WELCOME
PRELUDE God of Our Fathers – Roberts / Warren
*CALL TO WORSHIP
Leader: The God of all nations and cultures blesses us with the rich diversity of life.
People: The God we know in Jesus Christ breaks down barriers and opens our minds to
new ideas.
Leader: Let us praise the Lord who embraces all people as God’s children.
People: Because we are brothers and sistersthrough God’slove, let us praise the Lord who
seeks to unite us in peace.
Leader: In each of us, God’s Spirit shines for all to see.
People: Let all people worship our God who stretched the spangled heavens.
*HYMN OF PRAISE God, Who Stretched the Spangled Heavens #268
God, who stretched the spangled heavens, Infinite in time and place,
Flung the suns in burning radiance through the silent fields of space:
We, Your children, in Your likeness, Share inventive powers with You;
Great Creator, still creating, Show us what we yet may do.
We have ventured worlds undreamed of Since the childhood of our race;
Known the ecstasy of winging Through untraveled realms of space;
Probed the secrets of the atom, Yielding unimagined power,
Facing us with life’s destruction Or our most triumphant hour.
As each far horizon beckons, May it challenge us anew:
Children of creative purpose, Serving others, honoring you.
May our dreams prove rich with promise, Each endeavor well begun;
Great Creator, give us guidance Till our goals and Yours are one.
PRAYERS OF CONFESSION (Unison)
Merciful God, even though You call us to be one in Christ,
the church is often fractured by disunity.
Our words and actions have caused hurt and anguish;
our language and our attitudes have revealed our prejudices;
and our narrow-minded exclusiveness is contrary to Your inclusive love.
Have mercy upon us, Lord,
and forgive us for failing to embrace all people as You embrace us.
Shape us into a church where our unity in Christ is visible in all that we do,
for we ask it in the name of Jesus Christ our Lord. (Silent)
ASSURANCE OF FORGIVENESS (adapted from Ephesians 2:13-14)
Leader: We who once were far off have been brought near by the blood of Christ.
People: Christ is our peace, and He has erased the divisions between us, and brought unity
to us.
Leader: Friends, believe the good news of the gospel:
People: Through the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, we are forgiven!
SCRIPTURE Isaiah 19:19-25
19 On that day there will be an altar to the LORD in the center of the land of Egypt, and a pillar
to the LORD at its border. 20 It will be a sign and a witness to the LORD of hosts in the land of
Egypt; when they cry to the LORD because of oppressors, he will send them a savior, and will
defend and deliver them. 21 The LORD will make himself known to the Egyptians; and the
Egyptians will know the LORD on that day, and will worship with sacrifice and burnt offering,
and they will make vows to the LORD and perform them. 22 The LORD will strike Egypt, striking
and healing; they will return to the LORD, and he will listen to their supplications and heal them.
23 On that day there will be a highway from Egypt to Assyria, and the Assyrian will come into
Egypt, and the Egyptian into Assyria, and the Egyptians will worship with the Assyrians. 24 On
that day Israel will be the third with Egypt and Assyria, a blessing in the midst of the earth,
25 whom the LORD of hosts has blessed, saying, “Blessed be Egypt my people, and Assyria the
work of my hands, and Israel my heritage.”
SCRIPTURE Galatians 3:23-29
23 Now before faith came, we were imprisoned and guarded under the law until faith would be revealed. 24 Therefore the law was our disciplinarian until Christ came, so that we might be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer subject to a disciplinarian, 26 for in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith. 27 As many of you as were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is no longer Jew or Greek, there is no longer slave or free, there is no longer male and female; for all of you are one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to the promise.
MEDITATION Water and Oneness
ANTHEM Faith of Our Fathers – Henry / Berry
*AFFIRMATION OF FAITH The Apostles’ Creed
I believe in God the Father Almighty,
Maker of heaven and earth.
And in Jesus Christ, his only Son our Lord;
who was conceived by the Holy Spirit,
born of the Virgin Mary,
suffered under Pontius Pilate,
was crucified, dead, and buried;
he descended into hell;
the third day he rose again from the dead;
he ascended into heaven,
and sitteth on the right hand
of God the Father Almighty;
from thence he shall come to judge
the quick and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit;
the holy catholic Church;
the communion of saints;
the forgiveness of sins;
the resurrection of the body;
and the life everlasting. Amen.
PRAYERS OF THE PEOPLE 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.
INVITATION TO GIVE
PRAYER OF DEDICATION (Unison)
God of love and faithfulness,
as we offer our gifts to You,
open our eyes to the many ways that we can share Your blessings across the globe.
Awaken us to the power of Your love at work in our lives and in our world,
so that we may trust You more for the journey ahead,
through Jesus Christ our living Lord. Amen.
*HYMN We All Are One in Mission #435
We all are one in mission, We all are one in call,
Our varied gifts united By Christ, the Lord of all.
A single, great commission Compels us from above
To plan and work together That all may know Christ’s love.
We all are called for service To witness in God’s name;
Our ministries are different, Our purpose is the same:
To touch the lives of others By God’s surprising grace
So every folk and nation May feel God’s warm embrace.
Now let us be united And let our song be heard.
Now let us be a vessel For God’s redeeming word.
We all are one in mission, We all are one in call,
Our varied gifts united By Christ, the Lord of all.
*BENEDICTION
POSTLUDE Do, Lord – Traditional