PRELUDE
“Toccata and Fugue in d minor” (BWV 565) J. S. Bach
GREETINGS AND ANNOUNCEMENTS Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
This is the day the Lord has made.
Let us rejoice and be glad in it.
AN ACT OF PRAISE
INTROIT
“Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord” trad. African-American
*WESTMINSTER CHIMES
*INVITATION TO WORSHIP Junha Kim
Adapted from Psalms for Praying by Nan Merrill, Psalm 124.
If it were not for You, O Beloved, You who make all things new,
Fear and chaos would reign in every heart; in You will we trust.
When doubt threatens to overwhelm and separate us, when anger makes us blind,
Then You, O Merciful One, are ever-ready to awaken the holy, the sacred within us.
Blessed are You, who are a very Presence to us, a comfort to troubled hearts! Let us worship God.
*HYMN #619
“Praise, My Soul, the God of Heaven” LAUDA ANIMA
Praise, my soul, the God of heaven; glad of heart your carols raise;
ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven, who like me, should sing God’s praise?
Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise the Maker all your days!
Praise God for the grace and favor shown our forebears in distress;
God is still the same forever, slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia! Alleluia! Sing our Maker’s faithfulness!
Like a loving parent caring, God knows well our feeble frame,
Gladly all our burdens bearing, still to countless years the same.
Alleluia! Alleluia! All within me, praise God’s name!
Angels, teach us adoration; you behold God face to face.
Sun and moon and all creation, dwellers all in time and space:
Alleluia! Alleluia! Praise with us the God of Grace!
*INVITATION TO CONFESSION Rev. Lindsey Hubbard-Groves
Longing as we do for the Living Streams of Grace, let us in confidence of forgiveness confess our need of God, both on behalf of ourselves and of the world.
*SILENT PRAYER
*UNISON PRAYER OF CONFESSION
Gracious God, we long to soar with courage and yet find ourselves held firmly to earth with the bonds of fear. We long to live as loving and connected people and yet find ourselves stuck in selfish habits that isolate us from you and each other. We long to be a healing presence in the world and yet find ourselves treasuring our own injuries. Heal us, O God. Give us life, Holy One, filled with the abundance of your generous Spirit.
*ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS
Beloved friends, God is always more ready to listen than we are to call. God is always more ready to forgive than we are to receive that good news. Believe this:
In Jesus Christ we are forgiven. Alleluia!
*THE PASSING OF THE PEACE
The peace of Christ be with you all.
And also with you.
AN ACT OF PROCLAMATION
THE SCRIPTURE READING Rev. Eileen Parfrey
Esther 4:1-14
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
MOMENTS WITH CHILDREN
ANTHEM
“What Does the Lord Require?” Eric Nelson
What does the Lord require for praise and offering?
What sacrifice, desire, or tribute bid you bring?
To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly,
Walk humbly, walk humbly with your God.
Rulers of earth, give ear! Should you not justice know?
Will God your pleading hear while crime and cruelty grow?
Then do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly,
Walk humbly with your God, walk humbly with your God.
How shall our life fulfill God’s law so high?
Let Christ, let Christ endue our will with grace.
What does the Lord require for praise and offering?
What sacrifice, desire, or tribute bid you bring?
To do justice, love mercy, and walk humbly,
Walk humbly, walk humbly with your God.
SERMON Rev. Eileen Parfrey
“How We Got to This Place”
A MOMENT FOR SILENT REFLECTION
AN ACT OF RESPONSE
*HYMN #756
“O God of Every Nation” LLANGOFFAN
O God of every nation, of every race and land,
Redeem the whole creation with your almighty hand.
Where hate and fear divide us and bitter threats are hurled,
In love and mercy guide us and heal our strife-torn world.
From search for wealth and power and scorn of truth and right,
From trust in bombs that shower destruction through the night,
From pride of race and station and blindness to your way,
Deliver every nation, eternal God, we pray.
Lord, strengthen those who labor that all may find release
From fear of rattling saber, from dread of war’s increase;
When hope and courage falter, your still small voice be heard;
With faith that none can alter, your servants undergird.
Keep bright in us the vision of days when war shall cease,
When hatred and division give way to love and peace,
Till dawns the morning glorious when truth and justice reign
And Christ shall rule victorious o’er all the world’s domain.
SHARING JOYS & CONCERNS 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.
GENEROSITY MINUTE Caroline Kurtz
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
“Be Thou My Vision” arr. Alice Parker
Be thou my vision, o Lord of my heart,
Nought be all else to me, save that thou art.
Thou my best thought be day or 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 true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
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 heaven’s Sun!
Heart of mine own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my vision, O ruler of all.
*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 #80
“You Shall go Out with Joy” THE TREES OF THE FIELD
(we will sing this hymn two times)
You shall go out with joy and be led forth with peace;
The mountains and the hills will break forth before you;
There’ll be shouts of joy, and all the trees of the field will clap, will clap their hands.
And all the trees of the field will clap their hands; the trees of the field will clap their hands;
The trees of the field will clap their hands while you go out with joy.
*BENEDICTION The Rev. Eileen Parfrey
*POSTLUDE
“March of the Dwarfs” (Op. 54 Lyric Pieces) Edvard Grieg