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Prelude “Praise God, from Whom All Blessings Flow (Doxology)”
Louis Bourgeois
“Recessional on ‘Old Hundredth’ ” Gordon Young
“March on the Old Hundredth Psalm Tune” Brenda Portman
“Voluntary on the Doxology” Henry Purcell
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 “Praise, Praise, Praise the Lord!” arr. Ralph Johnson
*Westminster Chimes
*Invitation to Worship Rev. Gregg Neel
In the prayers and the praise, in the words and the wonder:
we are given enough joy to live each day.
In the justice for the oppressed,
in the unexpected generosity for the lost:
we are given enough compassion
to use in service each day.
In the promises made to all, in the mercy offered to each:
we are given enough grace to share each day.
Let us worship God.
*Hymn #611 “Joyful, Joyful, We Adore Thee” hymn to joy
Joyful, joyful, we adore thee,
God of glory, Lord of love!
Hearts unfold like flowers before thee,
opening to the sun above.
Melt the clouds of sin and sadness;
drive the dark of doubt away.
Giver of immortal gladness,
fill us with the light of day.
All thy works with joy surround thee;
earth and heaven reflect thy rays;
stars and angels sing around thee,
center of unbroken praise.
Field and forest, vale and mountain,
flowery meadow, flashing sea,
chanting bird and flowing fountain,
call us to rejoice in thee.
Mortals, join the happy chorus
which the morning stars began.
Love divine is reigning o’er us,
joining all in heaven’s plan.
Ever singing, march we onward,
victors in the midst of strife.
Joyful music leads us sunward
in the triumph song of life.
*Invitation to Confession Rev. Junha Kim
We continue to believe that we must earn our way into God’s heart. But God’s grace is given to each of us, for all of us, freely, unconditionally, always. Let us confess as we open our lives to this mercy and pray silently.
*Silent Prayer
*Unison Prayer of Confession
Forgive us, O God of Peace. Instead of grumblers, may we be ambassadors of grace. Instead of continual complaining, may we carry compassion to the hurting. Instead of whiners, may we be workers with Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior, to reach out and bring the kin-dom of God to everyone we meet. Amen.
*Assurance of Forgiveness
This is the good news: there is no ranking in God’s kingdom. God graces everyone with the same gifts: mercy, restoration, new life.
God has kept the covenant. We have been forgiven, we have been made new people. Thanks be to God. 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 Matthew 20:1-16 Rev. Gregg Neel
‘For the kingdom of heaven is like a landowner who went out early in the morning to hire labourers for his vineyard. After agreeing with the labourers for the usual daily wage, he sent them into his vineyard. When he went out about nine o’clock, he saw others standing idle in the market-place; and he said to them, “You also go into the vineyard, and I will pay you whatever is right.” So they went. When he went out again about noon and about three o’clock, he did the same. And about five o’clock he went out and found others standing around; and he said to them, “Why are you standing here idle all day?” They said to him, “Because no one has hired us.” He said to them, “You also go into the vineyard.” When evening came, the owner of the vineyard said to his manager, “Call the labourers and give them their pay, beginning with the last and then going to the first.” When those hired about five o’clock came, each of them received the usual daily wage. Now when the first came, they thought they would receive more; but each of them also received the usual daily wage. And when they received it, they grumbled against the landowner, saying, “These last worked only one hour, and you have made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day and the scorching heat.” But he replied to one of them, “Friend, I am doing you no wrong; did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage? Take what belongs to you and go; I choose to give to this last the same as I give to you. Am I not allowed to do what I choose with what belongs to me? Or are you envious because I am generous?” So the last will be first, and the first will be last.’
This is the Word of the Lord.
Thanks be to God.
Moments with Children Rev. Junha Kim
Anthem “With a Voice of Singing” Martin Shaw
With a voice of singing declare ye this and let it be heard. Alleluia!
Utter it even unto the ends of the earth.
The Lord hath delivered his people, Alleluia!
O sing praises to the honor of his name, make his praise to be glorious.
Sermon “Is the Kin-dom of God on Earth Possible?” Rev. Gregg Neel
A Moment for Silent Reflection
An Act of Response
*Hymn #719 “Come, Labor On” ora labora
Come, labor on.
Who dares stand idle on the harvest plain
while all around us waves the golden grain?
And to each servant does the Master say,
“Go work today.”
Come, labor on.
Claim the high calling angels cannot share;
to young and old the gospel gladness bear.
Redeem the time; its hours too swiftly fly.
The night draws nigh.
Come, labor on.
Cast off all gloomy doubt and faithless fear!
No arm so weak but may do service here.
Though feeble agents, may we all fulfill
God’s righteous will.
Come, labor on.
No time for rest, till glows the western sky,
till the long shadows o’er our pathway lie,
and a glad sound comes with the setting sun,
“Well done, well done!”
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.”)
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 Women’s Bible Study Leslie Carver
Offering Ourselves and Our Gifts
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Offertory Anthem “Beautiful Savior” arr. F.M. Christiansen
Annika Bell, alto soloist
Fair are the meadows, fairer the woodlands, robed in flowers of blooming spring;
Jesus is fairer, Jesus is purer, He makes our sorrowing spirit sing.
Beautiful Savior! Lord of the nations. Son of God and Son of Man.
Glory and honor, praise, adoration, now and forevermore be Thine.
*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 #773 “Heaven Shall Not Wait” heaven shall not wait
Heaven shall not wait for the poor to lose their patience, the scorned to smile, the despised to find a friend: Jesus is Lord; he has championed the unwanted; in him injustice confronts its timely end.
Heaven shall not wait for the rich to share their fortunes, the proud to fall, the elite to tend to the least: Jesus is Lord; he has shown the master’s privilege: to kneel and wash servant’s feet before they feast.
Heaven shall not wait for the dawn of great ideas, thoughts of compassion divorced from cries of pain: Jesus is Lord; he has married word and action; his cross and company make his purpose plain.
Heaven shall not wait for triumphant Hallelujahs, when earth has passed and we reach another shore: Jesus is Lord in our present imperfection; his power and love are for now and then forevermore.
*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 “Postludium from Sonata in Classic Style” Gordon Young
(You may be seated for the postlude or you may depart.)
Today’s liturgy is taken from https://lectionaryliturgies.blogspot.com/ by Thom Shuman.