WELCOME
CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: When the ways of peace seem clouded, the light of God’s love shines before us.
People: When we doubt and wonder what will happen, God is in our midst, guiding our steps.
Leader: When despair and difficulty attempt to smother us, the wind of God’s Spirit refreshes us with hope.
People: Amid the many paths that the world offers, God’s way leads us to life.
Leader: Come, let us praise the Lord who sees us and heals us.
People: Let us listen for God’s voice, so that we may hear God’s word and follow.
HYMN Praise Ye the Lord, the Almighty Ken Heischman
Praise ye the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation!
O my soul, praise Him, for He is your health and salvation!
All ye who hear; Now to His temple draw near,
Join me in glad adoration.
Praise ye the Lord, who o’er all things so wondrously reigneth;
Shelters thee under His wings, yea so gently sustaineth!
Hast thou not seen How thy desires e’er have been
Granted in what He ordaineth?
Praise ye the Lord! O let all that is in me adore Him!
All that hath life and breath, come now with praises before Him!
Let the amen Sound from His people again;
Gladly for aye we adore Him.
PRAYERS OF CONFESSION (unison)
Gracious and merciful God, we confess that we have often ignored Your word and
refused to follow where You lead us. Although You have called us to pursue the
horizons of truth and freedom, we have frequently chosen to remain in the prisons of
false promises and selfish ambitions. Although You have blessed us with the word of
life to give us direction, we have often ignored Your guidance and trusted our own
wisdom and strength. Forgive us, Lord, and cleanse us of our sin, so that with a
renewed commitment we may discern Your voice among us and live in the world as
faithful disciples of Jesus Christ our Lord, in whose name we pray.
(Silent)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS (adapted from Psalm 103:11-12)
Leader: As the heavens are high above the earth, so great is God’s steadfast love toward all people.
People: As far as the east is from the west, so far does God remove our transgressions from us.
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel:
People: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
HYMN Canto de Esperanza / May the God of Hope Ken Heischman
May the God of hope go with us every day,
Filling all our lives with love and joy and peace.
May the God of justice speed us on our way,
Bringing light and hope to every land and race.
Praying, let us work for peace,
Singing, share our joy with all,
Working for a world that’s new,
Faithful when we hear Christ’s call.
(Sing twice)
SCRIPTURE 1 Samuel 3:1-10
Now the boy Samuel was ministering to the LORD under Eli. The word of the LORD was rare in those days; visions were not widespread. At that time Eli, whose eyesight had begun to grow dim so that he could not see, was lying down in his room; the lamp of God had not yet gone out, and Samuel was lying down in the temple of the LORD, where the ark of God was. Then
the LORD called, “Samuel! Samuel!” and he said, “Here I am!” and ran to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call; lie down again.” So he went and lay down. The LORD called again, “Samuel!” Samuel got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” But he said, “I did not call, my son; lie down again.” Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, and the word of the LORD had not yet been revealed to him. The LORD called Samuel again, a third time. And he got up and went to Eli, and said, “Here I am, for you called me.” Then Eli perceived that the LORD was calling the boy. therefore Eli said to Samuel, “Go, lie down; and if he calls you, you shall say, ‘Speak, LORD, for your servant is listening.’” So Samuel went and lay down in his place. Now the LORD came and stood there, calling as before, “Samuel! Samuel!” And Samuel said, “Speak, for your servant is listening.”
MEDITATION “The Voice That Changes Everything”
HYMN Lord, Speak to Me That I May Speak Ken Heischman
Lord, speak to me, that I may speak in living echoes of Thy tone;
as Thou hast sought, so let me seek Thine erring children lost and lone.
O lead me, Lord, that I may lead the wandering and the wavering feet;
O feed me, Lord, that I may feed Thy hungering ones with manna sweet.
O teach me, Lord, that I may teach the precious things Thou dost impart;
and wing my words, that they may reach the hidden depths of many a heart.
O fill me with Thy fullness, Lord, until my very heart o’erflow
in kindling thought and glowing word Thy love to tell, Thy praise to show.
O use me, Lord, use even me, just as Thou wilt, and when and where;
until Thy blessed face I see, Thy rest, Thy joy, Thy glory share.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE
INVITATION TO GIVE
As disciples of Jesus Christ, we recognize that we have been blessed to receive grace upon grace,
and we respond to God’s grace by giving ourselves for the Lord’s work.
Through the contribution of our tithes and offerings,
we reach out to our fellow human beings in the world,
and we seek to enrich the interconnectedness among all creation.
Our interconnectedness leads us to participate in an interfaith community . . .
and this afternoon our congregation is invited to gather for a zoom event in recognition of World
Religions Day,
where together we can share in prayers regarding the pandemic,
lamenting the losses we have endured,
and seeking healing and reconciliation from the plague of racial injustice.
Accordingly, through the gifts of our lives, our kindness, our presence,
we reveal that we cherish every opportunity to celebrate and enhance life throughout the world,
and so let me invite you to join us in mission and ministry,
as we generously, graciously, and prayerfully
offer our gifts and ourselves in our Lord’s service.
BENEDICTION