our hope, our liberty, at first it seemed a passing dream, a waking fantasy; a shock of joy swept over us, for we had wept so long; the seeds we watered once with tears sprang up into a song.
We went forth weeping, sowing seeds in hard, unyielding soil; with laughing hearts we carry home the fruit og all our toil. We praise the One who gave the growth, with voices full and strong. The seeds we watered once with tears sprang up into a song.
Great liberating God, we pray for all those who are oppressed. May those who long for what is right with justice now be blessed. We pray for those who mourn this day, and all who suffer wrong; may seeds they water now with tears spring up into a song.
Sharing Joys & Concerns Rev. Gregg Neel
(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.”)
A PRAYER FOR SILVER RAIL
Pastor Steven Koski, Lead Pastor from First Presbyterian Church of Bend
God of all comfort,
We come to you with broken hearts,
and we know they will stay broken.
Three children of our community are gone,
children who went to school expecting a normal day,
whose names were spoken by teachers this week,
whose backpacks still hang by doors at home.
There are no words that can reach the place where this grief lives, so we bring you our silence and our tears.
We hold before you the families whose lives have been torn open and changed forever.
Be near to the parents, siblings, grandparents, and friends in the hours when the house is too quiet and the questions are too loud.
Hold what they cannot carry.
We pray for the children of Silver Rail who saw what no child should see,
for teachers and staff who protected and comforted them,
for first responders who ran toward danger,
and for the doctors, nurses, and counselors now tending wounds of body and spirit.
Give them strength, rest, and people to lean on.
We confess that we are angry and afraid.
We do not understand how this keeps happening, and we will not pretend it is acceptable.
Let our grief not harden into despair.
Let it move us toward one another and toward the work of making our children safe.
Jesus, you took the children in your arms and blessed them.
We trust that these little ones are held in that same embrace,
and we ask you to hold us too, because we are not okay.
Help us be the church this week and in the weeks to come showing up for one another grieving with those who grieve without hurrying toward comfort.
Let no one in our community feel alone in this.
And in our grief, help us trust what we cannot yet feel: that nothing in all creation, not death, not violence, not the deepest sorrow, can separate us or these children from your love in Christ Jesus. Death and tragedy will not have the last word.
Love will.
Hold us in that promise until we can hold it ourselves.
In the name of Christ, whose love is stronger than death,
Amen.
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 Fall Festival Amanda Smith
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 “Beautiful Love” Wayne King, Victor Young,
and Egbert Van Alstyne with lyrics by Haven Gillespie
Vocals: Christina Mata, Ethan Reviere
Trombone, Randy Nims; saxophone, David Hutchinson; guitar, Tyler Higley;
bass, Mark Niemann-Ross
*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 #82 “Come, Thou Long-Expected Jesus” hyfrydol
Piano, Teresa Wilhelmi
Come, thou long-expected Jesus,
born to set thy people free;
from our fears and sins release us,
let us find our rest in thee.
Israel’s strength and consolation,
hope of all the earth thou art;
dear desire of every nation,
joy of every longing heart.
Born thy people to deliver,
born a child and yet a King,
born to reign in us forever,
now thy gracious kingdom bring.
By thine own eternal spirit
rule in all our hearts alone;
by thine all-sufficient merit,
raise us to thy glorious throne.
*Benediction Congregation
(We will be using the song “From This House” provided by Music Makes Community in
September and October. It is a call and response song. This benediction encourages us to serve outside the walls of Westminster.)
“From this house to the world we will go hand in hand.
The way of peace, the way of freedom, the way of hope.”
*Postlude “Road Song” Wes Montgomery
Trombone, Randy Nims; saxophone, David Hutchinson; guitar, Tyler Higley;
bass, Mark Niemann-Ross
(You may be seated for the postlude or you may depart.)